DULUTH, Minn. – Six former Duluth players were selected in the 20 rounds of the 2026 MLB Draft. Three of the six played for the 2025 iteration of the Huskies, two in 2024 and one in 2023.
Paul Contreras – 4th Round, 127th Overall – New York Yankees
Contreras played in 35 games for Duluth in 2025, slashing .293/.407/.431/.838 with 10 extra base hits. Contreras drove 24 runs in and scored 24 more in his campaign in the Twin Ports.
Contreras took a huge step forward at Cal State Fullerton in 2026, earning Big West Field Player of the Year and First Team All-Big West for an outstanding season with the Titans. Contreras slashed .364/.441/.633/1.074 while slugging 14 homers, knocking in 45 runs and walking more than he struck out. He led the Big West with a .436 batting average in conference play. Contreras will begin his pro career in the New York Yankees system after being the highest-drafted former Husky of the 2026 MLB Draft.
Carson Turnquist – 7th Round, 206th Overall – Arizona Diamondbacks
Turnquist, a right-handed reliever with Duluth in 2025, posted a 4.91 ERA across 11 innings between July 1 and August 8, earning a save in the process. Turnquist was a bat misser in his time in Duluth, striking out at least one hitter in all seven appearances and 18 total. He struck out four hitters in each of his final three games.
Turnquist had an excellent 2026 for the Cal Poly Mustangs, starting 14 games and throwing 76.1 innings en route to Second Team All-Big West honors. Turnquist had a 9-3 record in 16 total appearances and a 4.01 ERA, with 92 strikeouts compared to 40 walks as the Saturday starter. Turnquist started three postseason games on Cal Poly’s run to the Super Regionals, earning a quality start and win over No. 1 seed UC Santa Barbara in the Big West Tournament and doing the same in an NCAA Regional win over No. 4 seed St. Mary’s. Turnquist also started Game 2 of the Super Regional at #16 West Virginia.
Michael Smith Jr. – 13th Round, 395th Overall – San Diego Padres
Smith, a 2025 Northwoods League All Star for the Great Plains, was the third former Husky selected in the 2026 MLB Draft. Smith had an outstanding 2025 campaign with Duluth, slashing .327/.489/.490/.979 in the first half with the Huskies. In 29 games, Smith tallied eight doubles, three home runs and 27 RBI, while walking 31 times compared to 23 strikeouts. He also stole 26 bases in 30 attempts as part of a Duluth running attack that stole the 4th most bases in the NWL in 2025.
After two years at Prairie View A&M, Smith transferred to Dayton where he earned Second Team All-Atlantic 10 honors for his performance. Smith set the single-season program record in stolen bases with 38, and slashed .332/.502/.588/1.090 with 10 doubles and 10 home runs.
Colin Linder – 15th Round, 445th Overall – Miami Marlins
Linder was a regular starting pitcher for Duluth in 2023, displaying wipeout stuff by fanning 43 hitters across 27.1 Northwoods League innings. His most impressive outing came when he cut down nine La Crosse Loggers hitters in 7.0 innings while allowing just two hits and a run. The 6- 4 right-hander eventually made his way to Arizona State, where his whiff-generating stuff earned him a 4-2 record across 20 appearances (7 starts) for the Sun Devils. Linder punched out 62 hitters this last spring in 50.0 innings, and will now get a chance to miss bats in professional baseball.
Charlie Sutherland – 15th Round, 460th Overall – Seattle Mariners
Sutherland, who grew up and attended high school in Duluth, became the first ever Duluth East Greyhound to be selected in the MLB Draft. Sutherland displayed professional-level talent while playing in his hometown, playing in a team-high 67 games while slashing .288/.404/.442/.846 for the 2024 Huskies. He also racked up 19 doubles 3 triples, 4 home runs, and 49 RBI while earning an All-Star bid. Sutherland was a mainstay in the Minnesota Golden Gophers’ lineup for the last three seasons, playing in a total of 130 games while hitting .305. Sutherland totaled 18 home runs in Division I action, and earned Third Team All-Conference honors this spring.
Albert Roblez – 16th Round, 485th Overall – San Diego Padres
Roblez was the Huskies’ most dynamic reliever in 2024, throwing 18.0 innings across 13 appearances to a 3.00 ERA. The right-hander recorded two saves, and struck out 29 batters to just 10 walks, leading the team in strikeouts per nine innings. Roblez continued to prove himself one of the nation’s best stoppers in spring ball, earning First-Team All-American honors from three different publications with Oregon State this past season. With the Beavers, he notched
14 saves across 24 appearances, posting a sparkling 1.50 ERA in the process. Roblez struck out 53 batters in Corvallis, and now will make his way into the Padres organization.