Saskatchewan's Historic Draft Pick
Atlanta Braves Select Carter Beck 26th Overall, Highest-Drafted Saskatchewan Player Ever
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Key Points
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Beck spent the 2024 and 2025 summers with the Saskatoon Berries of the Western Canadian Baseball League, highlighting his development path through Saskatchewan.
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Baseball Sask. notes that just 24 players from Saskatchewan have been drafted by MLB teams, underscoring how rare Beck's selection is for the province.
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Beck is ranked No. 69 in Baseball America's class of 2026, reflecting scouting evaluations beyond his college stats.
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In 57 games this season, Beck slashed .346/.446/.637 with 16 homers and 12 steals, and posted a 12.3% walk rate (12.3 BB%) against an 11.6% strikeout rate, highlighting a blend of power and speed.
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Jensen Hirschkorn, selected 84th, is an overslot prep right-hander with a fastball up to 96 mph, a plus slider, and a projectable 6'7" frame, signaling a high-upside, long-term development path for the Braves.
Carter Beck, an outfielder from Carnduff, Saskatchewan, became the highest-drafted player in Saskatchewan history on Sunday when the Atlanta Braves selected him 26th overall in the 2026 MLB Draft, according to CBC. Beck also became the first Canadian taken in this year's draft.
The Indiana State University junior slashed .346/.446/.637 with 16 home runs and 12 steals in 57 games this season. He earned the Missouri Valley Conference Joe Carter Player of the Year award. CTV News reported that scouts see him as a toolsy outfielder with plus speed and real defensive upside.
Beck Breaks Ground for a Baseball-Rare Province
Saskatchewan has produced just 24 MLB draftees in history, according to CBC. Beck's 26th-overall selection blows past every one of them. He grew up in Carnduff, a small town in the province's southeast corner, and learned the game far from the traditional baseball hotbeds of the US South or California.
Beck spent the summers of 2024 and 2025 with the Saskatoon Berries of the Western Canadian Baseball League. That developmental path through Saskatchewan shaped him into the prospect Atlanta eventually bet on with a top-30 pick. CTV News noted he was surrounded by family when the Braves called his name.
Elite Numbers Back a Surprising Top-30 Selection
Beck's 2026 season at Indiana State was hard to ignore. He posted a .346 average, a .446 on-base percentage, and a .637 slugging mark. His 12.3% walk rate actually beat his 11.6% strikeout rate — a rare sign of plate discipline. That blend of power and contact pushed him onto Atlanta's radar.
Baseball America ranked Beck No. 69 in the overall 2026 class, well below where Atlanta took him. That made the pick a mild surprise. Reports described Beck's batted-ball data and spring performance as the key factors that convinced the Braves to move up and take him at 26, according to CBC.
Speed and Defense Define Beck's Ceiling in the Pros
Scouts call speed Beck's best tool. He profiles right now as a center fielder, though analysts say a move to left field is possible as he fills out physically. Either way, his athleticism gives him a clear path to contributing as a multi-tool player in Atlanta's system.
Beck has only two years of Division I experience at Indiana State. Evaluators expect him to need development time before reaching the majors. His ceiling, though, remains high. A toolsy outfielder who walks more than he strikes out and hits 16 home runs in college is a rare find, especially from Canada.
Braves Double Down with High-Upside Prep Arm at 84th
Atlanta didn't stop with Beck. The Braves used the 84th pick on Jensen Hirschkorn, a California prep right-hander, according to Yahoo Sports. Hirschkorn stands 6'7" and already throws a fastball up to 96 mph. He also flashes a plus slider. His frame alone signals years of projection still ahead.
The Hirschkorn pick is what scouts call an overslot selection — Atlanta paid above the recommended slot value to land him. That signals real belief in his upside. Pair him with Beck and AJ Gracia, another Braves top-30 pick, and Atlanta built a draft class around athletes with high ceilings rather than safe, polished college arms.
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