{"id":668880,"date":"2026-05-14T12:23:20","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T12:23:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/668880\/"},"modified":"2026-05-14T12:23:20","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T12:23:20","slug":"mlb-draft-2026-top-100-prospects-roch-cholowsky-vahn-lackey-hold-steady-at-the-top","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/668880\/","title":{"rendered":"MLB Draft 2026 top 100 prospects: Roch Cholowsky, Vahn Lackey hold steady at the top"},"content":{"rendered":"

This draft class started off in much more promising fashion than it\u2019s ending, as the top tier of the high school group never really took off, and the depth among college arms just isn\u2019t there. There\u2019s still plenty of value here, particularly for teams drafting in the 20-50 range, and there\u2019s overall quite a bit of depth in the high school pitching crop \u2014 not my preferred demographic up top, but a great pond in which to fish after your first pick.<\/p>\n

This is a ranking, not a mock draft, so the players\u2019 rank order has nothing to do with where I think they\u2019ll be drafted. It\u2019s based on my own in-person evaluations, video, data and, most importantly, conversations with scouts, executives and analysts with MLB teams. I don\u2019t consider signability\/bonus demands when I have it, which right now is close to \u201cnot at all\u201d anyway.<\/p>\n

I will update this list as the draft approaches, since many players are still playing and some will go to play in summer leagues or work out for teams.<\/p>\n

(Note: Scouting grades are on the traditional 20-80 scale.)<\/p>\n

Player Type Pitcher Position Player<\/p>\n

School Type 4-Year College High School<\/p>\n

Position 1B 2B 3B C LHP OF RHP SS<\/p>\n

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Try changing or resetting your filters to see more.<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Cholowsky has been a prospect for some time, as his dad is the Reds\u2019 area scout for the Four Corners, and Cholowsky was No. 23<\/a> on my draft board in 2023 when he was a senior in high school. So it\u2019s hardly surprising that he\u2019s become the consensus top prospect in this year\u2019s class, even if the field has gotten closer to him as this spring has progressed. He\u2019s a plus defender at shortstop with a plus arm, showing good instincts and a solid first step to make up for below-average foot speed. He had an outstanding sophomore year for the Bruins, hitting .353\/.480\/.710 with a hard-hit rate of 60 percent and strikeout rate below 10 percent, though his junior year has been just slightly below that across the board. He has plus power with an average to slightly above-average hit tool. He\u2019s wrecked Big Ten pitching, but hasn\u2019t seen a lot of premium velocity, and in a limited sample, hasn\u2019t done much with it. Barring injury, I don\u2019t see a world where he\u2019s not at least an everyday MLB shortstop who hits 15-20 homers \u2014 his ceiling is 25-30 homers with a high OBP \u2014 and he’ll play plus defense in any scenario. One bit of Roch trivia: He struck out looking only three times as a sophomore, but was already at six through May 5.<\/p>\n

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Position Player<\/p>\n

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Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Lackey\u2019s surge at the plate in his draft year has lifted him from late first-round territory to the uppermost echelon, thanks to offseason work on his swing to help him get the ball off the ground and further in the air. He was hitting .371\/.491\/.682 through May 5, ranking in the top 5 percent of all Division 1 hitters in OBP and slugging, third among catchers playing in major conferences. He\u2019s extremely athletic with 55 speed and outstanding agility, getting up out of the crouch quickly on blocks or weak groundballs, with an 80 arm that just needs to be more consistent. He\u2019s an excellent hitter for contact, with a 15 percent whiff rate this year, but he doesn\u2019t have the raw power that Roch Cholowsky offers. I think the two are very close as prospects, with Lackey\u2019s appeal in his ability to stay behind the plate and add value at such a scarce position, while Cholowsky has more power upside.<\/p>\n

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C<\/p>\n

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Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Flora has been the most dominant starter in Division 1 this year, stepping in for 2025 No. 2 pick Tyler Bremner as the Gauchos\u2019 Friday night starter. Flora\u2019s been 96-98, up to 100, with a 70 changeup and solid-average slider, and through 13 starts, he\u2019s posted a 1.15 ERA with a 32.5 percent strikeout rate and 8.8 percent walk rate across 78 1\/3 innings.<\/p>\n

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Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: B, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Bell has been playing all year with a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder he suffered in the season\u2019s opening game. He missed just three weeks with the injury, and he hasn\u2019t stopped hitting since. Through May 9, he\u2019s hitting .368\/.550\/.613 with more walks than strikeouts; his OBP would lead all major-conference hitters if he qualified. He\u2019s likely to stick at shortstop in pro ball, although he might require surgery on the shoulder and probably won\u2019t play pro ball until next year.<\/p>\n

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Bats: L, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Emerson is the consensus top high school player in the class, having hit well against the best pitching on the showcase circuit last year. He\u2019s a high-contact hitter with fringe-average power, projecting to maybe above-average power at his peak. He shows good instincts and hands at short and should stick there despite being a below-average runner.<\/p>\n

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SS<\/p>\n

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Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Becker is hitting .318\/.436\/.556, losing about 15 points of average while he tried to play through a hand injury before finally sitting out after April 16. (As of May 10, he\u2019s still not back.) He has a very simple operation at the plate, with great hand speed and a short, direct path to the ball, generating plenty of hard contact and using the whole field well. The swing generates low line drives, so he doesn\u2019t have more than average power and probably more like 12-15 homers at his peak, but being able to make hard contact bodes well for his ability to continue to hit for average. He does have to tighten up his approach with two strikes, as he expands the zone wildly in those counts; he has a 42 percent chase rate this year with two strikes on him. He\u2019s not a shortstop \u2014 not only does he lack the range to be a pro shortstop, but he\u2019s not even a good defender for a college shortstop \u2014 and should move immediately to second base, where he has the instincts and hands but may still have to work to be a solid-average defender. I see a 60 hit tool here, and maybe a little more power if a pro team gets him to lift the ball more.<\/p>\n

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SS<\/p>\n

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Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

The diminutive Burress had a massive 2025 season at the plate, but got off to a slow start in 2026 as he seemed to be trying too hard to lift and pull the ball. He\u2019s been performing better in conference play, despite facing better pitching, with a .376\/.481\/.665 line that has him in the top 10 in the ACC in all three categories. He\u2019s a center fielder now, but has a less than even chance to stay there in pro ball. He has plus power even though he\u2019s undersized, and should project to 20+ homers a year, which would make him a star in center and still a regular even in a corner.<\/p>\n

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OF<\/p>\n

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Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Peterson has one of the best arsenals of any starter in the class, sitting 93-98 with a plus slider, above-average curveball and a straight changeup that\u2019s average now, but I think points to the potential for a better changeup option down the road. His issue remains command and control; he\u2019s walked a batter every other inning this year (11.6 percent) and gives up too much hard contact for this level of stuff.<\/p>\n

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Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: L<\/p>\n

