Michigan State University Athletics
Photo by: MSU Baseball Social Squad
MSU Baseball’s Higgins Drafted In Fifth Round By The Toronto Blue Jays
7/12/2026 12:41:00 PM | Baseball
Spartan hurler Higgins is second MSU pitcher drafted in as many years after Dzierwa in 2nd round last year.
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Former Michigan State baseball player Nolan Higgins was drafted in the fifth round with the 164th overall pick by the Toronto Blue Jays in the Major League Baseball Draft on Sunday afternoon.
Higgins is the second Spartan pitcher drafted in as many years after Joseph Dzierwa was selected in the 2nd round of the 2025 MLB Draft last year.
The former Spartan hurler Higgins is MSU's first selection by the Toronto Blue Jays since outfielder Ryan Basham in the 2006 Draft (29th round/870th overall pick). Higgins is the second Spartan pitcher drafted by the Blue Jays, joining pitcher Tim Crabree in the 1992 Draft with the 2nd round and 63rd overall pick. Overall, Higgins is the fourth drafted by the Blue Jays, also joining outfielder Steve Johnson in the 1993 Draft (22nd round/630th overall pick).
With Higgins being selected in the 2026 MLB Draft, Michigan State has now had 40 draft selections under head coach Jake Boss Jr.
A native of Wixom, Michigan, Higgins made 75 career appearances in his four seasons as a Spartan, with nine wins and six saves, firing 160 strikeouts in 171.2 IP. While he was a starter for the majority of his Spartan career, including all 15 appearances coming as starts in junior season of 2025, he shifted to the backend of MSU's bullpen and was primary closer as a senior in 2026.
Higgins made 27 appearances in 2026, all in relief, leading MSU and ranking tied for ninth in the Big Ten with four saves, part of topping the team by finishing 17 games, including back-to-back games in the Big Ten Tournament, finishing off both of No. 12 seed MSU's historic wins as the first No. 12 seed to win not only one but two games in the B1G Tournament with an 8-4 win over No. 5 seed Purdue on May 19 and a 4-3 nail-biter over No. 8 seed Iowa the next day.
The Spartan reliever led MSU in appearances, games in relief, saves and games finished, while sharing the team lead for strikeouts with starter Aidan Donovan, chalking up 62 Ks. For the season, Higgins, posted a 12.4 strikeouts/9 inning average, while logging a 5.20 ERA with a 3-4 record with four saves, with 62 strikeouts in 45.0 IP in his 27 relief appearances.
Off the diamond, Higgins was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and graduated from MSU in the summer of 2026 with his degree in communication.
Higgins' selection marks the fifth Spartan drafted in the last four years. Prior to Dzierwa last year, a trio of Spartans were drafted in 2023, marking the first time that MSU had three draft selections in the same draft since 2019, with Mitch Jebb (2nd round, Pittsburgh Pirates), Brock Vradenburg (3rd round, Miami Marlins) and Bryan Broecker (13th round, Tampa Bay Rays).
The three Spartans selected in the first 13 rounds in the most since 2016 when three MSU players were selected in the first 10 rounds. Jebb's second-round selection and Vradenburg's third-round selection marked the first time that two Spartans were selected in the first three rounds of the June Amateur MLB Draft since 1969 when Rick Miller and Harry Kendrick were both chosen in the second round.
One Michigan State player was selected in the 2021 draft: Mason Erla (17th round, Los Angeles Angels). Three Spartans were selected in the 2019 draft: Mitchell Tyranski (12th round, Los Angeles Dodgers), pitcher Indigo Diaz (27th round, Atlanta Braves) and infielder Marty Bechina (32nd round, Oakland Athletics). One MSU player was selected in the 2018 draft: Riley McCauley (14th round, Chicago Cubs), after four Spartans were selected the 2017 draft: Alex Troop (ninth round, Washington), Brandon Hughes (16th round, Chicago Cubs), Nathan Witt (17th round, Los Angeles Dodgers) and Joe Mockbee (29th round, Chicago White Sox). Michigan State had four juniors selected in the 2016 draft: Cam Vieaux (sixth round, Pittsburgh), Jordan Zimmerman (seventh round, Los Angeles Angles), Dakota Mekkes (10th round, Chicago Cubs) and Matt Byars (24th round, Minnesota). The 2015 draft saw a school-record eight players taken: Cam Gibson (fifth round, Detroit), Ryan Krill (ninth round, New York Yankees), Anthony Misiewicz (18th round, Seattle), Cam Vieaux (19th round, Detroit), Jeff Kinley (28th round, Miami), Mick VanVossen (28th round, Washington), Blaise Salter (31st round, Detroit) and Mark Weist (37th round, San Francisco).
