B/R's Way-Too-Early 2026 MLB Mock Draft for All 30 Teams
The 2026 MLB draft order will not be determined until the draft lottery is conducted at this year's winter meetings, but it's never too early to start looking ahead at the upcoming pool of talent.
UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky is the early headliner of the 2026 class, and it's shaping up to be another talented crop of high school shortstops, with Jacob Lombard, Grady Emerson and Tyler Spangler among the top names to know.
On the pitching side, Florida right-hander Liam Peterson will be the top prospect heading into the spring, but more than any other demographic, college pitchers tend to take the biggest step forward from one year to the next.
A few important notes to consider before diving into our way-too-early 2026 mock draft:
-The Colorado Rockies, Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Angels are all ineligible for the draft lottery and will not pick higher than No. 10 overall as part of CBA rules that state teams that receive revenue-sharing payouts can't receive a lottery pick for three consecutive years, and teams that do not can't receive a top-six pick in consecutive drafts.
-The Los Angeles Dodgers ($407.0 million), New York Mets ($338.5 million), New York Yankees ($316.0 million) and Philadelphia Phillies ($308.0 million) are all over the $241 million luxury-tax threshold by more than $40 million, which means their first-round pick will be moved back 10 spots as a penalty.
-For the sake of this mock draft, those four teams were simply moved to the back of the pack, in reverse order of current record.
The final draft order will look different, so let this serve as a snapshot of the notable names to follow for the 2026 draft cycle and a big board of sorts, while also providing a fun hypothetical of how the draft might eventually play out.
Nos. 1-3
1 of 10
1. Chicago White Sox: SS Roch Cholowsky, UCLA
After a strong freshman season at UCLA, Cholowsky put together a huge sophomore campaign to vault to the top of the 2026 draft picture, hitting .353./.480/.710 with 23 home runs, 74 RBI and more walks (45) than strikeouts (30). He is also a standout defender at shortstop with great instincts and a high baseball IQ, checking all the boxes to be a franchise cornerstone at a premium position.
2. Pittsburgh Pirates: SS Jacob Lombard, Gulliver Prep (FL)
The younger brother of Yankees top prospect George Lombard Jr. is one of the most advanced bats in the 2026 high school class. And if he can take another step forward with his bat-to-ball skills as a senior, he will be squarely in the conversation to go No. 1 overall. He has budding raw power and room to grow into his athletic 6'3", 185-pound frame.
3. Athletics: RHP Liam Peterson, Florida
After racking up 77 strikeouts in 63 innings as a true freshman, Peterson took a nice step forward during his sophomore season, posting a 4.28 ERA in 69.1 innings while making strides with his walk rate (14.6 to 10.5 percent) and strikeout rate (25.6 to 31.5 percent). He sits in the mid-90s with good life on his fastball, and he backs it with a changeup and slider that are both swing-and-miss offerings.
Nos. 4-6
2 of 10
4. Atlanta Braves: SS Justin Lebron, Alabama
After a loud true freshman season in which he hit .338/.429/.546 with 12 home runs, Lebron posted a 1.058 OPS with 18 doubles, 18 home runs and 72 RBI as a sophomore, though his strikeout rate jumped from 20.9 to 24.2 percent. He can crush a mistake and has the tools to be a well-rounded offensive and defensive player. If he shows a more refined approach next spring, he will be a candidate to go No. 1 overall.
5. Baltimore Orioles: OF Drew Burress, Georgia Tech
Burress was the best freshman in the country in 2024, hitting .381/.512/.821 with 25 home runs, but he struggled to a .125/.282/.219 line over 78 plate appearances in the Cape Cod League. He continued to produce this spring while becoming more of a focal point for opposing pitchers, and his combination of power, hit tool and plate discipline gives him a great chance to maximize his tools and turn in a huge junior campaign.
6. Minnesota Twins: OF Derek Curiel, LSU
Curiel made an immediate impact as a true freshman for last year's national champions, hitting .345/.470/.519 with 29 extra-base hits and a 16.4 percent walk rate while manning left field and hitting leadoff. He is expected to take over as the starting center field next spring, and if he looks the part while continuing to produce at the plate, he will be one of the top draft-eligible sophomores in the class.
Nos. 7-9
3 of 10
7. Miami Marlins: OF AJ Gracia, Virginia
One of the top players to enter the transfer portal following the 2025 season, Gracia landed at Virginia after hitting .299/.445/.559 with 29 home runs and 112 RBI in 120 games as a two-year starter at Duke. He is one of the more polished bats in the 2026 class, and he has playable power to all fields.
8. Arizona Diamondbacks: SS Grady Emerson, Argyle HS (TX)
Emerson is an elite pure hitter with significant experience playing for Team USA, and while there is room for him to add strength to his 6'2", 180-pound frame and become more of a power threat, he has a hit-first approach and does a good job not chasing out of the zone. His bat will drive his value, but he is also a solid defensive shortstop who should be able to stick at the position.