Booth is an 80 runner and true center fielder with a leadoff hitter profile, making contact with a short, slashy swing that doesn\u2019t have a lot of power. He\u2019s a disciplined hitter for a high schooler, with modest whiff and chase rates last summer and fall, and has continued to show patience this spring.<\/p>\n

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OF<\/p>\n

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Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: L<\/p>\n

Curiel has always been able to hit, even in high school at Orange (Calif.) Lutheran, but between his lack of power at the time and his commitment to LSU, he went undrafted in 2024. Now a draft-eligible sophomore, Curiel has raked for two years in Baton Rouge, not hitting for much power but making enough hard contact to project a plus hit tool, maybe even better.<\/p>\n

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Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Townsend\u2019s fastball has been up to 98 with big carry, along with a splitter and cutter that flash plus and a slider and curveball with good spin rates. He throws strikes, with a 6.1 percent walk rate on the season so far. Townsend is undersized, listed at 6-foot-1 and not that physical, and he hasn\u2019t been as sharp or as effective in his last couple of starts as he was earlier in the season. He has mid-rotation upside given the potential for three above-average pitches.<\/p>\n

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Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: L<\/p>\n

Grindlinger is the draft\u2019s best two-way prospect, a left-handed pitcher up to 96 and an outfielder with outstanding bat-to-ball skills, and he only turned 17 at the start of May. He reclassified into this draft just before the season started so he wasn\u2019t seen as much last summer and fall as most of the high schoolers in this class. He\u2019s still almost all projection at this point, and the bat speed isn\u2019t great yet, but the ball carries well already and he\u2019s likely to come into real power as he fills out. He has arm strength with a potentially plus slider, but the delivery needs work and he\u2019s got all of the risk of a teenaged arm \u2014 more, really, as he\u2019s younger than any other pitching prospect in the class.<\/p>\n

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Position Player<\/p>\n

Pitcher<\/p>\n

High School<\/p>\n

LHP<\/p>\n

OF<\/p>\n

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Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: L<\/p>\n

Dietz threw just 1 2\/3 innings during his first two years with the Razorbacks after surgery to repair a stress fracture in his elbow in the fall of 2023, followed by a setback that led to a second operation, but he has more than made up for lost time this year. Through 12 starts, he\u2019s struck out 101 batters (36.6 percent) against 23 walks, ranking in the top 5 in Division 1 in total strikeouts. He\u2019s sitting 94-96 with a plus cutter among three different breaking pitches, getting good spin on everything and attacking hitters in the zone. He doesn\u2019t use a changeup or anything specifically for righties, which hasn\u2019t resulted in any platoon split yet but might be worth watching. It\u2019s a lot of power to his entire approach, and maybe that makes him more of a short-duration starter, as would the injury history. For pure stuff and present command, however, he\u2019s the best lefty in the class.<\/p>\n

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Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Lebron looks like he should be the No. 1 pick, easily; 20 or 30 years ago, he probably goes there, with that era\u2019s emphasis on tools but also vibes, the good face, all those assets that were parodied badly in Moneyball but also led to results like Mike Kelly and Corey Patterson going among the top three picks. Lebron is very athletic and twitchy, with excellent actions at shortstop and obvious bat speed at the plate. He hit .316\/.421\/.636 last year with 18 homers for Alabama, but struck out 68 times while posting a 30 percent whiff rate that even his proponents knew had to improve. He came out hot to start 2026, but in SEC play, the contact issues have come back; through May 9, he was hitting .235\/.330\/.398 in conference play with a 28 percent whiff rate that shoots up to 49 percent on sliders. He\u2019s an easy plus defender at short and an above-average runner, with power. He has the tools to be a star, if he ever hits enough to get to it.<\/p>\n

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4-Year College<\/p>\n

SS<\/p>\n

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Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Reddemann was storming towards a top 10 selection when \u201carm fatigue\u201d hit in April; as of this writing, he hasn\u2019t pitched since April 17. He has plus control \u2014 maybe plus command, too \u2014 of a 93-96-mph fastball with late life up, a power slider and a changeup that shows plus. Where he goes in the draft depends on what the actual injury, if any, is; if it\u2019s a UCL injury, he\u2019ll probably still go in the first 30 or so picks.<\/p>\n

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Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Flukey missed three months with a fractured rib and has been coming back slowly, showing his usual stuff but not the same command yet. He comes from a high slot and gets up to 97 with a flat four-seamer, getting a ton of whiffs on a plus 12\/6 curveball, with a short slider as his third pitch. He had a sizable platoon split in 2025, giving up five of his six homers to lefties.<\/p>\n

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Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

The younger brother of top Yankees prospect George Lombard Jr., Jacob has been on the showcase circuit since he was in junior high, and he has some of the best pure tools in the draft class, college or high school. He\u2019s a 70 runner with plus power, working with a quick, direct swing that is geared to pull the ball in the air. He also whiffed 39 percent of the time at tracked events in 2025, getting destroyed by sliders, but even struggling with better velocity when he saw it. He\u2019s a long-term shortstop, really just lacking the pure arm strength of the typical player there in the majors. He has the swing, strength, speed and athleticism to be a superstar, but can he hit enough to even be a regular?<\/p>\n

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High School<\/p>\n

SS<\/p>\n

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Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Helfrick is the best defensive catcher in the class, with a 70 arm, excellent blocking skills and apparently good framing (for whatever that is worth). He came into the year as a very questionable pro prospect after he whiffed on more than 30 percent of his swings as sophomore, putting him in the bottom 5 percent of all qualifying hitters in that category. He\u2019s cut that way down to 23 percent this year, swinging less often on all pitches while also making much more contact on sliders. It’s mostly just a matter of improved swing decisions, while he\u2019s also moved a little further away from the plate. He\u2019s hit 15 homers so far this year, matching his 2025 total in exactly the same number of PA, and has enough juice to project to 15-20 in the majors. You don\u2019t have to hit a ton to be an everyday catcher in the big leagues, and if Helfrick gives back some of his gains at the plate, he could still end up a low-OBP regular. If they stick, the improvements this year give him a chance to be an All-Star.<\/p>\n

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4-Year College<\/p>\n

C<\/p>\n

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Bats: L, Throws: L<\/p>\n

Strosnider has a beautiful left-handed swing and makes plenty of hard contact, but he\u2019s scuffled this year to a .273\/.415\/.590 line through May 10, with almost all of his dropoff due a 90-point decline in his BABIP. He has a corner outfield profile, so he has to hit; I think he\u2019s still good value in the back of the first round.<\/p>\n

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OF<\/p>\n

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Bats: L, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Lowrance has been the hottest high school name this spring, as teams are hunting for players in the high school ranks now that the college crop has turned out to be disappointing. He\u2019s a big, strong left-handed hitter with a solid swing for air contact, with a possible future plus hit tool. He has no shot to stick at shortstop, with right field potentially being his ultimate destination given his size.<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