Higgins is the second Spartan pitcher drafted in as many years after Joseph Dzierwa was selected in the 2nd round of the 2025 MLB Draft last year.
The former Spartan hurler Higgins is MSU's first selection by the Toronto Blue Jays since outfielder Ryan Basham in the 2006 Draft (29th round/870th overall pick). Higgins is the second Spartan pitcher drafted by the Blue Jays, joining pitcher Tim Crabree in the 1992 Draft with the 2nd round and 63rd overall pick. Overall, Higgins is the fourth drafted by the Blue Jays, also joining outfielder Steve Johnson in the 1993 Draft (22nd round/630th overall pick).
With Higgins being selected in the 2026 MLB Draft, Michigan State has now had 40 draft selections under head coach Jake Boss Jr.
A native of Wixom, Michigan, Higgins made 75 career appearances in his four seasons as a Spartan, with nine wins and six saves, firing 160 strikeouts in 171.2 IP. While he was a starter for the majority of his Spartan career, including all 15 appearances coming as starts in junior season of 2025, he shifted to the backend of MSU's bullpen and was primary closer as a senior in 2026.
Higgins made 27 appearances in 2026, all in relief, leading MSU and ranking tied for ninth in the Big Ten with four saves, part of topping the team by finishing 17 games, including back-to-back games in the Big Ten Tournament, finishing off both of No. 12 seed MSU's historic wins as the first No. 12 seed to win not only one but two games in the B1G Tournament with an 8-4 win over No. 5 seed Purdue on May 19 and a 4-3 nail-biter over No. 8 seed Iowa the next day.
The Spartan reliever led MSU in appearances, games in relief, saves and games finished, while sharing the team lead for strikeouts with starter Aidan Donovan, chalking up 62 Ks. For the season, Higgins, posted a 12.4 strikeouts/9 inning average, while logging a 5.20 ERA with a 3-4 record with four saves, with 62 strikeouts in 45.0 IP in his 27 relief appearances.
Off the diamond, Higgins was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and graduated from MSU in the summer of 2026 with his degree in communication.
Higgins' selection marks the fifth Spartan drafted in the last four years. Prior to Dzierwa last year, a trio of Spartans were drafted in 2023, marking the first time that MSU had three draft selections in the same draft since 2019, with Mitch Jebb (2nd round, Pittsburgh Pirates), Brock Vradenburg (3rd round, Miami Marlins) and Bryan Broecker (13th round, Tampa Bay Rays).
The three Spartans selected in the first 13 rounds in the most since 2016 when three MSU players were selected in the first 10 rounds. Jebb's second-round selection and Vradenburg's third-round selection marked the first time that two Spartans were selected in the first three rounds of the June Amateur MLB Draft since 1969 when Rick Miller and Harry Kendrick were both chosen in the second round.
One Michigan State player was selected in the 2021 draft: Mason Erla (17th round, Los Angeles Angels). Three Spartans were selected in the 2019 draft: Mitchell Tyranski (12th round, Los Angeles Dodgers), pitcher Indigo Diaz (27th round, Atlanta Braves) and infielder Marty Bechina (32nd round, Oakland Athletics). One MSU player was selected in the 2018 draft: Riley McCauley (14th round, Chicago Cubs), after four Spartans were selected the 2017 draft: Alex Troop (ninth round, Washington), Brandon Hughes (16th round, Chicago Cubs), Nathan Witt (17th round, Los Angeles Dodgers) and Joe Mockbee (29th round, Chicago White Sox). Michigan State had four juniors selected in the 2016 draft: Cam Vieaux (sixth round, Pittsburgh), Jordan Zimmerman (seventh round, Los Angeles Angles), Dakota Mekkes (10th round, Chicago Cubs) and Matt Byars (24th round, Minnesota). The 2015 draft saw a school-record eight players taken: Cam Gibson (fifth round, Detroit), Ryan Krill (ninth round, New York Yankees), Anthony Misiewicz (18th round, Seattle), Cam Vieaux (19th round, Detroit), Jeff Kinley (28th round, Miami), Mick VanVossen (28th round, Washington), Blaise Salter (31st round, Detroit) and Mark Weist (37th round, San Francisco).
Players Mentioned
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