Dissecting Experts' 2026 MLB Mock Drafts Ahead of College Baseball Super Regionals

The best teams in college baseball are preparing for the Super Regionals and the Men's College World Series, with a chance for the brightest stars in the game to highlight their skill sets one last time ahead of July's MLB Draft.

Experts are several mock drafts deep already, with some of their picks solidified while uncertainty reigns supreme at the top.

What do the current mocks look like, which players are poised to hear their names first, and why?

Find out in this dissection.

Some Uncertainty at No. 1

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Roch Cholowsky, the shortstop out of UCLA, is MLB's top college prospect.

A disciplined hitter who does not chase and whose raw power allows him to blast home runs, he is also a talented defender and, arguably, the most complete player in the draft. "He's considered by some to be the best all-around college shortstop prospect since Troy Tulowitzki and has done nothing to diminish that take with a solid junior season," his MLB prospect profile states.

Mike Axisa of CBS Sports echoed that sentiment in his mock draft, writing, "Cholowsky is the best college shortstop in years, probably since Dansby Swanson and Alex Bregman went 1-2 in the 2015 draft, and he is the consensus No. 1 prospect for this year's draft."

Axisa admitted, though, that there is competition for the top spot. "High school shortstop Grady Emerson is a legitimate option at No. 1 and it could be that Chicago's decision comes down to each player's bonus demands."

Kiley McDaniel of ESPN wrote in his mock draft that the top pick could come down to a literal toss-up.

"There's a lot of industry buzz that Grady Emerson is preferred by some key White Sox evaluators, but everyone agrees that Cholowsky would win a coinflip because he's just an easier choice with his proximity to the majors, risk profile and hype -- even if his upside seems a bit lower than Emerson's."

Emerson is comparable to Cholowsky, with his disciplined approach at the bat, knack for quality at-bats, and strong, fluid defense. That he is still evolving as a player and has shown potential to be a home run threat makes him equally appealing.

What at one point looked like a sure thing with Cholowsky going at the top of the draft could come down to preference and long-term upside.

Vahn Lackey Rounds Out the Top Three

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While there may be some uncertainty at the No. 1 spot, one thing is clear in both Axisa and McDaniel's drafts: Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey should not drop past Minnesota at No. 3.

Lackey has earned his top prospect status, with 20 home runs, 78 RBI, 15 stolen bases, and a .407/.529/.790 slash line.

His MLB prospect profile applauds his strong arm and states, "He's very agile behind the plate and should become a solid receiver and blocker once he improves his focus and consistency."

McDaniel wrote, "Just like when they had the fifth pick in a five-player top tier in 2023, and landing Walker Jenkins, the Twins are fortunate again to pick third in a three-player top tier. Lackey is the most likely outcome here."

Axisa wrote, "He is the draft's best catcher and an all-around threat who projects to contribute at the plate while playing strong defense behind it." He added, "The Twins have used their last few first-round picks on players with high-end hit tools (Walker Jenkins in 2023, Kaelen Culpepper in 2024, Marek Houston in 2025) and Lackey fits that mold."

He still needs to work on a swing that has a little too much motion to it, and he hit too many ground balls earlier in his college career. Still, he has the potential to become a staple behind home plate for the Twins, at a position that Hall of Famer Joe Maurer once held down for the organization.