High School<\/p>\n

SS<\/p>\n

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Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Hacopian missed some time earlier this year with a back injury and hasn\u2019t looked 100 percent for parts of the spring, despite a very good line-drive swing and an excellent contact rate. He\u2019s also been the Aggies\u2019 DH since the injury as a way to keep his bat in the lineup. He\u2019s a transfer from Maryland, where he hit .375\/.502\/.656 as a sophomore while striking out less than 10 percent of the time.<\/p>\n

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SS<\/p>\n

3B<\/p>\n

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Bats: L, Throws: L<\/p>\n

Gracia transferred from Duke to UVA this year and emerged as the Hoos\u2019 best power threat, although he hasn\u2019t improved from his breakout 2025 season with the Blue Devils. He has plus power and a good idea of the strike zone, chasing pitches well out of the zone just 13 percent of the time, while making contact at high rates for someone with his power \u2014 through May 9 his in-zone whiff rate was just 9 percent. His swing gets kind of uphill, and he might end up hitting more balls to the track than he should given the pure strength here. He\u2019s played center field for the Cavaliers but will end up in right in pro ball. The whole right now is less than the sum of the parts, which points to an opportunity for a team that\u2019s good with finishing off hitters\u2019 development, especially if they can get Gracia\u2019s bat more consistently on plane.<\/p>\n

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OF<\/p>\n

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Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: L<\/p>\n

Carlon is a four-pitch lefty who\u2019s 93-98 with a plus slider along with two average or better pitches he barely uses in the changeup and curveball. He works heavily off the slider, throwing it more than half the time, and still has a 56 percent whiff rate with the pitch this year, while deprecating the fastball, despite its velocity, because it doesn\u2019t have a lot of movement. He\u2019s been a little homer-prone this year, but it\u2019s nearly always with no one on base; 10 of the 12 homers he\u2019s allowed through May 10 were solo shots, as he goes fastball-heavy with the bases empty. He\u2019ll need to use the changeup more in pro ball. Carlon looks like a potential mid-rotation starter with some modest tweaks.<\/p>\n

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Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Rose missed a month earlier in the season with a hamstring injury, but in 31 games (about half the season), he\u2019s hitting .408\/.493\/.650 against a slate that\u2019s skewed towards ACC competition. A catcher in high school, he has almost exclusively played left field in college, but he has some speed and could try to shift to center in pro ball.<\/p>\n

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OF<\/p>\n

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Bats: R, Throws: L<\/p>\n

Rojas might have hit some scouting fatigue earlier this year, but now that many of the high school arms are done, he\u2019s floated back up towards the top of that list. He throws in the low 90s with life from a lower three-quarters slot, with high spin rate on a sweeper\/slider that can flatten out too much and a promising changeup he doesn\u2019t use that much. He\u2019s committed to Miami.<\/p>\n

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Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: L<\/p>\n

An athletic three-pitch lefty who has a plus changeup now and can spin the ball well, Duncan has shown some real competitiveness even pitching against pro hitters during spring training trips this year. He throws strikes, has a good delivery and enough feel to foresee a plus breaking ball. Other than the commitment to Vanderbilt potentially making him a tough sign, there\u2019s nothing not to like here.<\/p>\n

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Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Rembert turns 21 a few days before the draft, so he\u2019s among the younger college players in the class. He brings a high-contact, low-power approach that led to a .344\/.467\/.555 line in 2025 that marked him as a potential first-rounder. He\u2019s slipped a little this year, hitting for less power and drawing fewer walks, although he\u2019s still only whiffed on 20 percent of his swings and has shown he can catch up to good velocity. He\u2019s mostly played second base but has dabbled in the corner outfield.<\/p>\n

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2B<\/p>\n

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Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Brunson is a toolsy center fielder with 20\/20 upside, and he recognizes offspeed stuff well, actually hitting better against non-fastballs so far this year. His bat speed is just fair, and he hasn\u2019t done as well with better velocity in a small sample. He could be an above-average regular because he stays up the middle and has that power potential, as long as he can adjust to the consistent 95+ he\u2019ll see in pro ball.<\/p>\n

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Bats: B, Throws: L<\/p>\n

Bolemon was a little slow to ramp up this spring, so he\u2019s no longer the top high school lefty on my board, but he\u2019s still close and should get paid like a first-rounder. He\u2019s up to 96 with a four-pitch mix, with the velocity a tick lower this spring, and he gets good depth on his breaking pitches from a three-quarters slot. He already had an internal brace procedure when he was about 15. He\u2019s committed to Wake Forest.<\/p>\n

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Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: B, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Kuhns has been rolling through the SEC this year, with a 3.14 ERA, a 4.4 percent walk rate and a 32.7 percent strikeout rate through May 10, doing it primarily with his mid-90s, high-vertical break fastball and his plus curveball. He\u2019s been staying away from the heart of the plate more after getting hit harder there early in the season, and he\u2019s relegated his slider to fourth in his arsenal, using it even less than his seldom-seen straight changeup. I think he\u2019ll need to develop a better changeup or even try a splitter, but after he looked like he might slide out of the first round with some early-season command woes, he is pushing his way back into it and could be among the first three or four college arms taken.<\/p>\n

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Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Martin plays third base for UCLA because of Roch Cholowsky, but he\u2019s a legitimate shortstop in his own right, at least Cholowsky\u2019s equal on defense, according to scouts who\u2019ve seen him there. He\u2019s still one of the most passive hitters in the draft, with a swing rate around 30 percent this year and 32 percent last year. The flip side is that he doesn\u2019t chase (17 percent) or whiff (22 percent) much at all, and he does do some damage when the bat leaves his shoulder, with a .337\/.462\/.538 line through May 10. He looks very much like a quiet regular at short for someone.<\/p>\n

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3B<\/p>\n

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Bats: L, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Yep, that\u2019s Jim Thome\u2019s kid, and yep, he\u2019s a shortstop. Landon looks like his dad in the face, but he\u2019s leaner and quicker, so if you\u2019re envisioning Jim\u2019s hulking frame trying to race back into the hole to stop a grounder from getting through, it\u2019s OK, I promise, it\u2019s not like that. Landon isn\u2019t going to stick at short, probably moving to third base. As a hitter, he\u2019s pretty upright and is clearly looking to lift the ball, potentially growing into 25-homer power. It helped that he was on Jaden Fauske\u2019s team last year, as Fauske was heavily scouted and ended up drafted in the comp round. Thome\u2019s committed to Florida State.<\/p>\n

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SS<\/p>\n

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Bats: L, Throws: L<\/p>\n

Schmidt is up to 96 on his four-seamer with a sharp sweeper\/slider in the mid-80s, while also showing a sinker, cutter and changeup. He\u2019ll need some delivery cleanup and might actually be throwing too many different pitches, since he has a potential out pitch now in the breaking ball. He\u2019s committed to LSU.<\/p>\n

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Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Dudan blew out his elbow after the Wolfpack worked him very hard this spring, with 110 or more pitches in his last five starts, even though he threw just 30 innings last spring. When healthy, he comes from a low three-quarters slot and works almost exclusively fastball\/slider, sitting 95-96, while the slider missed nearly half the bats that try to hit it. He barely throws a changeup, although it can show decent fade, and the fastball doesn\u2019t miss as many bats as I\u2019d expect given the slot and release height. Before his UCL went, he pitched extremely well for NC State, with just 12 walks in 50 innings and only three homers allowed, and I thought he was heading for a first-round selection.<\/p>\n

