MLB Draft: Butler standouts, pro prospects Kyle Casteel, Nolan Stefaniak remaining centered
Josh Forbes was talking about what he’d seen out of his standout pitchers during the baseball season.
Not that their mindset has changed at all, even with the 2026 MLB Draft a little over a week away. The selection process begins on Saturday, July 11.
“They’ve just truly lived in the moment,” the Butler coach said. “I’ve been saying this for a while now. I didn’t come up with it, but I saw it somewhere or I read it somewhere — the more you think about the future, the more anxiety it creates. ... The only thing that you can control is your present time or your present moment. If you’re truly focused on what you’re doing in that moment, things become easier.”
With major league scouts showing up to clock their pitches, Kyle Casteel and Nolan Stefaniak powered the Golden Tornado to major program firsts this past season — a WPIAL crown and an appearance in the PIAA title — while carrying themselves with an air of calm.
Casteel, who MLB.com tabbed as the No. 159 overall prospect in the draft, went a spotless 10-0 with a 0.64 ERA over 65.2 innings as a senior. He also struck out 103 challengers and walked only 11. He moved into college earlier this week in just one trip, joining some other West Virginia baseball newcomers.
Casteel’s teammates, from as near as Fox Chapel and as far as the Dominican Republic, have razzed him about having the bare minimum wardrobe — “seven shirts, seven shorts and a little bit more underwear,” he said. The choice to pack light was more of a learning experience than it was Casteel planning to depart from Morgantown if and when he hears his name called in the draft.
“It caught up to me quick,” Casteel said. “I’m the first one doing laundry here.”
“I think it’s pretty cool to have that name to where they’re talking about you possibly leaving (college) in a couple of weeks, but I’m really trying to soak in this time and experience it with these dudes,” Casteel said. “The only thing I’m thinking of every day is, ‘How can I get better? And earn a spot here to where if I’m playing here in the fall, I want to pitch right away.’”
Casteel said he’s been talking with Stefaniak, who’s headed to play at Penn State, every day, “just seeing what’s up in Butler. ... I’ll talk to him whenever I can. Whenever I’m out of class or after a lift or something, just texting him about whatever I’m doing up here.
“Sometimes it’s just like, ‘Man, this should’ve been you. You should’ve been with me here at West Virginia.’”
Forbes has had more people reach out to him about Casteel than Stefaniak, but that doesn’t necessarily mean teams aren’t doing their homework on the latter, as well.
Stefaniak went 8-2 with a 1.18 ERA as a senior. He pitched 59.1 innings, striking out 85 and walking 18.
“I basically told him, ‘If you go, it’s great. If not, you’re gonna have a (heck) of a career at Penn State,’” Forbes said.
“You just try to prepare yourself best, as a person and obviously as a player,” Stefaniak said. “No matter what happens, just stay focused and just grind each and every day, because it’s still not gonna be easy.”
Each Casteel, Forbes and Stefaniak will be tuned into the draft.
“Whatever happens, kinda just happens,” Stefaniak said. “If one of us gets taken, we’ll be happy for them and whatever happens. Just be proud of each other.”
