CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Guardians grabbed three college bats with their picks in the late second and third rounds on Sunday’s opening day of the Major League Baseball first year player draft. They also used a pick acquired during the offseason to take a Canadian high school pitcher who can reportedly spin it with the best of them.
Cleveland took Tennessee shortstop Dean Curley with pick No. 64 before calling on Arizona outfielder Aaron Walton with pick No. 66. When it came time to use the No. 70 pick they acquired from the Diamondbacks in December in the Josh Naylor trade, they took right-hander Will Hynes out of Lorne Park Secondary School in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
Oklahoma State outfielder Nolan Schubart was the organization’s pick at No. 101 to close out night one of the draft.
The Guards took Texas A&M
outfielder Jace LaViolette with their top pick
at No. 27 earlier in the night.
Here is a look at Curley, Walton, Hynes and Schubart:
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Dean Curley
SS/INF, Tennessee, 2nd Round, 64th overall
Curley’s measurables are impressive, standing 6-foot-3 and 218 pounds. He can generate impressive power with a strong throwing arm, but suffered through an inconsistent season defensively, posting a .906 fielding percentage. But the raw power is what stands out. Against Kansas State in 2024 he became the first freshman in Tennessee history to hit three home runs in a game. According to scouts, he has good plate discipline and can get on base as evidenced by his .435 on-base percentage. In two seasons at UT, he hit a combined 26 home runs and drove in 101 with a .517 slugging percentage.
Aaron Walton
OF, Arizona, 2nd Round Competitive Balance, 66th overall
With an athletic 6-foot-3, 219-pound build, Walton stands out with plus speed and a strong arm. Walton transferred to Arizona from Samford for his junior season after hitting 15 home runs with an .871 OPS in his first two years with the Bulldogs. He hit .320 with 14 homers and 49 RBI in 65 games as Arizona advanced to the College World Series in 2025.
Will Hynes
RHP, Lorne Park Secondary, ON, 70th overall
Hynes is lean and athletic at 6-foot-2, 175 pounds. Scouts love his poise against tough competition and his smooth, repeatable delivery. The key measurable for Hynes is the spin rate on his slider, which rates higher than most high school pitchers. According to a Perfect Game assessment, Hynes’ slider works the low-80s, usually in the 80-82 mph range, with an eye-popping spin above 2,700 RPMs and can flirt with the elite 2,800 RPM threshold.
Nolan Schubart
OF, Oklahoma State, 3rd round, 70th overall
Another tall, athletic slugger, Schubart stands 6-foot-5 and 223 pounds, having played corner outfield and some first base for the Cowboys. Schubart launched 59 home runs over 165 games with Oklahoma State, including a freshman-record 17 highlighted by a four-homer game against Wichita State in 2024. He hit .300/.436/.630 with 19 homers and 57 RBIs in 2025, set school single-game and conference power records, and topped exit speeds north of 110 mph. He comes with strikeout concerns, having a hit tool that grades below elite levels. Off the field, Schubart is an outstanding student with multiple Academic All‑America honors while majoring in management. The left-handed hitting slugger batted .334 with a 1.170 OPS in Stillwater.