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Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Radel is a big strike-thrower who is originally from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He has posted excellent walk rates in three years with the Irish. His strikeout rate has jumped this year, as he\u2019s added a cutter and picked up over 1.5 mph on his fastball and slider. He sat 96 in his start on Mother\u2019s Day weekend, and the slider has become a real swing-and-miss pitch for him. He\u2019s built like a workhorse starter and hasn\u2019t had much of a platoon split this year, even with the changeup a distant fourth in his arsenal.<\/p>\n

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Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: B, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Ruiz is undersized but has gotten stronger, to the point that he could get some first-round consideration as a potential leadoff type who sticks at shortstop. He\u2019s one of the best hitters for contact anywhere in the draft class, with below-average power but more impact this year than he showed last summer. He is definitely a shortstop, potentially a plus or better defender there. He\u2019ll be 19.3 at the draft, which works against him, and is committed to Vanderbilt, where he\u2019d be draft-eligible as a sophomore in 2028.<\/p>\n

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Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

The son of former Rays starter Doug Waechter, Kaden comes from a low three-quarters slot and gets huge induced vertical break on his 91-95 mph fastball, while showing good feel and above-average control of his four-pitch mix. It seems like he\u2019s slid behind some other high school pitchers with higher ceilings, but he may have more probability of sticking as a starter since he has some command already and doesn\u2019t rely on huge velocity.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Horn is more athlete than player right now, a two-way guy who didn\u2019t show well as a hitter or pitcher during the showcases last summer but has seen his stock rise with better play this spring. He\u2019s really a prospect as a shortstop, with some power from his strength and a swing that lofts the ball, while his present hit tool is below average. He has a plus arm, throwing in the low 90s off the mound, and at worst, will move to third base if his fringy speed moves him off short. He\u2019s committed to Stanford.<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

Pitcher<\/p>\n

High School<\/p>\n

SS<\/p>\n

RHP<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Grahovac has really turned his approach around from his last healthy season. Back in 2024, he struck out 95 times for a 29 percent strikeout rate, the result of him whiffing on 32 percent of his swings that year, all of which, not that you need me to tell you, was atrocious. The strikeout total led all D1 hitters, and the strikeout and miss rates put him in the bottom 5 percent. He then missed most of 2025 with a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder, playing in just six games. Since his return this year, he looks like a completely different hitter. He\u2019s whiffed only 25 percent of the time, and he\u2019s cut his strikeout rate in half, to 14.5 percent through games of May 10. He has big-boy power, with high hard-contact rates and exit velocities. He\u2019s played some third base, but he\u2019s going to play first, which is why he\u2019s not higher on this list. The fact that he\u2019s on this list at all given his near-record* strikeout total two years ago is incredible. (*The record, according to the NCAA, is 99, by Fresno State\u2019s Tommy Mendonca in 2008. And the Rangers took him in the second round!)<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

4-Year College<\/p>\n

1B<\/p>\n

3B<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Renfrow had a rough start to his draft year, thanks to some questionable pitch-calling, but he\u2019s been on a roll as of late in ACC play, as he\u2019s gone back to the curveball as his main offspeed pitch. He\u2019s 94-96 and will show a cutter, changeup and curveball, with the cutter as the preferred weapon early in the year, but perhaps more effective if he\u2019s using it less. His curveball is plus and hitters have whiffed on it 63 percent of the time through May 10. He takes a huge stride towards the plate to generate power from his legs, so I like his odds to handle a starter\u2019s workload. I put a 45 on his control earlier in the year, but he\u2019s been solid-average down the stretch. He might be pushing himself into being a late first-round pick as a well-known college starter with now stuff and mid-rotation upside.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: L<\/p>\n

Brown might still end up in the first round, although a broken hamate bone that ended his season cost scouts some looks at him down the stretch and in the SEC tournament. He hit .309\/.404\/.642 before the injury and doubled his 2025 homer total with 16. He has a plus arm and was a pitching prospect out of high school; he\u2019s mostly played right field for LSU, but has the speed and instincts to move back to center field. The batted-ball data backs up the power production, and he puts the ball in play more than you\u2019d think from the batting average, with a moderate 22 percent whiff rate on the season. He\u2019s probably a solid regular, but given the improvements this year and the chance he could stick in center, he has some above-average upside.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

4-Year College<\/p>\n

OF<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: L<\/p>\n

If Edwards threw about 3 mph harder, he\u2019d be a top 10 pick. He\u2019s not just leading Division 1 in strikeouts, he\u2019s lapping the field, with 142 through games on May 10, 36 more than anyone else. He does it with his secondary stuff, with the curveball and changeup both easily 55s and showing plus potential, generating 60 percent-plus whiff rates on both. He\u2019s been up to 95 but sits more 90-92 and it\u2019s not a great fastball, working now because hitters are so geared up for either of the other two pitches. He\u2019s walking too many presently, 10.8 percent of batters faced, but it\u2019s low enough to hope he can bring it down slightly, and maybe attack more in the zone if he can get a little more zing to his four-seamer. There\u2019s risk that he gets too homer-prone in the high minors as is, but he strikes me as the perfect guy for a team with a decent pitching lab to play around with.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: L<\/p>\n

Johnson missed the first month of the season due to a mysterious arm issue, but has returned to throw 29 innings so far over eight outings. He\u2019s sitting 94-95 with a changeup and slider that are both at least 55s, as well as an occasional two-plane curveball and an upper-80s cutter. Virginia has stretched him out gradually after he transferred from Duke, building him up to six innings\/75 pitches on Mother\u2019s Day, and he\u2019s held his stuff so far, hitting 98 in that outing and missing quite a few bats with it. I wouldn\u2019t be shocked if he got into the first round, depending on the medicals.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: L<\/p>\n

Bumila has been up to 102 mph this spring from a low slot, with good extension from his 6-foot-9 frame, giving the pitch plus life up in the zone. His secondary stuff isn\u2019t as advanced, with a slider and changeup as both works in progress. He has already had one elbow surgery, getting an internal brace on his UCL in 2025. He\u2019s committed to Texas.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Brick is a very strong defensive catcher with an excellent build for that demanding position. He makes good quality contact with solid but not exceptional bat speed, though there are some concerns about his ability to keep making contact against better quality stuff. He\u2019s also part of one of the worst demographics in the draft, high school catchers, which will likely steer some teams away from him with early picks. He\u2019s committed to Mississippi State.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

High School<\/p>\n

C<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Condon has excellent bat speed and a high probability to stick at center field, putting him in top two-round territory for this draft. He has a high setup and likes the ball in the upper part of the zone, generating power thanks to his quick wrists. He\u2019s a 55 runner out of the box who shows good instincts and better closing speed in the outfield, with center field his most likely position. He\u2019s committed to Tennessee.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

