Baseball | 7/12/2026 5:21:00 PM

Utah Tech junior shortstop Petey Soto Jr. was selected in the 18^th round (No. 541 overall) of the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft by the Houston Astros on Sunday afternoon. 
 
Soto Jr. became the first Trailblazer draft pick in the program's current NCAA Division I era, and is the ninth player drafted in the Utah Tech's four-year era overall.
 
In addition, Soto Jr. is the 48^th different player in Utah Tech/Dixie State history since 1976 to hear his named called in the MLB Draft, including 39 former players during the junior college era. 
 
Soto Jr. put together a stellar junior season in 2026, during which he has established himself as one of the best nine-hole hitters in the country. 
 
The junior shortstop closed the regular season ranked in the WAC's top-20 in base hits (8th - 77), batting (10^th - .340), stolen bases (t-10^th- 13-for-15), doubles (t-13^th – 15), runs scored (t-10^th - 51), RBI (t-13^th - 48), and slugging percentage (18^th - .505).
 
Soto Jr. wrapped up season hitting safely in eight of his final 10 games, and hit safely in 41 of his last 50 starts overall with 23 multi-hit games overall, including seven three-hit games. 
 
A semifinalist for the 2026 Books Wallace National Award for the nation's best shortstop, the junior helped turn 22 of Utah Tech's 32 total double plays on the year.