PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Arizona Baseball right-handed pitcher Collin McKinney, a key contributor on the mound for the Wildcats over the past two seasons, has been selected by the Baltimore Orioles with the 260th overall pick in the Ninth Round of the 2026 MLB Draft.

McKinney is the second Wildcat to be selected in this year's MLB Draft, and he becomes the 295th MLB Draft pick in Arizona Baseball history.

The Texas native joined the Arizona Baseball program ahead of the 2025 season after spending two years at Baylor. McKinney immediately carved out a role on Arizona's pitching staff, appearing in 15 games and making 13 starts during his first season in Tucson. He compiled a 3.98 ERA over 54.1 innings of work while recording 60 strikeouts and holding opposing hitters to a .234 batting average. McKinney did not allow a home run throughout the regular season and helped the Wildcats achieve an overall record of 44-21, as well as a Big 12 Tournament Championship and an appearance in the 2025 College World Series.

McKinney appeared in 17 games for Arizona during the 2026 season, making six starts on the mound while also serving in a variety of relief roles throughout the year. He earned the Sunday starting assignment on opening weekend before transitioning into a key bullpen role during conference play. McKinney earned victories over Arizona State (April 3) and Kansas State (April 18), while also recording a save against New Mexico State (May 6). He struck out a season-high eight batters over 4.2 innings in his first start of the year against Michigan (Feb. 15).