High School<\/p>\n

OF<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Clark is a toolsy infielder who has played a lot of high-level competition between his home schedule and showcases, with more upside right now than probability. He has a quick bat and swings hard, with a short swing path that produces some line drives but no present power. He\u2019s also a plus runner and could end up hitting for a higher average, even if he\u2019s making a lot of medium contact because he\u2019s quick out of the box. He has the physical ability to play shortstop but not the consistency or the instincts, and may be better off at second base or even trying center field. He\u2019s committed to Duke.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

High School<\/p>\n

SS<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Bowen is a power-hitting corner outfielder with some speed and enough arm strength to play anywhere in the outfield. He had some swing-and-miss concerns going into last summer, but kept his contact rate up against better pitching at showcases and has fared well this spring, even though his swing can get a little long to the ball as he tries to lift and pull. He has the potential for plus right-handed power with defensive value somewhere on the grass. He\u2019s committed to Oregon State.<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

High School<\/p>\n

OF<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Reese is at 39 homers and counting since he transferred to Mississippi State for the start of the 2025 season, posting elite top-end exit velocities, although it doesn\u2019t play as top-end power because of his swing decisions. He\u2019s very strong and is swinging to do damage, but he\u2019ll expand the zone too easily, with a 20 percent chase rate on pitches well out of the strike zone. His pitch-type recognition also needs work. He\u2019s 50\/50 to stick at third base, with first base being the other possibility.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

4-Year College<\/p>\n

3B<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Marchand makes a lot of contact with a funky \u2014 you might say ugly \u2014 swing that gets very inside-out, yet thanks to some added muscle this offseason, he\u2019s driving the ball more and giving some more reason to believe in a future plus hit tool. He\u2019s mostly a shortstop now, but he\u2019s much more likely to move to third base, where his plus hands and arm should play up nicely. He\u2019s committed to Mississippi.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

High School<\/p>\n

SS<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Volchko gets very high marks for his \u201cpitch shapes,\u201d which will likely push him well up the board for model-heavy teams. He\u2019s struck out 27 percent of batters, up from 24 percent a month ago, and has walked 12 percent, not in line with his stuff but still better than his results in two years at Stanford. He\u2019s been up to 98 from a low three-quarters slot, with two potentially plus breaking pitches, showing no real platoon split so far this year even without a real changeup. It\u2019s a funky delivery and he may never repeat it enough for average command, so his path to remaining as a starter involves missing more bats with that breaking stuff.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Bryant really looks the part of a future No. 2 starter, with a low 90s fastball, a plus slider that has very late, sharp break and a changeup where he shows good arm action without much feel yet. He\u2019s extremely projectable and generally around the plate by high school standards. He\u2019s committed to Clemson.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Harris picked the right night for the best start of his life, striking out 13 straight batters in front of a lot of scouts who were in the Dallas-Fort Worth area for the Amegy Bank Series that included UCLA, Tennessee and Texas A&M. Harris sits 90-94 from the windup with late ride to the pitch, missing bats with it atop the zone. He shows some feel to spin the ball with a slider and two-plane curveball. He has an old-school delivery, just cutting himself off a little and spinning off his front heel, neither of which should be that hard to clean up. Fastballs that play like this are in high demand, and he has the ingredients to project as a third or fourth starter. He\u2019s committed to Texas.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: B, Throws: R<\/p>\n

The son of longtime big leaguer Jos\u00e9 Contreras, Joseph pitched briefly for Team Brazil in this year\u2019s World Baseball Classic, two months before his 18th birthday. Like his dad, he throws every pitch in the book, with a four- and two-seamer, splitter, slider and cutter, getting up to 97 on the four-seamer. The splitter is plus and it\u2019s going to miss bats right away in pro ball, but he\u2019s going to have to throw more strikes, especially with the heaters, to get to the splitter. He\u2019s still projectable, and I wouldn\u2019t be shocked if he touched 100 at some point, but I\u2019d rather see him get to a delivery he can repeat and maybe simplify the arsenal for now until he throws more strikes. You can squint and see No. 3 starter upside, with high risk. He\u2019s committed to Vanderbilt.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: L<\/p>\n

Adams is a strong left-handed hitter with plus raw power that is coming out more this spring. He has a very quiet swing with a direct path to the ball, and he shows an advanced approach for a high schooler, without much whiff or chase in his limited time at showcases. He\u2019s fringy in right field despite a 55 arm, and might end up at first base, which limits his ceiling and probably his market. He also pitches, and he might see some improvements on defense, especially once he\u2019s focused solely on being a position player. He\u2019s committed to LSU.<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

High School<\/p>\n

OF<\/p>\n

1B<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: L<\/p>\n

Hughes has raked for the Red Raiders for two years now, walking more than he\u2019s struck out in both seasons and hitting 35 homers total from the start of his sophomore year through May 12. He makes a ton of contact and has shown he can hit all pitch types, including catching up to good velocity, with batted-ball data to back up the plus power output. He\u2019s not a runner and is limited to left field or maybe first base.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

4-Year College<\/p>\n

OF<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Prosek is the best pure bat in the Mississippi prep class this year, hitting extremely well at showcases last summer and fall against good pitching. He takes a big stride and swings hard, producing plenty of hard contact with some swing and miss \u2014 25 percent at tracked events, on the higher side but not alarming yet. He has a plus arm and will play on the left side of the infield, more likely third base than short. He\u2019s spent some time behind the plate but it seems unlikely any team will try him there, with the potential of a plus hit tool at third base \u2014 and thus in the lineup more often \u2014 too tantalizing. He\u2019s committed to Mississippi.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

High School<\/p>\n

3B<\/p>\n

C<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Blair has the best control in the draft, with just 11 walks in 13 starts (3.7 percent), even though he has a quick, funky delivery where he comes from a low three-quarters slot and often ends up on the side of the ball at release. It\u2019s a consistent 94-96, with a 55 slider that has some tilt to it, with a decent changeup he flips in occasionally to lefties. It\u2019s definitely not a starter look, but the overall production certainly points to a rotation role.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Comeau is a left-handed hitter with plenty of power projection and a very good swing that\u2019s geared to drive the ball out to right-center and strong command of the zone already. He made plenty of contact at showcases last year, hitting more for contact than power, but the latter is going to come in time. He\u2019s not going to stick at shortstop, but has the arm for third base and enough instincts to stay on the dirt. He\u2019ll still be 17 at the draft and is committed to Texas A&M.<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

High School<\/p>\n

SS<\/p>\n

3B<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Advincula is hitting .430\/.498\/.620 in ACC play, leading the conference in batting average, thanks to outstanding bat-to-ball skills \u2014 he\u2019s whiffed on just 11 percent of his swings so far this year, down from 13 percent last year when he was still at Cal. He has a flat swing and he\u2019s hitting the ball on the ground too often, at 53 percent now and rising since conference play began, although he\u2019d probably show average power if he got some loft in his finish. He\u2019s a 70 runner and an above-average defender at second. He\u2019s a regular, probably not much more than that unless someone gets him to put the ball in the air more often.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