9. San Francisco Giants: SS Tyler Spangler, De La Salle HS (CA)
With a smooth left-handed swing, quick hands and a projectable 6'3", 195-pound frame, Spangler offers a nice mix of present hitting ability and future impact upside at a premium position. He could eventually outgrow shortstop, but there is more than enough potential in his bat for him to handle a shift to the hot corner.
Nos. 10-12
4 of 10
10. Colorado Rockies: SS Eric Becker, Virginia
Becker hit .368/.453/.617 with 31 extra-base hits in 50 games as Virginia's starting shortstop this spring, and he manned third base for the Collegiate National Team this summer, sharing the left side of the infield with UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky. He has a contact-over-power approach, but he also posted some of the best batted-ball metrics in the country in 2025, so a power surge could be coming in his junior year.
11. Washington Nationals: RHP Cameron Flukey, Coastal Carolina
Flukey tossed a gem in Game 1 of the 2025 College World Series final, allowing four hits and one earned run with nine strikeouts over six innings, though he was the tough-luck loser opposite Kade Anderson's complete game shutout. The 6'6", 200-pound right-hander went 8-2 with a 3.19 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 118 strikeouts in 101.2 innings during his sophomore season, and he could be the first pitcher off the board in the 2026 draft with another step forward next spring.
12. Los Angeles Angels: SS Chris Hacopian, Texas A&M
The top shortstop in the transfer portal following the 2025 season, Hacopian joins Texas A&M where he will be tasked with replacing third-round pick Kaeden Kent on the Aggies infield. He hit .347/.465/.614 with 29 home runs and 103 RBI in 107 games over two seasons at Maryland, and despite a lackluster showing in the Cape Cod League this summer, he has the tools to be one of the first college middle infielders off the board.
Nos. 13-15
5 of 10
13. Tampa Bay Rays: OF Caden Bogenpohl, Missouri State
With a strong 6'5", 235-pound frame, tantalizing raw power and good athleticism for his size, Bogenpohl has the potential to fly up draft boards next spring. He has a 1.046 OPS with 33 home runs in 110 games during his first two years on campus, though questions remain about his hit tool after he whiffed 63 times in 54 games in 2025.
14. Texas Rangers: OF Brady Harris, Trinity Christian Academy (FL)
A toolsy outfielder with significant raw power potential and the athleticism to stick in center field, Harris possesses elite bat speed and the potential to be a middle-of-the-order run producer if everything clicks. Center fielders with 30/30 potential don't grow on trees, and that could push him up draft boards next spring.
15. St. Louis Cardinals: SS Tyler Bell, Kentucky
Bell was the highest unsigned draft pick in the 2024 draft class, turning down $1.5 million from the Tampa Bay Rays as the No. 66 overall pick to honor his commitment to Kentucky. He hit .296/.385/.522 with 17 doubles, 10 home runs, 46 RBI and 11 steals as a freshman, and he went 6-for-19 with three doubles in the Cape Cod League before suiting up for the Collegiate National Team.
Nos. 16-18
6 of 10
16. Kansas City Royals: 3B Gavin Grahovac, Texas A&M
Grahovac hit .298/.390/.596 with 23 home runs and 66 RBI in 67 games as a true freshman in 2024, helping Texas A&M reach the College World Series final in the process. However, a shoulder injury limited him to just six games as a sophomore, and he will need to rebuild his stock next spring. He will need to show he has made strides with his hit tool after striking out 95 times as a freshman.
17. Cleveland Guardians: RHP Jackson Flora, UC Santa Barbara
Flora pitched alongside 2025 first-round pick Tyler Bremner in the Gauchos rotation this spring, and he is poised to step into the staff ace role after going 6-3 with a 3.50 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 86 strikeouts in 75 innings. He is a polished, high-floor arm with plus command, and the development of his changeup as a viable third offering will determine how high he can climb on draft boards.
18. Cincinnati Reds: 3B Ace Reese, Mississippi State
One of the breakout performers of the 2025 season, Reese transferred from Houston to Mississippi State and took home SEC Newcomer of the Year honors, hitting .352/.422/.718 with 21 home runs and 66 RBI in 57 games. He posted an .846 OPS with two home runs in eight games in the Cape Cod League before joining the Collegiate National Team, and he has some of the most playable power in the 2026 college class.
Nos. 19-21
7 of 10
19. Boston Red Sox: C Vahn Lackey, Georgia Tech
After logging just 103 plate appearances as a freshman and struggling in the Northwoods League, Lackey turned in a breakout sophomore season, hitting .347/.421/.500 with 21 extra-base hits and 18 steals. He is also a polished defender behind the plate and was the catcher for the Collegiate National Team this summer, putting him in position to be the first backstop off the board in 2026.
