Fresh 2026 MLB Mock Draft, Big Board, Positional Rankings and More

Joel ReuterJul 6, 2026

The 2026 MLB draft is less than a week away, with the opening rounds set to begin at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia as part of MLB All‑Star Week.

The Chicago White Sox hold the No. 1 overall pick after winning the draft lottery during the annual winter meetings in December, with the Tampa Bay Rays and Minnesota Twins to follow in a draft that has a consensus top-three players at the top.

UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky has long been viewed as the leading candidate to go No. 1 overall, though it's not out of the question to think Texas high school shortstop Grady Emerson or Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey could crash the party. The real surprise would be any of them falling below No. 3 overall.

Ahead we've provided an all-encompassing 2026 MLB draft preview, with a fresh mock draft, top 50 big board, positional rankings and some best tool superlatives for both hitters and pitchers.

There will be plenty more draft coverage to come in the days leading up to Saturday's main event, but for now this should set the stage of who to know and what to expect.

2026 MLB Mock Draft

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First Round

1. Chicago White Sox: SS Grady Emerson, Fort Worth Christian School (TX)
2. Tampa Bay Rays: SS Roch Cholowsky, UCLA
3. Minnesota Twins: C Vahn Lackey, Georgia Tech
4. San Francisco Giants: RHP Jackson Flora, UC Santa Barbara
5. Pittsburgh Pirates: OF Eric Booth Jr., Oak Grove HS (MS)
6. Kansas City Royals: OF/LHP Jared Grindlinger, Huntington Beach HS (CA)
7. Baltimore Orioles: OF Drew Burress, Georgia Tech
8. Athletics: SS Jacob Lombard, Gulliver Prep (FL)
9. Atlanta Braves: SS Tyler Bell, Kentucky
10. Colorado Rockies: 2B Chris Hacopian, Texas A&M
11. Washington Nationals: C Ryder Helfrick, Arkansas
12. Los Angeles Angels: OF Derek Curiel, LSU
13. St. Louis Cardinals: OF AJ Gracia, Virginia
14. Miami Marlins: SS Justin Lebron, Alabama
15. Arizona Diamondbacks: LHP Gio Rojas, Stoneman Douglas HS (FL)
16. Texas Rangers: LHP Hunter Dietz, Arkansas
17. Houston Astros: RHP Liam Peterson, Florida
18. Cincinnati Reds: OF Trevor Condon, Etowah HS (GA)
19. Cleveland Guardians: OF Sawyer Strosnider, TCU
20. Boston Red Sox: 3B Bo Lowrance, Christ Church Episcopal School (SC)
21. San Diego Padres: 3B/C Cole Prosek, Magnolia Heights HS (MS)
22. Detroit Tigers: LHP Cole Carlon, Arizona State
23. Chicago Cubs: RHP Cameron Flukey, Coastal Carolina
24. Seattle Mariners: OF Aiden Robbins, Texas
25. Milwaukee Brewers: LHP Mason Edwards, USC

PPI Picks

26. Atlanta Braves: RHP Tegan Kuhns, Tennessee
27. New York Mets: LHP Brody Bumila, Bishop Feehan HS (MA)
28. Houston Astros: OF Zion Rose, Louisville

Balance Round A

29. San Francisco Giants: 3B Ace Reese, Mississippi State
30. Kansas City Royals: RHP Taylor Rabe, Ole Miss
31. Arizona Diamondbacks: RHP Logan Reddemann, UCLA
32. St. Louis Cardinals: SS Aiden Ruiz, The Stony Brook School (NY)
33. Tampa Bay Rays: C Daniel Jackson, Georgia
34. Pittsburgh Pirates: OF Caden Sorrell, Texas A&M
35. New York Yankees: RHP Cade Townsend, Ole Miss
36. Philadelphia Phillies: SS Landon Thome, Nazareth Academy (IL)
37. Colorado Rockies: 1B Gavin Grahovac, Texas A&M

Second Round

38. Colorado Rockies: LHP Carson Bolemon, Southside Christian School (SC)
39. Toronto Blue Jays: RHP Jack Radel, Notre Dame
40. Los Angeles Dodgers: SS Tyler Spangler, De La Salle HS (CA)

2026 MLB Draft Big Board

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Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Grady Emerson