4-Year College<\/p>\n

2B<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Spangler is a polished hitter who doesn\u2019t whiff much, despite some length to his swing, with a ton of projection to his 6-foot-3 frame that could point to future power. He\u2019s a solid defender at shortstop with fringy speed, and he might outgrow the position and move to third. He\u2019s been out all spring with an undisclosed injury, so at this point, he\u2019s probably going to Stanford.<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

High School<\/p>\n

SS<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Gasparino has some of the biggest raw power in the draft. He started out very strong to begin 2025, but as the season has progressed, the same contact and plate discipline issues he had in two years at Texas have cropped up again. He has 80 raw power, with peak exit velocities in the mid-110s, and he\u2019s already at a career-best 19 homers with a couple of weeks left to play. His swing is consistent with excellent loft to drive the ball out to left-center, and he\u2019s strong enough to hit it out without completely squaring it up. He\u2019s expanding the zone too often, and with two strikes is chasing pitches out of the zone 51 percent of the time (41 percent on pitches well out of the zone). He\u2019s played a very capable center field for the Bruins and could very well stick there. Is he a right-handed Joey Gallo? I\u2019d like to think there\u2019s a little more hit tool here than Gallo ultimately showed, but there\u2019s clearly downside risk given his whiff and chase issues in the Big Ten.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

4-Year College<\/p>\n

OF<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: L<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s version of Jace LaViolette \u2014 or maybe Vance Honeycutt, without the elite defense \u2014 Sorrell has huge power that he\u2019s gotten to plenty this year, ranking in the top 10 in homers through May 10 with 22, and a huge propensity to whiff, with a 32 percent whiff rate on the season. He\u2019s a solid defender in center and would probably end up plus in right field if he moves back there in pro ball, but he\u2019s got to hit and his history of touching the ball is not good.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

4-Year College<\/p>\n

OF<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: B, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Brown is a physical right-hander who gets good ride on a 94-96 mph heater, with a plus slider and feel for a split-change already. He throws strikes, thanks to a simple delivery where everything\u2019s on time, and looks like he\u2019ll fill out well to be able to hold his stuff in a pro rotation. He looks like at least a mid-rotation starter. He\u2019s committed to Mississippi State.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Montesa pitched for two years at Division II Adelphi on Long Island, then transferred to West Virginia this year, where he\u2019s still shown premium stuff but has struggled with command, failing to get out of the fifth in his last four outings (through May 10). He sits 93-96 and has been up to 98, working with four pitches, nothing plus, although he can definitely spin the ball and I bet there\u2019s a better slider in there somewhere. His four-seamer has some ride and it misses bats when he locates it, but he\u2019s just not in the zone enough yet, despite a very athletic, repeatable delivery. He\u2019s walked 12.6 percent of batters, even though he goes to the fastball three-quarters of the time in three-ball counts. He\u2019s not a surefire starter, but there are some good elements here to help him develop into one. He won\u2019t turn 21 until September.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

High school pitching prospects from Colorado are rare, which I assume is because it\u2019s about as conducive an environment to develop pitches as the surface of the moon would be, but Wachsmann is one. He\u2019s picked up a ton of velocity, touching 100 and sitting 94-97 now. Though he can spin a true curveball, although I\u2019d like to see him develop a better slider. He\u2019s still projectable, turning 18 a month before the draft, and doesn\u2019t have as much pitching experience as many of the other high school arms in this class. He\u2019s committed to Wake Forest.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Andersen throws a ton of strikes, primarily with two pitches, a four-seamer at 92-96 and a slider at 81-85 with some curveball shape to it. He has a changeup but barely uses it, and he\u2019ll have to develop some feel for it to handle lefties in pro ball. He has a good, durable frame and he repeats his delivery well. With a real third pitch, he could be a mid-rotation starter. He\u2019s committed to Mississippi State.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Borthwick struggled out of the gate, showing up with a thicker body and less velocity early in the spring, but he\u2019s continued improving as the season has progressed, sitting more 94-95 recently and filling up the zone with the fastball. He works primarily with that pitch, with a promising slider as his main secondary weapon, coming from a low three-quarters slot and hiding the ball well. It\u2019s a big frame, reminiscent of Jeff Juden physically. He\u2019ll need to keep working on the slider, which is average when he finishes it out front, and develop a changeup to project as a starter. He\u2019s committed to Auburn.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Putnam is a lanky, projectable right-hander who comes from a high three-quarters slot and gets significant depth to his slider thanks to the high release. He\u2019s been up to 97 but sits more 92-94, getting on top of the ball well and generating a little natural cut to the pitch. His slider and curveball both have good shapes but are slow and he\u2019ll need to develop his changeup. He\u2019s a long-term project with projection and a sound delivery. He\u2019s committed to Tennessee.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: L<\/p>\n

Mendes is 92-94 with a four-pitch mix led by his changeup, which has good late fading action, and he throws everything for strikes. This year he\u2019s kept the ball in the park, unlike the prior two seasons, helping him cut his ERA by more than half from 2025. He does need a better breaking ball, as he throws two but doesn\u2019t finish either one consistently.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Wiggins was 99-101 out of the Hogs\u2019 bullpen last year, then his elbow screamed and he had internal brace surgery; by all accounts he\u2019s ready to go and is throwing sides, but Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said \u201cthey\u2019re not going to let him pitch,\u201d which, maybe \u201cthey\u201d is Bernie Horowitz<\/a>? Anyway, he has a hellacious slider to go with the fastball, and I would love to see someone stretch him out gradually to see if he can start. At worst, he\u2019s a high-leverage relief arm with two out pitches already. He’s the younger brother of the Cubs’ Jaxon Wiggins.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: L<\/p>\n

Head might have the weirdest stat line of any prospect this year: He\u2019s hitting .284\/.457\/.560, with 51 walks and 21 strikeouts. His strikeout rate is 9.3 percent, but he\u2019s hitting just .250 on balls in play. The batted-ball data is solid, not great, as he swings to make contact rather than to try to drive the ball. Even in hitters\u2019 counts, he\u2019s swinging less than 40 percent of the time. He\u2019s a definite center fielder with exceptional plate discipline in almost every aspect. Is it just a matter of swinging the bat more to make him an everyday player?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

4-Year College<\/p>\n

OF<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Sims looks like a basketball player on the mound, given his height and lanky build and some of the rawness to his pitching. He has arm strength, hitting 100 mph last year and consistently working in the mid-90s this spring as a starter, with a loose, quick arm that makes the velocity look easy. He doesn\u2019t have an average breaking ball \u2014 his slider has velocity without great spin \u2014 and he was mixing in a cutter when I saw him to try to get hitters off the heater. He\u2019s committed to Oklahoma.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Jones is a plus defender in center and a 70 runner who has solid bat-to-ball skills with about 45 power. He could be a regular if he keeps his contact rate up against better pitching. He\u2019s actually handled sliders reasonably well this year (I happened to see him struggle off them) but other offspeed pitches have given him trouble.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

