2026 MLB Mock Draft Predictions and Breaking Down Top Prospects

MLB roster reinforcements are on the way.

Eventually.

The latest batch of baseball prospects will be attached to pro teams soon, as the 2026 MLB Draft will get rolling on Saturday, July 11. While it typically takes some time for those players to actually join the big-league clubs, they can at least find out their landing spot, while front offices and fan bases find new sources of hope.

From toolsy prep prospects to proven and polished players from the college ranks, this class offers a little something for everyone. After mocking the first 30 picks, we'll take a closer look at two of the top players on the board.

Mock First Round

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First round

1. Chicago White Sox: SS Roch Cholowsky, UCLA

2. Tampa Bay Rays: SS Grady Emerson, Fort Worth Christian School (TX)

3. Minnesota Twins: C Vahn Lackey, Georgia Tech

4. San Francisco Giants: SS Jacob Lombard, Gulliver Prep (FL)

5. Pittsburgh Pirates: OF Eric Booth Jr., Oak Grove HS (MS)

6. Kansas City Royals: RHP Jackson Flora, UC Santa Barbara

7. Baltimore Orioles: OF Drew Burress, Georgia Tech

8. Athletics: C Ryder Helfrick, Arkansas

9. Atlanta Braves: LHP Gio Rojas, Stoneman Douglas HS (FL)

10. Colorado Rockies: OF AJ Gracia, Virginia

11. Washington Nationals: SS Tyler Bell, Kentucky

12. Los Angeles Angels: OF Derek Curiel, LSU

13. St. Louis Cardinals: RHP Liam Peterson, Florida

14. Miami Marlins: 2B Chris Hacopian, Texas A&M

15. Arizona Diamondbacks: SS Justin Lebron, Alabama

16. Texas Rangers: OF/LHP Jared Grindlinger, Huntington Beach HS (CA)

17. Houston Astros: C Daniel Jackson, Georgia

18. Cincinnati Reds: OF Trevor Condon, Etowah HS (GA)

19. Cleveland Guardians: OF Sawyer Strosnider, TCU

20. Boston Red Sox: LHP Brody Bumila, Bishop Feehan HS (MA)

21. San Diego Padres: LHP Carson Bolemon, Southside Christian School (SC)

22. Detroit Tigers: RHP Cameron Flukey, Coastal Carolina

23. Chicago Cubs: LHP Hunter Dietz, Arkansas

24. Seattle Mariners: OF Aiden Robbins, Texas

25. Milwaukee Brewers: OF Zion Rose, Louisville

26. Atlanta Braves: 3B Bo Lowrance, Christ Church Episcopal School (SC)

27. New York Mets: 3B/C Cole Prosek, Magnolia Heights HS (MS)

28. Houston Astros: LHP Cole Carlon, Arizona State

29. San Francisco Giants: LHP Logan Schmidt, Ganesha HS (CA)

30. Kansas City Royals: RHP Taylor Rabe, Ole Miss

Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA

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Long-term projections can be hit or miss with baseball prospects, but it's hard not to see serious star potential with Roch Cholowsky.

Likened to five-time MLB All-Star Troy Tulowitsky by B/R's Joel Reuter, Cholowsky offers a similar blend of hit tools, premium power and elite defense.

His numbers over the past two seasons with the Bruins highlight exactly what he might one day provide at the big-league level. He hit at least .320 (with on-base percentages north of .450) in each campaign, while totaling 44 homers, 153 runs and 134 combined.

He had draft buzz coming out of high school, but going to the college route helped him add enviable polish and rocketed him way up the board. Now, he is generally regarded as the best college shortstop prospect in years.

Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian School (TX)

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The top player on B/R's latest big board, Grady Emerson has everything required to engineer a special career. While that obviously doesn't guarantee he'll actually have one, everything from his tools to his talent suggests that's exactly what could be coming.

Emerson has jack-of-all-trades versatility, only he looks like he's also mastered several of them. His hit tool is elite. He makes good decisions, routinely puts barrel to baseball and sprays the ball to all fields.

He doesn't sell out for power at this stage, but his potential pop is obvious. Even if he's never a top-shelf masher, he could find his way to 30-plus dingers. He's also a good runner and a slick, reliable fielder.

The 18-year-old has no obvious weaknesses and a whole host of established strengths. He might have a longer path to the Majors as a prep prospect, but there are myriad reasons to believe he'll be worth the wait.