MACKS - 2026 DRAFT - METS PICKS 4.120: LHP Shane Sdao - & 5.152: RHRP Luke McNeillie

 

Shane Sdao (born September 29, 2003) is a left-handed pitcher (LHP) for the Texas A&M Aggies.

He is a 6'3", 185 lb redshirt junior from Montgomery, Texas (Lake Creek High School), who bats and throws left-handed.

College Career Highlights

2023 (Freshman): Appeared in 22 games (2 starts), went 4-1 with a 4.78 ERA, 46 strikeouts in 43.1 innings. Showed promise in relief and postseason play.

2024 (Sophomore): Strong breakout year with 20 appearances (5 starts), 5-1 record, 2.96 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 55 strikeouts vs. 9 walks in 48.2 innings, plus 2 saves. Had several standout outings, including shutout innings.

He suffered an arm injury… Tommy John surgery… (oops, der it is) during the 2024 College World Series run, ending his season early.

2025 (Junior): Missed the entire season due to injury recovery; redshirted.

2026 (Redshirt Junior): Returned as a key arm with 17 appearances (13 starts), 4-4 record, team-high 83 strikeouts in 71.2 innings. Mixed results with a high ERA, but showed flashes like career-high 11 Ks vs. Georgia and strong non-conference outings.

Preseason Third Team All-American (Baseball America).

He has a career college record of 13-6 with 184+ strikeouts in ~163 innings. Known for strikeout stuff (high K/9 rates), command at times, and versatility (starter/reliever).

 In 2026, he dealt with some inconsistency and batted-ball luck issues but remained a trusted option for coach Michael Earley, including postseason starts.

Sdao was a two-way player (LHP/1B/OF) in high school but has focused on pitching at Texas A&M. He turned down draft money after 2024 to return for 2026 after his injury. He was viewed as a 2026 MLB Draft prospect (ranked in the top 100–250 range by various outlets pre-draft) due to his lefty stuff, size, and track record when healthy.

He has been praised for leadership, work ethic during rehab, and commitment to the program.

@shane.sdao

MACK - I use blue ink when I'm writing something negatively about a player. Three picks in and I'm already running out of blue ink. David Stearns seems to be in love with players that were superior before they were lost for, at least, half a season. Three picks so far and two question marks. Wonderful.

Pick 5.152 - RHRP Luke McNeillie

Luke McNeillie (born March 17, 2005) is a right-handed pitcher (B/T: L/R) for the University of Florida Gators.

He stands 6'3" and weighs around 200 lbs.

A native of Milton, Georgia, he was a highly regarded high school prospect (top-100 nationally) who committed to Florida and has developed into a 2026 MLB Draft prospect.

College Career Overview

McNeillie has primarily worked as a reliever with occasional starts for the Gators:

2024 (Freshman): 4-6, 7.07 ERA in 26 appearances (2 GS), 35.2 IP, 43 K, 21 BB. Struggled early but showed improvement later in the year.

2025 (Sophomore): 5-2, 4.82 ERA in 28 appearances (2 GS), 52.1 IP, 72 K (career high), 24 BB. Strong strikeout stuff with a team-high appearance total.

2026 (Junior): 3-0, 3.97 ERA in 18 appearances (3 GS), 34 IP, 48 K, 17 BB. Career-low ERA with a solid K/BB ratio.

Career (through 2026): 12-8, 5.24 ERA in 72 appearances (7 GS), 122 IP, 163 K, 62 BB.

He has also pitched in the Cape Cod League (Harwich Mariners) and showed promise in limited starting work.

He earned preseason honors like Baseball America Second Team All-American and First Team All-SEC for 2026.

His strikeout rate is consistently elite (often 10-12+ K/9), though command and consistency have been works in progress.

Pitching Repertoire

McNeillie features a power fastball-slider combination with a developing changeup. His stuff plays up in shorter stints.

Fastball: Primary pitch, sitting mid-90s and touching 96-99 mph (higher in relief). It shows some ride/carry when elevated and occasional running/tail action. Can be straight at times if command falters. High arm speed from his delivery helps it miss bats up in the zone.

Slider: His best and most-used secondary offering (often described as flashing plus). Sits 86-88 mph with good sweep, depth, and downer action. Generates swings-and-misses and is a separator against both righties and lefties. In high school it was already projecting well.

Changeup: Third pitch with arm-side fade and good separation (historically plus feel in HS reports). Used less frequently in college but part of his three-pitch mix.

Delivery/Mechanics: High 3/4 slot with good arm speed and some scap load. Delivery can be volatile (pulls open, drops slot at times), leading to inconsistent command and extension. He has projection and room to refine repeatability for starting.

Scouting Outlook (2026 Draft)

McNeillie projects as a Day 2 or early Day 3 pick. Teams like his arm strength and fastball-slider combo for high-leverage relief or back-end starting potential. Command and consistency are the main hurdles—if he improves strike-throwing and develops the changeup more, he has starter upside. Otherwise, his stuff could fit well in the bullpen.

He has shown flashes of dominance (low WHIP in Cape Cod starts, strong K rates) but has been more effective in relief than extended starts so far. Development-focused organizations could see him as a candidate to build into a starter.

Overall, McNeillie is an athletic, projectable arm with swing-and-miss potential.

MACK – So… four picks, two damaged arms and another wild one. Three pitchers, only one true starter. Starting to question the knowledge of the brain trust here. I live in this region and know McNeiliie well. Real big HS target. A big disappointment on the campus. Frankly, I’m getting sick of all these projects.

Status:   C