Norby Selected in Fourth Round of 2026 MLB Draft to Cincinnati Reds
July 11, 2026 | Baseball
PHILADELPHIA, Penn. - East Carolina junior pitcher Ethan Norby was selected in the fourth round (122 overall) of the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft by the Cincinnati Reds. Norby represents the 31st Pirate under Cliff Godwin, and the 134th in program history to be drafted.
Drafted in the fourth round by the Cincinnati Reds, he is the second Pirate under Godwin, behind Ryan McCrystal (2024), to be selected by the Reds Organization.
Originally from Kernersville, N.C., Norby spent all three years with the Pirates, starting in relief as a freshman in 2023 before working his way into the weekend rotation during his sophomore and junior seasons in 2024-25.
The left-hander has become one of the most decorated pitchers in the Pirate uniform, becoming a three-time Freshman All-American, as well as a five-time All-American through his collegiate career. Throughout his three seasons, Norby totaled a 3.91 ERA, with 19 wins through 56 appearances and 38 starts. With his strikeout total of 313, Norby now sits fourth in ECU Baseball history in strikeouts, as well as passing Trey Yesavage and Jake Agnos' career strikeouts (295) in the American Conference, and now leads with 313. Norby also holds the single-game record in the American for strikeouts, with his performance in March of 2025 against No. 24 Coastal Carolina, in which he posted 19 strikeouts over 7.0 shutout innings. He totals eight double-digit strikeout outings in 239.2 innings, while also being a three-time All-Conference Selection.
The 2026 Preseason American Conference Pitcher of the Year gave the Pirates a season to remember, setting a new ECU season strikeout record with 131. That marked his second straight season with more than 100 strikeouts, after 119 in 2025. One of his top performances of the year came in March, against conference rival, UTSA. Norby gave a season high performance, going 7.0 shutout innings, with a season high of 12 strikeouts. Within his season defining performance, he was able to throw his first career immaculate innings to help solidify the series opener. Norby helped lead the Pirates to their second consecutive American Conference Tournament Championship and their eighth straight NCAA Regional appearance.
East Carolina Draft Selections Under Cliff Godwin
2015 – Reid Love, Baltimore Orioles (10th Round/Pick 313)
2015 – Luke Lowery, Arizona Diamondbacks (14th Round/Pick 406)
2015 – David Lucroy, Milwaukee Brewers (20th Round/Pick 601)
2017 – Evan Kruczynski, St. Louis Cardinals (Ninth Round/Pick 274)
2018 – Dwanya Williams-Sutton, San Diego Padres (Fifth Round/Pick 141)
2018 – Chris Holba, St. Louis Cardinals (11th Round, Pick 333)
2018 – Connor Litton, Philadelphia Phillies (20th Round/Pick 587)
2019 – Jake Agnos, New York Yankees (Fourth Round/Pick 135)
2019 – Bryant Packard, Detroit Tigers (Fifth Round/Pick 142)
2019 – Spencer Brickhouse, Arizona Diamondbacks (Seventh Round/Pick 212)
2019 – Trey Benton, Cleveland Indians (15th Round/Pick 460)
2019 – Evan Voliva, New York Yankees (18th Round/Pick 555)
2019 – Turner Brown, Colorado Rockies (19th Round/Pick 579)
2019 – Jake Washer, Chicago Cubs (29th Round/Pick 882)
2020 – Alec Burleson, St. Louis Cardinals (Second Round/Pick 70)
2021 – Gavin Williams, Cleveland Indians (First Round/Pick 23)
2021 – Connor Norby, Baltimore Orioles (Second Round/Pick 41)
2021 – Thomas Francisco, St. Louis Cardinals (19th Round/Pick 571)
2022 – Carson Whisenhunt, San Francisco Giants (Second Round/Pick 66)
2022 – Zach Agnos, Colorado Rockies (10th Round/Pick 296)
2023 – Josh Grosz, New York Yankees (11th Round/Pick 342)
2023 – Tyler Brandt, St. Louis Cardinals (16th Round/Pick 485)
2024 – Trey Yesavage, Toronto Blue Jays (First Round/Pick 20)
2024 – Jacob Jenkins-Cowart, Miami Marlins (Eighth Round/Pick 244)
2024 – Ryan McCrystal, Cincinnati Reds (Ninth Round/Pick 269)
2024 – Carter Cunningham, Toronto Blue Jays (10th Round/Pick 307)
2024 – Wyatt Lunsford-Shenkman, Seattle Mariners (16th Round/Pick 483)
2024 – Erik Ritcher, Philadelphia Phillies (19th Round/Pick 582)
2025 – Dixon Williams, Atlanta Braves (Fourth Round/Pick 136)
2025 – Ethan Young, St. Louis Cardinals (Fifth Round/Pick 150)
2026 – Ethan Norby, Cincinnati Reds (Fourth Round/Pick 122)
Drafted in the fourth round by the Cincinnati Reds, he is the second Pirate under Godwin, behind Ryan McCrystal (2024), to be selected by the Reds Organization.