4-Year College<\/p>\n

OF<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: B, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Maniscalco is the youngest player on this list, having reclassified into this draft class and just turning 17 in mid-May. He\u2019s a true shortstop and switch-hitter who has really struggled at the plate this spring against local high school competition, pushing him from first-round consideration to later in Day 1, and possibly to where he\u2019ll end up at Mississippi State.<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

High School<\/p>\n

SS<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: L<\/p>\n

Holloway sits mid-90s from a low three-quarters slot and has a 55 to 60 changeup with hard, late fading action. He doesn\u2019t have a great third pitch yet, and he doesn\u2019t spin the ball that easily. He\u2019s committed to Vanderbilt and just transferred away from a powerhouse public school to a tiny religious school for his senior year.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Koeninger has a super-short arm action and can spin a very impressive 12\/6 curveball, with a solid frame and enough present velocity to maybe project as a starter. His throwing motion is all pretty north-south and he\u2019ll have to find a third pitch. He\u2019s a capable shortstop who obviously has the arm strength for the left side of the infield, but the bat is light and he should go out as a pitcher. He\u2019s committed to Tennessee.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

Pitcher<\/p>\n

High School<\/p>\n

SS<\/p>\n

RHP<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Bogenpohl is big, physical, athletic and hits the ball quite hard \u2014 the fastball, at least, as he really struggles against anything else. Even in the mid-major Conference USA, he\u2019s only hitting .281\/.439\/.444 this year, with a 28 percent whiff rate across all games. It\u2019s easily 20\/20 upside if he hits, but the odds are against him given his contact issues and performance this year.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

4-Year College<\/p>\n

OF<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: R<\/p>\n

A transfer from North Dakota State, Schaffner is a plus runner with extreme contact ability, striking out slightly more than 10 percent of the time this year through May 10, without much power. His speed and left-handedness help him to a few extra hits, and he could be a pretty good center fielder, which is important because he\u2019s not a shortstop. There\u2019s a little Jacob Wilson in the bat, but from the left side.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

4-Year College<\/p>\n

SS<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Levu gets overlooked in that powerhouse Bruins lineup, but he has the second-lowest strikeout rate in the lineup, a shade behind Dean West and ahead of Roch Cholowsky and Roman Martin. It\u2019s first base only, and he doesn\u2019t walk a lot, and it\u2019s more 55\/60 power than truly plus, so the profile is a tough one, but I also think there\u2019s a reasonably high floor for him as someone who hits enough all the way up the ladder to reach the majors, even in a reserve role.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

4-Year College<\/p>\n

1B<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Tinney is huge for a catcher, but he\u2019s been at least adequate there so far and has a plus arm. If he can stick there, he has the power to be a good backup or occasional regular. It\u2019s power over hit, but it might be 80 raw; last year, while he was still at Notre Dame, his 90th percentile EV was 111.1 mph, putting him in the top 10 of all qualifying Divison 1 hitters. He\u2019s a prospect as long as he\u2019s a catcher; I don\u2019t think the hit tool, with his high in-zone whiff rates, is enough to make him a prospect at first base or DH.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

4-Year College<\/p>\n

C<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Jackson can hit, and has real power, but he\u2019s really rough behind the plate and I think he\u2019ll end up moving to first base. He already has 25 homers through May 10 with an .818 SLG and a strikeout rate a shade under 20 percent on the season. His receiving and blocking are below average; prior to this year he wasn\u2019t a full-time catcher, so perhaps he could improve with more reps, but he has a long way to go.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

4-Year College<\/p>\n

C<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: L<\/p>\n

The younger brother of Marlins infielder Connor Norby, Ethan is a finesse lefty with plus control, coming from a slightly lower slot at 91-93 and working heavily with his low-80s slider. He\u2019s better against lefties, as he attacks righties too often with his slider, barely using a changeup, and doesn\u2019t have the command of the slider to make it work. He\u2019s hit 12 right-handed batters this year, eight of those on sliders he tried to throw at their back feet. ECU badly overworked him last May, having him throw 68 pitches in a start on May 20, then throw in relief on the 24th and the 25th, and then rolling him out for 116 pitches on May 30. He could be a back-end starter, although I\u2019m concerned about that workload, especially as he\u2019s on the smaller side.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Kerce has established himself as the Yellow Jackets\u2019 starting shortstop after moving around the infield for his first two years. He\u2019s a high-contact hitter with 45 power, showing enough strength to keep his average up, with a selective enough approach that he should post solid OBPs in pro ball. He\u2019s a 60 runner and could probably run around the outfield if he ends up in a utility role.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

4-Year College<\/p>\n

SS<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Robbins transferred from Seton Hall to Texas this year and has gone from six homers last spring to 19 (through May 12) after showing some similar power last summer in the Cape Cod League. It\u2019s power over hit, with a 30 percent whiff rate on the season so far, as it\u2019s an involved approach with a high setup and late leg kick. He definitely has bat speed and can run a little; he\u2019s played center but is going to end up in right field.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

4-Year College<\/p>\n

OF<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Peterson has lost some steam since last spring, with several red flags popping up in the last 12 months to drop his stock. He\u2019s very strong and shows plus power already, while the hit tool lags behind. He can hit a fastball but gets handcuffed by breaking stuff, whiffing nearly half the time he saw those pitches at showcase events. He has a plus arm and probably could stick in right field, as third base is a stretch, and he\u2019s a below-average runner who will be caught too often to be of value on the bases. He\u2019s committed to Texas and could put up some showy power numbers there.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

High School<\/p>\n

3B<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Peterson is 93-95 with good ride up top, and he can spin the ball, but he doesn\u2019t have a changeup and has gotten hit hard by lefties, with six of the 11 homers he\u2019s allowed through May 10 coming from lefty hitters. He\u2019s walked just 5.7 percent of batters he\u2019s faced, and there\u2019s some deception there with his late release point. Give him a viable pitch for lefties and he\u2019s a mid-rotation starter. Without that, I think he\u2019s a reliever.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Cuvet is yet another power-over-hit guy, with very strong exit velocities and too much swing-and-miss, although to his credit, he did swing less overall this year while he was still playing. He\u2019s been out since late April with a stress fracture in his lower back. He\u2019s big and swings very hard, with at least 70 power, and to get to that, he\u2019ll have to cut down on his tendency to chase and learn to pick up sliders. He\u2019s most likely a first baseman in the long run.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

4-Year College<\/p>\n

3B<\/p>\n

1B<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Knaak has a shorter arm action and sits low 90s with a plus changeup and a curveball that can miss bats, although he doesn\u2019t use it very much, with the coaches obviously just calling the changeup over and over. If he picks up some velocity, he could be a back-end starter with the out pitch and above-average control already in place.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: L<\/p>\n

