DALLAS, Texas – The 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft was held this past weekend, and former Ranger Aiden Brainard was taken in the Sixth Round by the Texas Rangers.
Brainard played for RU in their record-setting 2025 season, making 13 appearances on the mound, including eight starts. The right-hander led the team with 56.2 innings pitched, and posted a 5-1 record. He held batters to a .236 batting average, struck out 60 batters, and recorded a 6.67 ERA. He earned CSC Academic All-District, and garnered one RMAC Pitcher of the Week accolade.
The Littleton, Colo., native played at Northeast CC before joining the Rangers and played his senior season at NCAA DI Nevada. There, Brainard was named to the All-Mountain West First Team, going 5-4 on the season with 68 strikeouts over 62.0 innings.
Being taken with the 178th overall pick, Brainard marks the third straight season a former Rangers was selected in the MLB Draft, joining Zach Daudet, taken by the Houston Astros in the 10th round in 2025, and Ethan Sloan, taken by the Detroit Tigers in the 8th round in 2024.