Originally from Kernersville, N.C., Norby spent all three years with the Pirates, starting in relief as a freshman in 2023 before working his way into the weekend rotation during his sophomore and junior seasons in 2024-25.
The left-hander has become one of the most decorated pitchers in the Pirate uniform, becoming a three-time Freshman All-American, as well as a five-time All-American through his collegiate career. Throughout his three seasons, Norby totaled a 3.91 ERA, with 19 wins through 56 appearances and 38 starts. With his strikeout total of 313, Norby now sits fourth in ECU Baseball history in strikeouts, as well as passing Trey Yesavage and Jake Agnos' career strikeouts (295) in the American Conference, and now leads with 313. Norby also holds the single-game record in the American for strikeouts, with his performance in March of 2025 against No. 24 Coastal Carolina, in which he posted 19 strikeouts over 7.0 shutout innings. He totals eight double-digit strikeout outings in 239.2 innings, while also being a three-time All-Conference Selection.
The 2026 Preseason American Conference Pitcher of the Year gave the Pirates a season to remember, setting a new ECU season strikeout record with 131. That marked his second straight season with more than 100 strikeouts, after 119 in 2025. One of his top performances of the year came in March, against conference rival, UTSA. Norby gave a season high performance, going 7.0 shutout innings, with a season high of 12 strikeouts. Within his season defining performance, he was able to throw his first career immaculate innings to help solidify the series opener. Norby helped lead the Pirates to their second consecutive American Conference Tournament Championship and their eighth straight NCAA Regional appearance.
East Carolina Draft Selections Under Cliff Godwin
2015 – Reid Love, Baltimore Orioles (10th Round/Pick 313)
2015 – Luke Lowery, Arizona Diamondbacks (14th Round/Pick 406)
2015 – David Lucroy, Milwaukee Brewers (20th Round/Pick 601)
2017 – Evan Kruczynski, St. Louis Cardinals (Ninth Round/Pick 274)
2018 – Dwanya Williams-Sutton, San Diego Padres (Fifth Round/Pick 141)
2018 – Chris Holba, St. Louis Cardinals (11th Round, Pick 333)
2018 – Connor Litton, Philadelphia Phillies (20th Round/Pick 587)
2019 – Jake Agnos, New York Yankees (Fourth Round/Pick 135)
2019 – Bryant Packard, Detroit Tigers (Fifth Round/Pick 142)
2019 – Spencer Brickhouse, Arizona Diamondbacks (Seventh Round/Pick 212)
2019 – Trey Benton, Cleveland Indians (15th Round/Pick 460)
2019 – Evan Voliva, New York Yankees (18th Round/Pick 555)
2019 – Turner Brown, Colorado Rockies (19th Round/Pick 579)
2019 – Jake Washer, Chicago Cubs (29th Round/Pick 882)
2020 – Alec Burleson, St. Louis Cardinals (Second Round/Pick 70)
2021 – Gavin Williams, Cleveland Indians (First Round/Pick 23)
2021 – Connor Norby, Baltimore Orioles (Second Round/Pick 41)
2021 – Thomas Francisco, St. Louis Cardinals (19th Round/Pick 571)
2022 – Carson Whisenhunt, San Francisco Giants (Second Round/Pick 66)
2022 – Zach Agnos, Colorado Rockies (10th Round/Pick 296)
2023 – Josh Grosz, New York Yankees (11th Round/Pick 342)
2023 – Tyler Brandt, St. Louis Cardinals (16th Round/Pick 485)
2024 – Trey Yesavage, Toronto Blue Jays (First Round/Pick 20)
2024 – Jacob Jenkins-Cowart, Miami Marlins (Eighth Round/Pick 244)
2024 – Ryan McCrystal, Cincinnati Reds (Ninth Round/Pick 269)
2024 – Carter Cunningham, Toronto Blue Jays (10th Round/Pick 307)
2024 – Wyatt Lunsford-Shenkman, Seattle Mariners (16th Round/Pick 483)
2024 – Erik Ritcher, Philadelphia Phillies (19th Round/Pick 582)
2025 – Dixon Williams, Atlanta Braves (Fourth Round/Pick 136)
2025 – Ethan Young, St. Louis Cardinals (Fifth Round/Pick 150)
2026 – Ethan Norby, Cincinnati Reds (Fourth Round/Pick 122)
Players Mentioned
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