LAS CRUCES — New Mexico State pitcher Jack Turner was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 10th round of the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft, continuing a recent run of Aggie players moving into professional baseball.
Turner's path to the draft
Turner spent the 2025 and 2026 seasons with the Aggies after transferring from Suffolk County Community College in New York, where he earned NJCAA Division III First Team All-American honors in 2024. Across his two seasons at New Mexico State, Turner made 24 appearances — 17 of them starts — and compiled a 6.15 ERA with 100 strikeouts in 112.2 innings. He also recorded one save during the 2026 season.
He finished his NM State tenure on a strong note by tossing six scoreless innings with five strikeouts in the Aggies' penultimate game of 2026, a 6-5 victory over Florida International on May 15.
Summer league experience
After leaving the Aggies, Turner pitched in the MLB Draft League, splitting time between the Trenton Thunder and the State College Spikes. With Trenton he made eight appearances, striking out 17 batters and allowing five earned runs in 11 innings for a 4.09 ERA. With State College he started two games, striking out five across seven innings and posting a 5.14 ERA and a 1.114 WHIP in his short stint.
- Draft round: 10th
- Team selecting: Detroit Tigers
- Aggies drafted since 2015: 14
- Aggies taken in first 10 rounds since 2015: 8
What it means for New Mexico State and the region
Turner is the 14th New Mexico State player chosen in the MLB Draft since 2015 and the eighth Aggie selected in the first 10 rounds in that stretch. The recent draft pedigree — including 2024 picks outfielders Keith Jones II (10th round, Texas Rangers) and Titus Dumitru (16th round, Atlanta Braves) — highlights a growing pipeline from Las Cruces to professional baseball.
For Doña Ana County and the state, continued selections reinforce recruiting efforts and raise the profile of the Aggies' program. Prospects drafted from NM State can help attract local talent and increase fan engagement statewide as players advance through the minor-league system.
| Metric | Turner (NM State) |
|---|---|
| Seasons at NM State | 2 (2025-2026) |
| Appearances / Starts | 24 / 17 |
| ERA (NM State) | 6.15 |
| Strikeouts | 100 |
| Innings pitched | 112.2 |
The Tigers' selection gives Turner an opportunity to enter a professional system known for emphasizing pitching development. How quickly he advances will depend on adjustments to professional coaching, workload management and his command — factors scouts watch closely when evaluating college arms with solid strikeout totals but higher ERAs.
As the 2026 draft class begins the transition to pro ball, local supporters in Las Cruces and across New Mexico will track Turner and other Aggies as representatives of the state's growing presence in the sport.
