The Phillies closed out their 2026 Draft the same way they ran through most of it — college performers, a heavy dose of pitching, and two more catchers to further restock a position group that had been thin behind J.T. Realmuto. Of the final five picks, four came from four-year college programs, with the lone exception being a local high school catcher the club had scouted up close for years.
Here is a look at the players chosen by the Phillies in Rounds 16 through 20 of the 2026 MLB Draft, closing out their class:
Round 16, Pick No. 489 — Matt Quintanar, C, Age 22, Texas Tech
A Sunland, California, native out of Hart High School, Quintanar began his college career at Central Arizona College before transferring to Blinn College and then finishing at Texas Tech in 2026. He made 53 starts behind the plate as a junior, batting .323 with six home runs and an .870 OPS. His calling card, though, is his defense — he posted a .990 fielding percentage and threw out 22 of 49 attempted base stealers (44.9%), a rate that led the Power Four conferences.
Pick Analysis: Quintanar is the second of three catchers the Phillies drafted this year, and by far the most defensively decorated of the group. A 44.9% caught-stealing rate leading all of the sport’s top conferences is an elite, needle-moving skill at a premium defensive position, and it makes him a legitimate development target even with modest offensive numbers — exactly the type of profile that can carve out a career as organizational catching depth or, if the bat continues to come along, more.
Round 17, Pick No. 519 — Adam Troy, RHP, Age 22, USC
A redshirt-junior transfer from Pepperdine, Troy served as USC’s closer in 2026, posting 12 saves — tied for sixth-most in the country — to go with a 4.28 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 31 relief appearances, while holding opponents to a .219 average. He earned All-Big Ten second-team honors and features three offspeed pitches — a gyro slider, changeup and curveball — though command remains an issue, with 19 walks in 33⅔ innings.
Pick Analysis: Landing a Power Four closer with a dozen saves and a sub-.220 opponent average in the 17th round is strong value on paper, even with the walk totals as a red flag. Troy’s swing-and-miss stuff and diverse offspeed mix give the Phillies another shot at bullpen depth from a proven closing role, continuing the club’s clear preference for college relievers who already have experience in high-leverage innings.
Round 18, Pick No. 549 — Lane Haworth, OF, Age 21, UTSA
A left-handed hitter from Lewisville, Texas, Haworth spent his first two college seasons at Wichita State before transferring to UTSA, where he had his best season yet in 2026: a .315 average, nine home runs, 47 RBIs and a .927 OPS over 57 games, with more walks (44) than strikeouts (38). He’s played all three outfield spots for the Roadrunners.
Pick Analysis: Haworth’s move within the American Athletic Conference paid off in a real way — his OPS and walk-to-strikeout numbers jumped significantly after leaving Wichita State, suggesting a player who simply needed a change of scenery to tap into tools that were already there. As an 18th-round pick with a track record of production against Power Four-caliber pitching earlier in his career, he’s a reasonable outfield depth add.
Round 19, Pick No. 579 — Braeden Lipoff, C, Age 19, Gloucester Catholic High (N.J.)
The last of three catchers the Phillies drafted this year, Lipoff is a South Jersey product who batted .459 as a senior and was named the Courier Post’s South Jersey Player of the Year. He’s ranked as the No. 18 catcher nationally by Perfect Game and helped Gloucester Catholic to three of four consecutive state championships behind the plate. He’s committed to East Carolina University.
Pick Analysis: The Phillies worked Lipoff out alongside fellow prep pick Patrick Clemmey, and Barber made clear signing him is no sure thing given his East Carolina commitment. “This was one that we’re probably going to have to work a little bit on,” Barber said. “I do think there’s a chance. We’ve gotten to know him quite well. This one’s not a done deal, but I don’t think we’re super far apart, either. I’m very hopeful, but I don’t know quite yet.” Taking a well-regarded local catcher this late in the draft, less than five miles from Citizens Bank Park, is a low-cost bet on a player the organization already knows extremely well.
Round 20, Pick No. 609 — Justin Lee, RHP, Age 21, UCLA
A Los Angeles native and 2023 L.A. Times Player of the Year out of Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, Lee pitched exclusively in relief across three seasons at UCLA, appearing in 77 games with 94 strikeouts over 90⅔ innings. His fastball sits 90-95 mph, and he pairs it with a fading splitter-changeup, a curveball and a slider. His numbers dipped early in his college career before a strong junior season: a 3.26 ERA over 19⅓ innings.
Pick Analysis: Closing out the Draft with their eighth right-handed pitcher of the weekend, the Phillies once again bet on a college reliever with swing-and-miss stuff and a track record of durability, having logged 90-plus innings across three seasons at a Power Four program. It’s a fitting final pick for a class that leaned on college arms almost to the exclusion of everything else.
The Bottom Line on Rounds 16-20
The Phillies wrapped their 2026 Draft class the way they started Day Two — restocking the catching position, adding proven college relievers, and taking one last calculated swing on a well-known local prep talent. By the time the 20th round closed, the club had selected eight right-handed pitchers, four outfielders, three left-handed pitchers, three infielders and three catchers, with 18 of their 21 total picks coming from four-year college programs. It’s a class built around value and known quantities rather than upside gambles, a direct reflection of working with the fifth-smallest bonus pool in the sport this year.
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