Top 50 MLB Draft Prospects

1. SS Grady Emerson, Fort Worth Christian School (TX)
2. SS Roch Cholowsky, UCLA
3. C Vahn Lackey, Georgia Tech
4. RHP Jackson Flora, UC Santa Barbara
5. OF Eric Booth Jr., Oak Grove HS (MS)
6. SS Jacob Lombard, Gulliver Prep (FL)
7. C Ryder Helfrick, Arkansas
8. OF Drew Burress, Georgia Tech
9. SS Tyler Bell, Kentucky
10. SS Justin Lebron, Alabama
11. LHP Gio Rojas, Stoneman Douglas HS (FL)
12. OF Derek Curiel, LSU
13. 2B Chris Hacopian, Texas A&M
14. OF Sawyer Strosnider, TCU
15. RHP Cameron Flukey, Coastal Carolina
16. 3B Ace Reese, Mississippi State
17. OF Trevor Condon, Etowah HS (GA)
18. OF AJ Gracia, Virginia
19. RHP Liam Peterson, Florida
20. OF/LHP Jared Grindlinger, Huntington Beach HS (CA)
21. LHP Hunter Dietz, Arkansas
22. RHP Tegan Kuhns, Tennessee
23. OF Aiden Robbins, Texas
24. LHP Cole Carlon, Arizona State
25. LHP Brody Bumila, Bishop Feehan HS (MA)
26. 3B Bo Lowrance, Christ Church Episcopal School (SC)
27. LHP Mason Edwards, USC
28. C Daniel Jackson, Georgia
29. RHP Taylor Rabe, Ole Miss
30. OF Zion Rose, Louisville
31. SS Aiden Ruiz, The Stony Brook School (NY)
32. RHP Cade Townsend, Ole Miss
33. RHP Logan Reddemann, UCLA
34. 3B/C Cole Prosek, Magnolia Heights HS (MS)
35. OF Caden Sorrell, Texas A&M
36. LHP Logan Schmidt, Ganesha HS (CA)
37. LHP Carson Bolemon, Southside Christian School (SC)
38. RHP Coleman Borthwick, South Walton HS (FL)
39. SS Tyler Spangler, De La Salle HS (CA)
40. RHP Jack Radel, Notre Dame
41. 2B Jarren Advincula, Georgia Tech
42. RHP Ben Blair, Liberty
43. SS Landon Thome, Nazareth Academy (IL)
44. OF Logan Hughes, Texas Tech
45. SS Eric Becker, Virginia
46. SS James Clark, St. John Bosco School (CA)
47. OF Chase Brunson, TCU
48. 2B Chris Rembert, Auburn
49. OF Andrew Williamson, UCF
50. RHP Jensen Hirschkorn, Kingsburg HS (CA)

Catchers

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COLLEGE BASEBALL: APR 21 Georgia Tech vs Georgia

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Vahn Lackey

Top 10 Catchers

1. Vahn Lackey, Georgia Tech
2. Ryder Helfrick, Arkansas
3. Daniel Jackson, Georgia
4. Carson Tinney, Texas
5. Will Brick, Christian Brothers HS (TN)
6. Jack Natili, Cincinnati
7. Garrett Wright, Tennessee
8. Deiten Lachance, Oklahoma
9. Sean Dunlap, Crown Point HS (IN)
10. Robbie Lavey, George Washington

Top Prospect: Already widely regarded as the top catcher in the 2026 draft class heading into the spring, Vahn Lackey emerged as one of the top overall talents in the class by hitting .397/.519/.772 with 20 home runs and 78 RBI in 61 games this spring. His 60-hit, 60-power offensive profile gives him franchise catcher upside.

Biggest Riser: After slugging 14 home runs as a sophomore, Daniel Jackson won the 2026 Golden Spikes Award by batting .379/.473/.803 with 32 home runs, 86 RBI and 26 steals. He is athletic enough to handle a corner outfield spot if a team wants to focus on his offensive upside.

Sleeper to Know: In 13 postseason games, Deiten Lachance had six home runs and 18 RBI, continuing a late-season power surge that saw him slug all of his team-high 18 long balls over his final 33 games. His power and strong throwing arm are enough to give him some intriguing upside.

