Pros, cons of Kansas City Royals picking Ole Miss' Taylor Rabe in 2026 MLB Draft

The Kansas City Royals selected Ole Miss baseball pitcher Taylor Rabe in the 2026 MLB Draft on July 11.

Rabe was selected No. 30 overall. He is the second Ole Miss player selected in the draft, following fellow pitcher Cade Townsend who was selected No. 23 overall by the Cubs.

Here's what Rabe brings to the Royals, based on our own observations from his tenure at Ole Miss:

What Taylor Rabe brings to Kansas City Royals in 2026 MLB Draft

Rabe is a hard-throwing right-hander who passes the eye test with flying colors.

He is 6-foot-6, 220 pounds and uses his frame to overpower hitters with a fastball that sits in the high-90s.

Rabe flashed his potential as a sophomore for the Rebels in 2026. By the time the Rebels made the College World Series, Rabe had worked his way into the No. 1 starter spot in the rotation.

Taylor Rabe highlights, strengths, weaknesses at Ole Miss

Rabe broke out in the second half of the season by riding a dominant fastball and excellent location.

Rabe racked up 105 strikeouts and just 15 walks in 76 innings. He showed a mastery of putting batters away without giving away free passes.

There is some injury trouble in his past, and that probably is the reason why his breakout took until his third season in college. As a freshman, Rabe suffered a UCL injury right before the 2024 season. He redshirted.

Taylor Rabe stats at Ole Miss

Rabe appeared in 17 games in 2026 and made 11 starts. He had a 5-3 record with a team-best 3.55 ERA.

He was strong in the College World Series. Rabe started against North Carolina and pitched 5⅔ innings. He allowed one earned run on two hits in an eventual 6-2 loss.

Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at Shutchens@gannett.com or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Pros, cons of Kansas City Royals picking Ole Miss' Taylor Rabe in 2026 MLB Draft