Blair Becomes Liberty’s 2nd Highest MLB Draft Selection in Program History
7/11/2026 6:10:00 PM | Baseball
LYNCHBURG, VA. - Liberty pitcher Ben Blair became the Flames' second highest Major League Baseball Draft (MLB) pick in program history this afternoon.
Blair was selected in the second round with the 49th overall pick by the Tampa Bay Rays. The right-hander's selection is the second highest in program history, as Sid Bream was taken with the 48th pick in the second round by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1981.
With Blair's selection, Liberty has now had 80 players taken in the MLB Draft during the 53-year history of its program. The Flames have had at least one player chosen in each draft since 2000, except for the 2020 draft, which was limited to five rounds due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier this month, Blair was named to both the D1Baseball.com and the 2026 Perfect Game College All-American teams. The pitcher became one of seven Flames to be selected to an NCAA Division I All-America team in school history. Joining Blair as Flames to receive All-America honors during the program's Division I era were 2026 teammate Cooper Harrington, pitcher Trevor DeLaite in 2021, second baseman Ryan Seiz in 2014, pitcher Jared Lyons in 2015, outfielder D.J. Artis in 2017 and relief pitcher Evan Brabrand in 2019.
Blair, the 2026 CUSA Pitcher of the Year, became only the second player in program history to be selected to the Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List.
A 2026 National Pitcher of the Year Semifinalist, Blair posted a 7-5 record with a 3.53 ERA over 94 1/3 innings. In 16 starts, the junior struck out 113 and walked 17 to finish the year with a stellar 6.65 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The right-hander held opponents to a .224 batting average, yielded 1.62 walks per nine innings and had a 1.03 WHIP.
The Gretna, Va., native finished among the national leaders in several categories. The junior finished the year among the nation's leaders in strikeouts (22nd), strikeout-to-walk ratio (8th), WHIP (18th) and walks allowed per nine innings (23rd).
In addition, the right-hander was voted to the ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I Atlantic All-Region Second Team. Blair garnered CUSA Pitcher of the Week honors three times during the season (Feb. 16, March 2 & March 23) and was selected to the CUSA All-Conference first team for the second year in a row. Blair finished the year as the CUSA leader in innings pitched and strikeouts. He was also among the league leaders in wins (5th), ERA (4th), opponent batting average (5th) and fewest walks issued (4th).
Blair's 113 strikeouts for the year place him second on Liberty's single-season record list. In addition, he is third on the Flames' all-time career strikeout list with 249.
In his three seasons at Liberty, Blair, who was a relief pitcher as a freshman, posted a 17-13 record with a 3.58 ERA and three saves over 54 appearances, 33 starts. In 226 1/3 innings, he struck out 249 and walked 70.
Blair played a key role in helping Liberty tie the program record for wins in a season, posting a 43-21 record and receiving an at-large selection to the NCAA Athens, Ga., Regional. The Flames advanced to their third regional final before being eliminated by College World Series participant Georgia.
Blair was selected in the second round with the 49th overall pick by the Tampa Bay Rays. The right-hander's selection is the second highest in program history, as Sid Bream was taken with the 48th pick in the second round by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1981.
With Blair's selection, Liberty has now had 80 players taken in the MLB Draft during the 53-year history of its program. The Flames have had at least one player chosen in each draft since 2000, except for the 2020 draft, which was limited to five rounds due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier this month, Blair was named to both the D1Baseball.com and the 2026 Perfect Game College All-American teams. The pitcher became one of seven Flames to be selected to an NCAA Division I All-America team in school history. Joining Blair as Flames to receive All-America honors during the program's Division I era were 2026 teammate Cooper Harrington, pitcher Trevor DeLaite in 2021, second baseman Ryan Seiz in 2014, pitcher Jared Lyons in 2015, outfielder D.J. Artis in 2017 and relief pitcher Evan Brabrand in 2019.
Blair, the 2026 CUSA Pitcher of the Year, became only the second player in program history to be selected to the Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List.
A 2026 National Pitcher of the Year Semifinalist, Blair posted a 7-5 record with a 3.53 ERA over 94 1/3 innings. In 16 starts, the junior struck out 113 and walked 17 to finish the year with a stellar 6.65 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The right-hander held opponents to a .224 batting average, yielded 1.62 walks per nine innings and had a 1.03 WHIP.
The Gretna, Va., native finished among the national leaders in several categories. The junior finished the year among the nation's leaders in strikeouts (22nd), strikeout-to-walk ratio (8th), WHIP (18th) and walks allowed per nine innings (23rd).
In addition, the right-hander was voted to the ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I Atlantic All-Region Second Team. Blair garnered CUSA Pitcher of the Week honors three times during the season (Feb. 16, March 2 & March 23) and was selected to the CUSA All-Conference first team for the second year in a row. Blair finished the year as the CUSA leader in innings pitched and strikeouts. He was also among the league leaders in wins (5th), ERA (4th), opponent batting average (5th) and fewest walks issued (4th).
Blair's 113 strikeouts for the year place him second on Liberty's single-season record list. In addition, he is third on the Flames' all-time career strikeout list with 249.
In his three seasons at Liberty, Blair, who was a relief pitcher as a freshman, posted a 17-13 record with a 3.58 ERA and three saves over 54 appearances, 33 starts. In 226 1/3 innings, he struck out 249 and walked 70.
Blair played a key role in helping Liberty tie the program record for wins in a season, posting a 43-21 record and receiving an at-large selection to the NCAA Athens, Ga., Regional. The Flames advanced to their third regional final before being eliminated by College World Series participant Georgia.
a MAJOR moment ?? pic.twitter.com/p9vpNLec4Q
— Liberty Baseball (@LibertyBaseball) July 11, 2026
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