The Miami Marlins used their second-round pick on Ethan Kleinschmit, selecting the Oregon State left-hander with the 52nd overall choice in Saturday’s Major League Baseball draft.
From Linn-Benton to the big-league radar
Kleinschmit, a 6-foot-3 southpaw from Mount Angel, parlayed a standout freshman season at Linn-Benton Community College into a two-year run in Corvallis that put him on pro scouts’ radars. He was the first Beaver chosen this year and becomes the fifth Oregon State player the Marlins have drafted over the past three drafts.
Across 32 starts for the Beavers, Kleinschmit compiled a 17-7 record and a 3.64 ERA. He logged 168 innings and fanned 210 batters while issuing 63 walks over those two seasons. As a junior, he was 9-2 with a 3.74 ERA, totaling 77 innings with 97 strikeouts and 27 walks.
Stuff and role
Scouts have praised Kleinschmit’s command and pitch mix more than overpowering velocity. The left-hander leans on a mid-90s fastball and complements it with a slider, changeup and a cutter he refined between his sophomore and junior seasons. Miami used Kleinschmit as its second selection of the draft and its first college pitcher chosen.
“While he won’t overwhelm anyone with pure stuff, he makes up for it with movement and feel for pitching … He has good rotation and depth with his upper-70s slurvy slider to go along with a decent feel and deception with his low-80s changeup.”
The quote above was published by MLB.com evaluating Kleinschmit’s profile among 2026 prospects.
Local pattern: Marlins and the Beavers
Kleinschmit joins a recent string of Oregon State players entering the Marlins’ farm system. Miami has tapped several Beavers recently, including a top-10 selection and multiple later-round picks in previous drafts.
- 2026: Ethan Kleinschmit — 2nd round, No. 52 overall
- 2025: Aiva Arquette — 1st round, No. 7 overall; Wilson Weber — 12th round, No. 348 overall
- 2024: Aiden May — 2nd round, No. 70 overall; Michal McDowell — 17th round, No. 514 overall
| Statistic | Career with Oregon State |
|---|---|
| Record | 17-7 |
| ERA | 3.64 |
| Innings | 168 |
| Strikeouts | 210 |
For Oregon baseball fans, Kleinschmit’s selection is another example of the Pac-12 pipeline to professional clubs and underscores Oregon State’s recent success developing draftable pitching. The southpaw’s collegiate workload — including Sunday starts as a sophomore and a mix of Friday and Saturday assignments as a junior during the Beavers’ postseason push — suggests professional clubs viewed him as a starter with proven endurance.
Next steps for Kleinschmit will be determined by the Marlins’ development staff and contract negotiations. As with other draftees, he could report to a minor-league assignment or sign and begin his pro career in Miami’s system later this summer.
This selection keeps a steady flow of Oregon State talent moving to South Florida, and it gives local fans another player from the state to follow through the minor-league ranks and, potentially, into the major leagues.