Corner Infielders

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UCLA Bruins v Mississippi State Bulldogs

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Ace Reese

Top 10 Corner Infielders

1. 3B Ace Reese, Mississippi State
2. 3B Bo Lowrance, Christ Church Episcopal HS (SC)
3. 3B/C Cole Prosek, Magnolia Heights HS (MS)
4. 1B Gavin Grahovac, Texas A&M
5. 1B Mulivai Levu, UCLA
6. 1B Myles Bailey, Florida State
7. 3B Camden Johnson, Oklahoma
8. 3B Beau Peterson, Mill Valley HS (KS)
9. 3B Daniel Cuvet, Miami
10. 3B Tre Phelps, Georgia

Top Prospect: While questions remain about his long-term defensive home, there is no doubt Ace Reese has some of the best raw power in the 2026 class, and enough hit tool to get to it consistently in games. He hit .336/.432/.721 with 23 doubles and 24 home runs this spring while quietly raising his walk rate from 9.9 to 14.0 percent.

Biggest Riser: With 23 extra-base hits, 31 steals and the raw athleticism to potentially fit at shortstop, third base or in center field, Camden Johnson has a well-rounded tool box and a potential super-utility profile. His 23.6 percent strikeout rate raises questions about his hit tool, but there's a lot to like about his mix of upside and floor.

Sleeper to Know: There is always significant risk in a prep player with a first base-only defensive profile and limited athleticism, but Dominic Santarelli might have the most raw power of any player in the 2026 draft. His 6'2", 230-pound frame is maxed out, and there's a wide range of potential outcomes, but his pop is the real deal.

Middle Infielders

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COLLEGE BASEBALL: MAR 15 Alabama at Kentucky

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Tyler Bell

Top 15 Middle Infielders

1. SS Grady Emerson, Fort Worth Christian School (TX)
2. SS Roch Cholowsky, UCLA
3. SS Jacob Lombard, Gulliver Prep (FL)
4. SS Tyler Bell, Kentucky
5. SS Justin Lebron, Alabama
6. 2B Chris Hacopian, Texas A&M
7. SS Aiden Ruiz, The Stony Brook School (NY)
8. SS Tyler Spangler, De La Salle HS (CA)
9. 2B Jarren Advincula, Georgia Tech
10. SS Landon Thome, Nazareth Academy (IL)
11. SS Eric Becker, Virginia
12. SS James Clark, St. John Bosco HS (CA)
13. 2B Chris Rembert, Auburn
14. SS Taj Marchand, James Island HS (SC)
15. SS Rocco Maniscalco, Oxford HS (AL)

Top Prospect: Grady Emerson is widely regarded as the best prep shortstop prospect since Bobby Witt Jr., with standout tools across the board and room to grow into more power. He joined Witt as just the second high school player in Golden Spikes Award history to be named a semifinalist, and he profiles as Roch Cholowsky's biggest competition to go No. 1 overall in the 2026 MLB draft.

Biggest Riser: With a gaudy .434/.503/.629 batting line this spring and only 16 strikeouts in 300 plate appearances, Jarren Advincula has the best bat-to-ball skills in the 2026 draft class. He also hit .380 in 233 plate appearances over two summers in the Cape Cod League, and while his approach is almost exclusively geared to contact, he has enough bat speed to develop some extra-base pop.

Sleeper to Know: The Big 12 is generally not a hotbed for pro talent, but Dee Kennedy comes from the same Kansas State program that produced 2024 first-round pick Kaelen Culpepper. He hit .357/.461/.733 this spring with 20 home runs and 22 steals, making him one of only four 20/20 players at the D-I level.

Outfielders

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COLLEGE BASEBALL: APR 15 Georgia vs Georgia Tech

David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Top 15 Outfielders

1. Eric Booth Jr., Oak Grove HS (MS)
2. Drew Burress, Georgia Tech
3. Derek Curiel, LSU
4. Sawyer Strosnider, TCU
5. Trevor Condon, Etowah HS (GA)
6. AJ Gracia, Virginia
7. Jared Grindlinger, Huntington Beach HS (CA)
8. Aiden Robbins, Texas
9. Zion Rose, Louisville
10. Caden Sorrell, Texas A&M
11. Logan Hughes, Texas Tech
12. Chase Brunson, TCU
13. Andrew Williamson, UCF
14. Owen Hull, North Carolina
15. Ty Head, NC State

Top Prospect: Top-of-the-scale speed is the standout tool for Eric Booth Jr., but he also has an advanced hit tool and budding raw power with potential for more to come with some minor swing adjustments. He could be a 20-homer, 40-steal center fielder if everything clicks, and has emerged as a consensus top 10 prospect this spring.

