1st Round Draft Picks
1. Chicago White Sox: Roch Cholowsky – SS UCLA
Roch Cholowsky has been the premier draft prospect from the very start of the season and seems to be a no-brainer for the White Sox’s pick. He may not have lit the world on fire as he had in his previous years in college, but he still put up very respectable numbers. Cholowsky looks to have at least three plus tools between his bat, power, and defense. The only knock on him would be his average speed.
2. Tampa Bay Rays: Grady Emerson – SS Fort Worth Christian HS
The Rays have chosen high school bats in four of their last five first rounds, and now can select the best one in the 2026 class. Emerson’s smooth left-handed swing produces impressive exit velocities and power without excessive effort. In the field, the Texas native’s projectable frame and strong arm make it unlikely Tampa Bay will move him from shortstop.
3. Minnesota Twins: Vahn Lackey – C Georgia Tech
The Minnesota Twins took one of the greatest catchers in baseball history 25 years ago, and Lackey may become the heir apparent at the position. Defensively, he leads the nation in pop time, coming in sub 1.8 seconds. At the plate, he has finally shown the power scouts thought he could develop. His pure athleticism should only help him develop further after the July draft to become a top player.
4. San Francisco Giants: Jackson Flora – RHP UC Santa Barbara
San Francisco may choose between Flora and Lombard, but given the farm system’s middle infield depth, taking arguably the top arm in the draft may be best. In 70+ innings, the UCSB right-hander used his upper-90s fastball and elite changeup to earn a 0.73 ERA with 96 strikeouts.
5. Pittsburgh Pirates: Eric Booth Jr. – Oak Grove (Mississippi) HS
The Pittsburgh Pirates have arguably taken the player with the most potential in each of the last three drafts. Eric Booth Jr. continues to fit this mold. He comes in as the fastest player in the draft and maybe the most athletic. There are questions around his hit tool due to excessive hand movement at the load position in his swing. However, there were also questions about Konnor Griffin, another prep hitter from Mississippi, who became the number one prospect in baseball in the Pirates’ system.
6. Kansas City Royals: SS Jacob Lombard – Gulliver Prep (Florida) HS
With Booth Jr. coming off the board, the Kansas City Royals have an ideal scenario where the second-best prep infielder falls into their lap. Gio Rojas could certainly be in consideration for this spot, but the Royals have a history of preferring prep infielders in the first round of the draft. Lombard not only has the pedigree and size, but he has been trending upwards all spring after flashing a ton of pop in his right-handed swing.
7. Baltimore Orioles: RHP Cameron Flukey – Coastal Carolina
The Baltimore Orioles have consistently developed hitters over the course of the last decade, but have a dire need for pitching. Taking Cameron Flukey here fills this need. College pitchers have a tendency to rise up MLB draft boards due to positive performances, and Coastal Carolina is set to make another College World Series run. Flukey boasts a mid-90s fastball and a potential plus-plus curveball that he can throw to both left-handed and right-handed hitters.
8. The Athletics: LHP Gio Rojas – Stoneman Douglas (Florida)
The A’s have gone with a college player in the first round of four straight drafts, but Rojas still being available may change that. Sure, they could play it safe and go after a college bat, but the idea of missing out on a young left-hander who is already up to 98 MPH and has a potentially outlier slider may be too strong for them to pass on the 6’4” Florida native.
Gio Rojas (‘26, FL) 6’4-190 LHP. FB: 92-94 T95; heavy ASR + plays well above the hands. SL: 80; sweeping action w/ feel to spin (~2661RPM). Flashed a CH @ 80; generates chase down + out of the zone. Intriguing. #PGHS #PGDraft @canesbaseball commit. pic.twitter.com/Njkds0DAQg
— Perfect Game Florida (@Florida_PG) February 6, 2026
9. Atlanta Braves: SS Justin Lebron – Alabama
Justin Lebron comes as maybe the most toolsy player in the draft, and the Atlanta Braves are buying into that at this pick. He has questions around his hitting ability, and this season has done nothing to answer those questions. However, he’s stolen over 35 bases, hit for power, and will be a long-term shortstop. With this in mind, the Braves are more than happy to take a chance on him.
