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Parkland's Gio Rojas Makes History as No. 16 Pick in MLB Draft 6

Gio Rojas. {Matt Rothman}

Marjory Stoneman Douglas ace Gio Rojas etched his name into program history after being selected 16th overall by the Texas Rangers in the MLB Draft.

The selection made Rojas the first first-round draft pick in Marjory Stoneman Douglas baseball history, adding another milestone to one of the nation’s premier high school baseball programs.

For Rojas, hearing his name called marked the realization of a lifelong dream, one made even more meaningful by the journey that led him there.

“It was an amazing time playing at Marjory Stoneman Douglas, and it all started with the 2024 class for me,” Rojas said. “They set the standard, and I just tried to do my thing.”

Rojas grew up in Colorado and began playing baseball around age 6. He competed for several national travel teams before moving to Parkland ahead of his sophomore season.

That first year with the Eagles ended with the first of three consecutive FHSAA State Championships. Along the way, Rojas built close relationships with the senior class, which included Devin Fitz-Gerald, Christian Rodriguez, Rylan Lujo, and Niko Benestad, all of whom graduated as four-time state champions. He also formed a strong bond with fellow pitcher Jayden Dubanewicz, an MLB Draft pick, as the two constantly pushed each other to improve.

Although he did not pitch during the postseason as a sophomore, Rojas finished 4-0 with a 0.66 ERA, immediately establishing himself as one of the state’s top young arms.

His junior season was one of the most dominant in Florida high school baseball history. Rojas went 13-0 with a 0.72 ERA, earning both the Florida Gatorade Player of the Year and Florida Dairy Farmers Player of the Year awards while helping lead the Eagles to another state title.

He was just as dominant during his senior campaign, finishing 11-1 with a sparkling 0.58 ERA. After pitching in the state semifinals as a junior, Rojas was handed the ball in the 2026 FHSAA State Championship Game against Venice High School. He delivered 6.2 scoreless innings to secure another championship, finishing his high school career with 285 strikeouts in 162 innings.

His coach, Todd Fitz-Gerald, affectionately nicknamed him “The Demon” and believes Rojas is unlike any high school pitcher he has ever coached.

“Truly, the best pitcher I have ever seen at the high school level,” Fitz-Gerald said. “He’s been great for us for three years and has a long future playing professional baseball.”

Rojas attacks hitters with a five-pitch arsenal highlighted by a fastball that reaches the upper 90s. He also features a curveball, slider, sinker, and cutter, making him one of the most complete pitchers in the country.

While his future is on the mound, Rojas also enjoyed an outstanding career at the plate, batting .344 with seven home runs and 62 RBIs. Still, he said he began dedicating most of his attention to pitching around the eighth grade.

His success extended beyond the high school season. Rojas represented Team USA on the 18U National Team and was named to the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup All-World Team after posting a 2-0 record and allowing no runs over 11 innings.

He earned the victory in the tournament opener against Panama, throwing four scoreless innings, allowing just three hits, and striking out three. He followed that performance with a complete-game shutout against Korea in the Super Round, surrendering only two hits while striking out 10 to cement himself as one of the world’s top amateur pitchers.

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Matt Rothman

Matt Rothman is a 2018 graduate from Florida Gulf Coast University receiving his bachelor’s degree in journalism and then graduated from the University of Florida as a graduate student.