FORT MYERS, Fla. – Florida Gulf Coast University will be present and prevalent in Philadelphia over the next week as Major League Baseball holds its 96^th All-Star Game in the City of Brotherly Love. But before the Midsummer Classic can get underway, the 2026 MLB Amateur Draft will get underway beginning Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. on NBC.

Before FGCU product Chris Sale makes his 10^th All-Star Game appearance, future Eagles headed to the MLB will be at the top of everyone's mind. Leading the way will be back-to-back Unanimous All-American and John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year honoree Evan Dempsey.

The Atlantic Sun Conference's 2026 Pitcher of the Year, Dempsey credits the FGCU coaching staff for his ability to be part of the draft in a likely early round. D1Baseball.com ranks Dempsey as the No. 72 overall prospect in this weekend's Amateur Draft. View the full 2026 MLB Amateur Draft order here.

"FGCU has done a great job over the last three years," Dempsey said. "They've done a really good job. Coach Tollet and the coaching staff like to focus a lot on mental preparation and what it means to not only be a really good FGCU baseball player, but also to be a man, and that's a lot of the values they teach there. I think being there the last three years has helped me a lot as far as not only growing as a baseball player, but also growing as a person."

Dempsey emphasized his decision to stay with FGCU for his three-year collegiate career instead of risking his collegiate career on entering the transfer portal, saying the consistency of coaching was important.

"I think it sets a good example for other players," Dempsey explained of his decision to stay at FGCU. "The first thing I think of when the transfer portal opens up is whether [they] be interested in this or is it about money, or whatever drives different people to enter the transfer portal. For me, there are things more important than just money. I think that sets a really good example for future players and players going to the mid-major level."

As Dempsey reflected on his time at FGCU, he offered advice to current and future Eagles on how FGCU can prepare them for a potentially successful professional career.

"They need to keep working hard and stay loyal," Dempsey said. "I don't believe that there's a lot of development in moving around and trying [things] out with different coaches. Even though that may be good for some other people, I think the coaching staff at FGCU is really good at what they do if you're able to stick with them … You go in there, you have a really good time, you develop and you never know what can happen."

The two-way player will be spending draft weekend at home in Tampa. Planning to be surrounded by family, Dempsey will be heeding the advice offered by Coach Tollett in approaching the next few days.

"Just to enjoy the moment," Dempsey recalled Tollett's advice. "Not everybody gets to experience this, so just really taking it in and not letting it speed up. Take every day as slow as you can, basically, and just enjoy it."

Draft coverage will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday on NBC and Peacock with picks 1-10 starting at approximately 1:30 p.m. Picks 11-40 will be available to view on MLB Network, MLB.com, MLB.tv and MLB+.

Wrapping up Saturday's coverage, picks 41-135 can be seen on MLB.com, MLB.TV and MLB+.

MLB Network's opening night coverage will also feature interviews with newly-drafted players, extensive highlight packages, footage from MLB club Draft rooms and interviews with front office personnel.

Day 2 of the Draft, which consists of rounds 5 through 20, will be streamed on MLB.com, MLB TV, MLB+, beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET.

FGCU has had 13 players chosen in the first 10 rounds of the MLB Amateur Draft with Chris Sale being the highest pick as he was selected with the 13^th overall pick in the first round of the 2010 MLB Amateur Draft by the Chicago White Sox. View the full list of Eagles selected in the MLB Amateur Draft by clicking here.
 
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