10. Colorado Rockies: OF Drew Burress – Georgia Tech
This will be the first pick of the Josh Byrnes and Paul DePodesta era. When he was with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Byrnes played a big role in the team’s scouting and draft choices. With this first selection in Colorado, the long-time executive can go out and pick up a potential franchise centerfielder who has proven to have power (54 career home runs) despite his home run numbers being down this year.
11. Washington Nationals: OF AJ Gracia – Virginia
This will be the first draft for the new Washington Nationals front office. While the Nationals have the youngest front office in baseball, they could go with age here and draft a college hitter. Gracia, since transferring, has done nothing but hit. He is on pace for his third straight 1.000+ OPS season. This is due to an advanced approach and his ability to slug. Defensively, he likely slots in left field due to a lackluster arm and average speed.
12. Los Angeles Angels: 2B Chris Hacopian – Texas A&M
For the past seven years, the Los Angeles Angels have targeted a college player with their first pick in the draft and then fast-tracked them to the majors. While guys like Flukey and Gracia fit the mold that LA usually targets, Hacopian is certainly a strong alternative. In his first season at Texas A&M, the second baseman has dealt with injuries; however, throughout his college career, he has proven to be an elite hitter, recording 29 home runs and over 100 RBIs in his first two seasons, while still managing a wRC+ of 100 this season.
13. St. Louis Cardinals: C Ryder Helfrick – Arkansas
The St. Louis Cardinals had one of the best defensive catchers in baseball history in Yadier Molina and have another top defensive prospect in the minors at the position. Ryder Helfrick fits the mold that the Cardinals have become known for in recent years. At the plate, he’s also a solid hitter, where he’s batting nearly .300 at Arkansas. He generates plenty of power as well, thanks to high-end bat speeds.
14. Miami Marlins: LHP/OF Jared Grindlinger – Huntington Beach (California) HS
If any team likes to take big swings in the first round, it’s the Miami Marlins. Standing at 6’3” with legitimate two-way potential, Grindlinger falls into that category this draft cycle after his draft reclassification earlier this year. The California native will be just 17 years old on draft day and has proven he can run his fastball up to 96 MPH from the left side. At the plate, scouts believe the power could eventually come, putting Miami in a position where they could be holding a winning lottery ticket if he develops.
15. Arizona Diamondbacks: OF Trevor Condon – Etowah (Georgia) HS
The Arizona Diamondbacks love outfielders and have no qualms about taking them out of the high school ranks in the draft. He is reminiscent of a softer-hitting Corbin Carroll. There’s no reason he can’t man centerfield for years to come with a strong arm and 70 grade speed.
16. Texas Rangers: OF Sawyer Strosnider – TCU
At the start of the college season, it would have seemed almost impossible that Strosnider would be available when the Texas Rangers were on the clock for the July draft. However, with a brutal April, the TCU outfielder has been trending down. Strosnider still leads TCU in home runs (12) and RBIs (51), so regardless of his struggles, his power from the left side of the plate should keep him in the middle of the first round.
17. Houston Astros: LHP Hunter Dietz – Arkansas
The Houston Astros haven’t taken a pitcher in nearly a decade in the first round of the draft. Hunter Dietz will be the reason to change that. He has potentially the best stuff in the draft, even though he threw fewer than two collegiate innings prior to this season. He became the first SEC pitcher to record 100 strikeouts this season. Dietz is able to get batters out with four-plus pitches, and his control should only improve with more innings.
