The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Howard taken in 13th round of 2026 MLB Draft
07.12.2026 | Baseball
Right-handed pitcher becomes sixth Longhorn selected in first 400 picks
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Longhorns redshirt senior Cody Howard heard his name called in the 13th round (No. 376 overall) by the Washington Nationals in the 2026 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Sunday afternoon.
Howard became the sixth Longhorn selected in the draft, joining Minnesota Twins' second-round pick Carson Tinney (No. 42 overall), New York Mets' third-round selection Aiden Robbins (No. 92 overall), Philadelphia Phillies' third-round choice Ruger Riojas (No. 100 overall), Twins' eighth-rounder Thomas Burns (No. 227 overall) and St. Louis Cardinals' eighth-round pick Luke Harrison (No. 234 overall).
A 6-foot-1, 210-pound right-hander, Howard developed into a versatile arm over his four years in burnt orange.
Across 36 appearances, including five starts, he mounted a 5-3 mark and a 7.84 ERA. The Woodlands, Texas, native posted 58 strikeouts in 62 innings.
During the Longhorns' 2026 postseason run, Howard earned a victory in the NCAA Austin Regional opener before finishing off Texas' 14-2 win over Alabama at the Men's College World Series in Omaha.
Before arriving on The Forty Acres, he spent his freshman campaign at Baylor.
