HBCU baseball produced another MLB Draft pick as Delaware State pitcher Michael Lane was selected by the Detroit Tigers.
Lane, a right-handed pitcher, was picked in the 16th round with the No. 486 overall selection. The selection gave Delaware State another professional baseball milestone and made Lane one of the highest MLB Draft picks in program history.
The Bear, Delaware native, became the second-earliest Delaware State player selected by an MLB team, according to College Delaware Sports Blitz. Eric Carter remains the program’s earliest draft selection after being taken in the 10th round by the Seattle Mariners in 2004.
Lane joins a short list of Delaware State players drafted by Major League Baseball teams. That group includes Trey Paige, Garrett Lawson, Dan Perkins, Eric Carter and Pedro Swann.
Delaware State pitcher becomes HBCU MLB Draft pick
Lane’s draft selection came after a 2026 season in which he became a full-time starter for Delaware State.
He went 4-9 with a 7.12 ERA, but the numbers that likely drew professional attention were tied to his arm talent and swing-and-miss ability. Lane struck out 88 batters in 14 appearances during the 2026 season.
That strikeout total ranked second in the Northeast Conference. He also led the conference with 36 strikeouts looking.
Lane also carried a heavy workload for Delaware State. He ranked sixth in the conference with 73.1 innings pitched.
For his three-year Delaware State career, Lane finished with 155 strikeouts in 38 appearances and 21 starts. He also threw one complete game.
Those numbers show why the Detroit Tigers were willing to take a chance on the HBCU right-hander. Lane has shown the ability to miss bats, work deep into games and handle a starter’s workload.
HBCU baseball continues to get MLB attention
Lane’s selection is another sign that HBCU baseball talent continues to draw attention from MLB organizations.
Delaware State has not had many players drafted, which makes Lane’s selection even more notable. Each pick matters for programs trying to show recruits that the professional path can run through an HBCU.
The timing also fits a larger moment for Black college baseball. The HBCU Swingman Classic continues to give players from historically Black programs more visibility during MLB All-Star Week. Lane was tied to this year’s Swingman Classic conversation, giving him another platform during draft season.
Lane was not the only HBCU-connected player selected. Former Prairie View A&M standout Michael Smith Jr., who finished his college career at Dayton, was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 13th round.
But Lane’s story stands on its own because he was drafted directly out of Delaware State.
For the Tigers, Lane is a pitching prospect with strikeout ability. For Delaware State, he is proof that MLB scouts are still watching.
And for HBCU baseball, his selection is another reminder that the path to professional baseball does not have to start at a traditional power.