Williams taken as 247th overall pick in eighth round of 2026 MLB Draft
~ PVN staff report
SHENANDOAH, July 19 — A former Page County Panther may be heading to the “Windy City” after being selected in the eighth round as the 247th overall pick in the 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft.
Former Page County High School standout Lance Williams was selected by the Chicago Cubs on Sunday. He graduated from William Monroe High School in Greene County, and the right-hander spent the last year hurling for the Terrapins of the University of Maryland.
He’s the first player from Shenandoah to ever be selected in the MLB Draft, which began in 1965. He’s also one of the only Panthers to be offered an MLB contract since Wayne and Buddy Comer signed with the Senators in June 1962. The brothers from Shenandoah were both signed as amateur free agents by Senators scout George McQuinn.
Williams became the 24th Maryland player to be drafted in the past decade, and the 43rd Terp selected in the first 10 rounds of the MLB Draft. According to a Maryland baseball press release, “Williams spent one season with the Terrapins, opening the year as Maryland’s Friday night starter before transitioning into a key bullpen role later in the season. The right-hander made 16 appearances, including eight starts, and recorded three saves while posting 69 strikeouts over 57.0 innings pitched. Opponents hit just .258 against him during the 2026 campaign.”
Williams’ fastball is reported to reach 98 mph. He also commands a traditional slider and a change-up. He played for East Carolina University before transferring to the University of Maryland for the 2026 season.
According to the Terps: “Williams closed his collegiate career on a strong note, tossing 3.0 perfect innings at Rutgers in his penultimate appearance before finishing the season with three no-hit innings and five strikeouts against Penn State.”
For more stats and information
on LANCE WILLIAMS,
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