The Milwaukee Brewers made a truly head-scratching move on Sunday, picking Texas State's all-time home run leader, Chase Mora, 281st overall in the ninth round of the 2026 MLB draft. They snagged him as a right-handed pitcher, even though the guy threw a grand total of 1⅓ innings in his entire college career. You read that right: the Bobcat who broke Paul Goldschmidt's school home run record *this spring* is now going to be toeing the rubber for his professional career. What in the world are the Brewers thinking?
The Mystery of Chase Mora's Arm
Mora, now 22, first stepped onto the Texas State campus in 2022. Here's the kicker: most schools, apparently, already wanted him as a pitcher, with reports saying he was clocked in the low 90s back in Tomball High School. But Texas State? They were one of the few willing to let him try the two-way player gig. After recovering from Tommy John surgery in the fall before his freshman year, he absolutely exploded at the plate, hitting a ridiculous 17 homers. Talk about a comeback! He never quite recaptured that power stroke consistently after that, but he still had his moments. Remember that go-ahead, two-run blast that clinched a 5-4 win over USC in the College Station regional? That was all Mora. His only college pitching appearance was in May, during a blowout loss to UTSA, where he struck out one batter and gave up zero runs in one frame. That's the sum total of the Brewers' pitching prospect resume. Seriously, you cannot make this up.Galloway's Versatility Offers a Different Kind of Hope
While Mora's situation is baffling, the Houston Astros took a different path with another Texas State player, Rashawn Galloway, picking him 481st overall in the 16th round. Galloway played right field for the Bobcats, but the Astros see him as a catcher. This kid battled through injuries for most of his college career, but he finally broke out in 2026, proving to be Texas State's best all-around hitter. He wrapped up his senior season with a .318 batting average and a fantastic .948 on-base plus slugging percentage, all while striking out just 23 times in 264 at-bats. He added 11 homers, too. The pros likely view him more as a contact hitter than a power guy, but that defensive utility behind the plate? That's going to be huge as he works his way through the minor league system. It's clear both these guys are heading into incredibly different, and equally challenging, professional paths. Mora has to completely reinvent himself as a pitcher after being a collegiate slugger, while Galloway gets to embrace a new defensive role and hopefully continue raking. For Mora, the next step is figuring out if that arm, with almost no college innings, can handle the grind. For Galloway, it's about proving his senior year breakout was no fluke, and that his defensive versatility is truly a pro asset.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.