Last week, the number three overall high school player in the 2027 draft class reclassified to 2026. This may be related to the potential lockout at the end of the 2026 season. While it was unlikely to change high school prospects’ ability to be drafted in 2027, it could have factored into later drafts and his decision.
2026 Class Ramifications
The 2026 class was already loaded with left-handed talent before Grindlinger’s reclassification. Currently, two of the top three high school prospects in the 2026 class are left-handed starting pitchers in Gio Rojas and Carson Bolemon. They currently rank on MLB.com’s Top Draft prospects at seventh and eighth, respectively. This draft class is not nearly as loaded from a high school class as last season’s. The 2025 class saw 15 draftees from the high school ranks; however, this class is loaded from the college ranks.
Jared Grindingler’s Fit in the 2026 Draft
Grindlinger will slot behind the aforementioned left-handed pitchers after his reclassification. Grindlinger will be younger than the other two left-handed starting pitchers in the 2026 draft. He is the only of the three lefties who is currently uncommitted to play in college. Grindlinger is less physically mature than both Rojas and Boleman. This would require more projecting from front office executives and scouts to profile him down the road. Grindlinger does bring his bat to the table, however. He is currently the top-ranked outfielder in the USA from the 2027 class, according to Prep Baseball Report. Additionally, his brother is currently a freshman catcher at Tennessee, giving him college bloodlines.
With his reclassification, Grindlinger slots in as the third-best left-handed and high school starting pitcher in the 2026 draft class. He brings a mid-90s fastball to the mound with a slider and changeup. The lefty commands the zone with all of his pitches and is able to easily repeat his delivery. From a hitting standpoint, there is a lot more to project simply because of his physical maturity. He’s a left-handed hitter as well, so he will have to produce more power than he currently does at the professional level. In the box, though, he has a great feel for the strike zone and barely whiffs. He likely profiles more as a pitching draft prospect for teams and ranks between 15-20 on the current 2026 draft class after his reclassification.
Main Photo Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