Biggest Riser: Aiden Robbins hit .422 as a sophomore at Seton Hall, then matched his season home run total with six long balls in the Cape Cod League before transferring to Texas. He sacrificed some contact for power this spring, but the end result was a .333/.426/.696 line and 24 home runs, which vaulted him into the first-round picture.

Sleeper to Know: The back-to-back winner of the John Olerud Award given to the nation's best two-way player, Evan Dempsey hit .335/.413/.538 with 18 doubles and 10 home runs this spring while also going 7-2 with a 3.15 ERA and 126 strikeouts in 88.2 innings on the mound. There's a good chance he'll be drafted as a two-way player, with more upside as a pitcher, and more polish as a hitter.

Right-Handed Pitchers

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Jackson Flora

Top 15 Right-Handed Pitchers

1. Jackson Flora, UC Santa Barbara
2. Cameron Flukey, Coastal Carolina
3. Liam Peterson, Florida
4. Tegan Kuhns, Tennessee
5. Taylor Rabe, Ole Miss
6. Cade Townsend, Ole Miss
7. Logan Reddemann, UCLA
8. Coleman Borthwick, South Walton HS (FL)
9. Jack Radel, Notre Dame
10. Ben Blair, Liberty
11. Jensen Hirschkorn, Kingsburg HS (CA)
12. Joseph Contreras, Blessed Trinity Catholic HS (GA)
13. Blake Bryant, Citizens Christian Academy (GA)
14. Savion Sims, Prestonwood Christian Academy (TX)
15. Kaden Waechter, Jesuit HS (FL)

Top Prospect: An inconsistent spring from Liam Peterson and an injury to Cameron Flukey left Jackson Flora as the clear No. 1 arm in the 2026 draft class following a dominant junior season. The 6'5", 205-pound right-hander has three plus pitches, advanced command and legitimate frontline upside, and he went 12-0 with a 1.06 ERA and 133 strikeouts in 102 innings while allowing just 55 hits.

Biggest Riser: Taylor Rabe wasn't even the top pitching prospect on his own staff at Ole Miss for much of the spring, but over his final four starts he posted a 1.46 ERA with 37 strikeouts and just 13 hits allowed in 24.2 innings. He might have the best fastball in the class, and with a 6'5", 200-pound frame, he looks the part of a future starter even after spending much of his college career in the bullpen.

Sleeper to Know: A 4-star quarterback recruit from Ohio powerhouse Archbishop Moeller, Matt Ponatoski is committed to play baseball and football at Kentucky. He might not be signable unless a team goes way over-slot to get him, but he could take off if he turned his full attention to baseball.

Left-Handed Pitchers

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Hunter Dietz

Top 10 Left-Handed Pitchers

1. Gio Rojas, Stoneman Douglas HS (FL)
2. Jared Grindlinger, Huntington Beach HS (CA)
3. Hunter Dietz, Arkansas
4. Cole Carlon, Arizona State
5. Brody Bumila, Bishop Feehan HS (MA)
6. Mason Edwards, USC
7. Logan Schmidt, Ganesha HS (CA)
8. Carson Bolemon, Southside Christian School (SC)
9. Wes Mendes, Florida State
10. Sean Duncan, Terry Fox SS (BC)

Top Prospect: Gio Rojas offers the best combination of upside and polish of any pitcher in this year's high school class, and that should allow him to move faster through the minors than most prep arms. With a projectable 6'4", 195-pound frame and three present plus offerings, he has been frequently mentioned inside the top 10.

Biggest Riser: The trio of Hunter Dietz (3.57 ERA, 131 K, 85.2 IP), Cole Carlon (3.87 ERA, 133 K, 83.2 IP) and Mason Edwards (2.07 ERA, 169 K, 95.2 IP) have all enjoyed a breakout spring. Dietz pitched just 1.2 innings his first two years at Alabama while battling injury, while Carlon and Edwards both starred in their first year as full-time members of the starting rotation.

Sleeper to Know: The younger brother of Marlins infielder Connor Norby, East Carolina left-hander Ethan Norby tied for seventh in the nation with 133 strikeouts in 90.1 innings. He is undersized with a 5'10" frame, but his terrific slider gives him a high floor as a reliever who could move quickly, and there is still back-of-the-rotation upside in a starting role.