Hunter Dietz becomes the first SEC hurler to hit the 100-strikeout plateau in 2026 🔥
Scouting report and grades on MLB’s No. 18 Draft prospect: https://t.co/3SmNVQxEr7
(📹: @RazorbackBSB) pic.twitter.com/oyGru8jV8p
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 2, 2026
18. Cincinnati Reds: LHP Cole Carlon – Arizona State
Transitioning from a closer to a starter has worked out well for Carlon as he heads into the draft. The Sun Devils southpaw has run his fastball over 100 MPH, and through 63 innings, he has racked up 104 strikeouts, tied for the third-most in college baseball. If any team is going to target a pitcher with elite velocity and strikeout numbers, it’s Cincinnati.
19. Cleveland Guardians: INF Landon Thome – Nazareth Academy (IL)
The Cleveland Guardians have signed four of their last five first-round draft picks for under slot value and should play again with Landon Thome. Not to mention this pick would reunite Thome with the Cleveland organization, creating yet another baseball family. Like his father, Thome is not likely to stick in the infield long-term. However, at the plate is where he will shine. He continually makes contact, and his power numbers should only increase as he fills out.
20. Boston Red Sox: 3B Ace Reese – Mississippi State
With the Boston Red Sox on the clock, this pick could come down to two SEC infielders. Tyler Bell, out of Kentucky, is definitely in play in this range, but his injury troubles could lead Boston to draft Reese. Despite slowing down in production in SEC play, the Mississippi State third baseman still has high-end power and is 18th in the conference in wRC+ (132) and 10th in SLG (.675).
21. San Diego Padres: LHP Carson Bolemon – Southside Christian Academy (South Carolina) HS
High school pitchers always fall in the draft, and the San Diego Padres couldn’t be happier about it. Carson Bolemon is already 6’4″ and over 200 pounds with plenty of room to fill out. This should only improve his stuff as he physically develops. He’s able to work his fastball against both lefties and righties and works in three potential off-speed offerings, all as a southpaw.
22. Detroit Tigers: LHP Brody Bumila – Bishop Feehan (Massachusetts) HS
Standing at 6’9” and throwing 100+ from the left side, Bumila more fits the mold of a Padres draft pick. However, if they decide to go in another direction, then the superstar athlete from Massachusetts could quickly be snatched up by Detroit. The Detroit Tigers have taken a prep player in three straight first rounds, and Bumila provides the upside they like to chase.
23. Chicago Cubs: OF Derek Curiel – LSU
Of the Chicago Cubs’ last fifteen first-round draft picks, thirteen have come from the college ranks. Derek Curiel looks to continue this trend. He has one of the best bat-to-ball skills in the draft with less than average pop. He has cut down his strikeout rate through his sophomore season and boasts a fluid swing at the plate. This centerfielder should also make an impact on the bases thanks to impressive speed.
24. Seattle Mariners: RHP Logan Reddemann – UCLA
Once the college baseball postseason rolls around, more college arms should start to see their draft stock rise. Reddemann is someone who has already flown up draft boards this season, as the UCLA right-hander made news by striking out 18 over eight innings against Rutgers. In total, Reddemann has 84 punchouts in 59.2 innings by using his increased fastball velocity and reliable change-up.
25. Milwaukee Brewers: RHP Liam Peterson – Florida
The Milwaukee Brewers are widely known for their handling of young pitchers. Peterson is a perfect fit for the fastball-first organization with one of the best fastballs in the class and why he was a top MLB draft prospect headed into the season. He has struggled some during his draft-eligible season, keeping runners off the base paths due to walks. If he can rein in his control, he could be a stud on the mound for years to come.
“… @Liam_peterson32 reminds of former @GatorsBB closer Brandon Sproat, who was selected in the 2nd round by the Mets in 2023.”
See who joins Peterson on our list of standout arms from the @USABaseballCNT Summer League Tour squad ⤵️
🔗 https://t.co/ELGOWKuVjz pic.twitter.com/UAEhMvBtat
— D1Baseball (@d1baseball) August 4, 2024
Main Photo Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images