Broussard can fly, and if this were 1985 he\u2019d be a first-rounder. He has a flat, slappy swing, rarely missing but hitting for minimal power, with a .338\/.426\/.474 line and 22 steals through May 10. He\u2019s a center fielder and could be a bottom-of-the-order hitter who provides value with his legs and glove.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

4-Year College<\/p>\n

OF<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Lynch is 93-97 with a slider and changeup, using the slider pretty heavily against both lefties and righties and the changeup only occasionally to lefties. He\u2019s had some platoon splits this year, mostly on the power side, and will have to use the changeup more to stay as a starter. The changeup has some deception right out of his hand and good separation from the fastball. The slider is just fair, better when he can sweep it down and away to righties than when he tries to backdoor it to lefties for a called strike. He\u2019s a little across his body but otherwise gets online to the plate, throwing strikes but also hitting 15 batters already this year through 66 innings. He has fourth starter upside with some real development help on the pitch mix and the shape of the breaking ball.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: L<\/p>\n

Sdao returned this year from Tommy John surgery with just slightly reduced velocity, but still has a solid assortment of breaking stuff. He projects as a back-end starter \u2014 better than his results this year for the Aggies indicate, as he has a 6+ ERA thanks to 11 homers allowed and a wild BABIP of .376. (They are not a good defensive team.) He\u2019s still throwing a ton of strikes and someone who thinks the velocity will return will see a fourth starter. He\u2019s a redshirt junior, as he was draft-eligible last year but declined to sign with anyone.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Kennedy has exploded at the plate this year to hit 20 homers through May 12 after he hit just 15 total in his first two years in college, although it\u2019s probably more 55 or even 50 power with the wood bat. He\u2019s not a true shortstop and projects more as a utility infielder or maybe a second-division regular at the keystone.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

4-Year College<\/p>\n

SS<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: R, Throws: R<\/p>\n

DeCaro is very young for a college prospect, only turning 20 in April, but is also more of a work in progress than many of the other college starters in the class. He\u2019ll sit 92-94, hitting 97, with four pitches, nothing plus but enough spin on the breaking stuff to see the potential for an above-average slider, especially if he can bump up its velocity. He\u2019s had a large platoon split this year despite a solid-average changeup, as lefties hammer his four-seamer. His delivery is easy and repeatable, and there\u2019s definitely some room left on his 6-foot-5 frame to add some bulk. He\u2019s a great target for teams with a good pitching development program, as there\u2019s a starter foundation here.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Ritchie has 70 power with too much swing and miss in his game right now, whiffing 28 percent of the time on the season, with the issue spanning all pitch types. He\u2019s a center fielder now but definitely moves to a corner in pro ball.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

4-Year College<\/p>\n

OF<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: L<\/p>\n

Beard comes right over the top with a low-90s fastball and lives off his secondaries, with an above-average changeup and sharp downward-breaking slider that\u2019s been up to 87. It\u2019s a tough look for hitters, and if he picks up a little velocity or gets more life on the heater \u2014 you\u2019d expect more from that arm slot \u2014 he could be a back-end starter.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Lavey has a lot of average on the scouting report, but does enough of everything to profile as a backup catcher with an outside chance to develop into a regular. He hit well enough with wood on the Cape last summer to answer some questions about his hit tool, since he plays in a weaker conference and has shown a little too much propensity to whiff even in the zone. He hits the ball hard enough for fringy power, and to hit for average, but probably won\u2019t peak at more than 10-12 homers a year. He\u2019s adequate behind the plate as well, with an average arm that can play down a little because his transfer is slow, although he\u2019s nailed about 40 percent of runners this year. He\u2019s young for his class and won\u2019t turn 21 until September. No word if he\u2019s related to Anton.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

4-Year College<\/p>\n

C<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: B, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Wentz has plus power and has made some modest improvements to his approach this year, although he\u2019s still a work in progress at the plate who needs to cut down on his chase (still 27 percent this year, 18 percent well out of zone) and find a position. He\u2019s played third, second, shortstop (no), first base and left field, with the last one probably the most likely scenario. But if he can stay on the dirt he could be a regular with his power.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

4-Year College<\/p>\n

3B<\/p>\n

SS<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: L<\/p>\n

Johnson was a prospect out of high school at IMG Academy, ended up not signing, went to LSU for a year, then transferred to OU, where he\u2019s shown above-average velocity and well below-average control. He\u2019s huge and looks like he should be standing atop someone\u2019s rotation, and he has the fastball for it, a lively 94-96 mph that has some arm-side run. He has a big action changeup that\u2019s his main offspeed pitch. He throws the fastball and changeup 96 percent of the time, and he has no feel for his 40 slider right now. Maybe he needs a cutter, maybe he needs another slider shape, maybe none of it matters when you\u2019re walking 16.1 percent of batters you face.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Bats: L, Throws: R<\/p>\n

Wilson has some big tools, notably his speed, but the most important one \u2014 the hit tool \u2014 is a bit lacking. He whiffed half the time he swung at non-fastballs at showcases last year, despite good bat speed, in part, because he bars his lead arm and doesn\u2019t always get the bat head out in time. He has at least 70 speed and will go out as a center fielder. He\u2019s going to get dinged in draft models for the whiff rates and because he\u2019ll be 19 in mid-June. He\u2019s committed to Vanderbilt.<\/p>\n

Position Player<\/p>\n

High School<\/p>\n

OF<\/p>\n


\n\"Connections:\"Connections:<\/p>\n

May 14, 2026<\/p>\n

Connections: Sports Edition<\/p>\n

Spot the pattern. Connect the terms<\/p>\n

Find the hidden link between sports terms<\/p>\n

Play today’s puzzle<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This draft class started off in much more promising fashion than it\u2019s ending, as the top tier of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":668881,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[435],"tags":[485,495,3960,3966,3959,49,48,508,3961,3983,491,4021,490,1506,474,3962,487,3981,493,3965,462,475,3980,481,509,477,512,470,82,3982,480,3992,507,3968],"class_list":["post-668880","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mlb","tag-arizona-diamondbacks","tag-athletics","tag-atlanta-braves","tag-baltimore-orioles","tag-boston-red-sox","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-chicago-cubs","tag-chicago-white-sox","tag-cincinnati-reds","tag-cleveland-guardians","tag-colorado-rockies","tag-detroit-tigers","tag-houston-astros","tag-kansas-city-royals","tag-los-angeles-angels","tag-los-angeles-dodgers","tag-miami-marlins","tag-milwaukee-brewers","tag-minnesota-twins","tag-mlb","tag-new-york-mets","tag-new-york-yankees","tag-philadelphia-phillies","tag-pittsburgh-pirates","tag-san-diego-padres","tag-san-francisco-giants","tag-seattle-mariners","tag-sports","tag-st-louis-cardinals","tag-tampa-bay-rays","tag-texas-rangers","tag-toronto-blue-jays","tag-washington-nationals"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/668880","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=668880"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/668880\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/668881"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=668880"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=668880"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=668880"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}