Loaded rosters lead to smaller 2026 Rookie Draft class

2026 PVL Rookie Draft class. –PVL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines —Only 11 of the 38 aspirants were selected in the 2026 Premier Volleyball League Rookie Draft on Wednesday night at Novotel, with no team making a selection beyond the second round.

PVL Control Committee chairman Sherwin Malonzo admitted the third edition of the draft was challenging, with several talented players left undrafted as teams opted to stick with veteran-laden rosters.

LIST: Who each team picked in the 2026 PVL Rookie Draft

The situation was further affected by the leave of absence of Cignal, the third PVL team to go on hiatus after Chery Tiggo and Petro Gazz, which led to more players being absorbed by the remaining clubs.

“There were a lot of new talents, but what stood out this year was that most teams are still loaded. I guess teams aren’t ready to let go of their veteran players yet because they still bring a lot of value,” Malonzo told the reporters in Filipino.

“At the same time, some teams went on leave of absence, so their players were dispersed among the remaining nine teams. I think that’s also a factor in why fewer players were selected this year. There were still quite a few picks, but compared to previous years, the number was lower.”

PVL: It doesn’t end here.

PVL president Ricky Palou and Control Committee Chairman Sherwin Malonzo talk to the undrafted players. #PVLDraft #PVL2026 @inquirersports pic.twitter.com/UahTrFgkLh

— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) June 3, 2026

For the first time in draft history, a team passed in the first round as Akari opted not to use the fifth overall pick. Deputy coach Eddieson Orcullo said the Chargers had specific targets in mind, but both prospects were taken before their turn.

“Actually, we had our first and second options. The problem was that we weren’t able to get either of them, so those were probably the two players we really needed for our team,” Orcullo said in Filipino.

“But since they were selected by teams drafting ahead of us, we decided to pass. The management, Coach Tina Salak, and the rest of the coaching staff all discussed it thoroughly. So far, we’re okay with the outcome.”

READ: PVL Rookie Draft: Lams Lamina picked first overall by Galeries Tower

Lams Lamina was picked first by Galeries Tower, followed by Detdet Pepito (Capital1), Tin Ubaldo (Creamline) and Alyanna Ong (Zus Coffee).

Malonzo and PVL president Ricky Palou also offered words of encouragement to undrafted players, including Jade Fuentes, Xyza Gula, Joan Monares and Taks Fujimoto, noting that teams can still sign them as free agents.

“Most teams selected players based on specific needs. If you look at the numbers, about one-third of the applicants were drafted this year. Last year, it was around half. The same thing happened the year before. Again, I think it comes down to teams still not being ready to move on from their veteran players,” Malonzo said.

“There are cases where undrafted players become free agents and can be directly hired by teams. They no longer have to go through the draft. There are still a lot of talented players left unselected, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we suddenly see some of them joining teams in the future.”

“We’ll also have to wait and see what happens with the number of teams in the league,” he added.

Malonzo is looking forward to the PVL on Tour starting next month, with northern and southern stops set.