20. Seattle Mariners: RHP Tegan Kuhns, Tennessee
Kuhns carved out a role on the Tennessee pitching staff as a freshman, posting a 5.40 ERA with 40 strikeouts in 36.2 innings, then raised his stock as much as any prospect in the Cape Cod League. He logged a 1.35 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and a pristine 20-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 13.1 innings. And with a fastball that touches the upper 90s and a high-spin curve, he could steadily climb draft boards next spring.
21. San Diego Padres: LHP Gio Rojas, Stoneman Douglas HS (FL)
A projectable 6'4", 190-pound southpaw with clean mechanics and a fastball that already touched 97 mph as a junior, Rojas looks like the early favorite to be the first high school pitcher off the board in 2026. He could end up hearing his name called much higher than this thanks to his mix of present stuff and future upside.
Nos. 22-24
8 of 10
22. Houston Astros: OF Sawyer Strosnider, TCU
A tooled-up outfielder capable of filling up the stat sheet, Strosnider hit .350/.420/.650 with 13 doubles, 10 triples, 11 home runs, 51 RBI, 52 runs scored and 10 steals in his freshman season at TCU. The draft-eligible sophomore was also a basketball player and high-jumper in high school, and that athleticism gives him significant untapped potential on the baseball diamond.
23. Chicago Cubs: 2B Chris Rembert, Auburn
Rembert went 9-for-21 with two doubles, three triples and nine RBI in five games in the Cape Cod League before joining the Collegiate National Team, and Baseball America called him "the best hitter we saw this summer" in an article running down the Cape's best draft prospects. That came after he hit .344/.467/.555 with 14 doubles, 10 home runs and 46 RBI in 57 games during his freshman season, and he is one of the top draft-eligible sophomores in the 2026 class.
24. Toronto Blue Jays: OF/RHP Kevin Roberts, Jackson Prep (MS)
Roberts played with Pittsburgh Pirates top prospect Konnor Griffin in high school, so scouts are plenty familiar with his game. The 6'5", 215-pound slugger has some of the best raw power in the draft class with the discipline and bat-to-ball skills to make the most of it at the next level. He has also been up to 94 mph on the mound with the makings of two good offspeed pitches, but his future is likely as a hitter.
Nos. 25-27
9 of 10
25. Detroit Tigers: OF Henry Ford, Tennessee
Ford was arguably the top player in the transfer portal this summer after he was not selected in the 2025 draft due to bonus demand expectations, and after two years at Virginia, he will head to Tennessee for his junior season. He hit .362/.420/.575 with 21 extra-base hits in 50 games as a sophomore, and put together a solid run in the Cape Cod League this summer.
26. Milwaukee Brewers: RHP Tommy LaPour, TCU
A member of the weekend rotation at Wichita State as a freshman, LaPour transferred to TCU and put together a fantastic sophomore campaign, going 8-3 with a 3.09 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 88 strikeouts in 90.1 innings while slashing his walk rate from 10.7 to 7.2 percent. The 6'4", 230-pound right-hander has been up to 100 mph with his fastball, and he backs it with a quality slider and changeup.
27. New York Mets: OF Caden Sorrell, Texas A&M
Sorrell made an impact as a true freshman on a really good Texas A&M team, posting a .924 OPS with 11 home runs and 43 RBI in 62 games. Injuries limited him to just 26 games last year, but he hit .337/.430/.789 with 12 home runs in 114 plate appearances. He is capable of making a sizable leap up draft boards with a healthy junior campaign.
Nos. 28-30
10 of 10
28. New York Yankees: 2B Jarren Advincula, Georgia Tech
After hitting .334/.407/.483 with 26 doubles, 11 home runs and more walks (48) than strikeouts (45) in 109 games over two seasons at the University of California, Advincula won the Outstanding Pro Prospect Award in the Cape Cod League this summer, hitting .360 with a .432 on-base percentage in 88 plate appearances. He has one of the best hit tools in the class and an extremely high floor.
29. Los Angeles Dodgers: RHP Trey Rangel, The Colony HS (TX)
With a lively fastball that touches 97 mph and a high-spin slider that has generated spin rates north of 3,100 rpm, Rangel has one of the best arms in the 2026 high school class. He will need to find more consistent command next spring to solidify his status as a first-round prospect, but he stacks up to any pitcher in the class in terms of pure arm talent.
30. Philadelphia Phillies: RHP Savion Sims, Edmond Santa Fe HS (OK)
A 6'8", 205-pound right-hander with a fastball that already touches 100 mph, Sims has limitless potential if he grows into his frame as expected. He has work to do cleaning up his mechanics and developing his secondary stuff, but that's the case with most pitchers his age, and few possess the potential for a true 80-grade fastball.
.jpg?w=480)
