Meet the Top Prospects for the 2026 MLB Draft

The rising stars include a slugging UCLA shortstop, a Georgia Tech catcher who can steal bases, and a 6-foot-9 Massachusetts pitcher who’s just 18.

Munetaka Murakami of the Chicago White Sox reacts after striking out against the Kansas City Royals at Rate Field in Chicago on May 12, 2026. Chicago gets the first pick in this year's MLB Draft. Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images

Unlike the NFL, NBA, or NHL drafts, the MLB Draft takes place in the middle of the season and often flies under the radar. The 2026 draft begins Saturday with the Chicago White Sox picking first overall for just the third time in franchise history.

The team has already gone on the record stating that they’re deciding among three players—Roch Cholowsky, Vahn Lackey, or Grady Emerson—and in addition to those three, these are the other top prospects who should hear their names called early.

Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA

A top-50 prospect out of high school, Cholowsky went undrafted following his time at Hamilton HS in Arizona, but he made the most of his three years in Westwood. He was a two-time Big Ten Player of the Year in 2025 and 2026, also being named Baseball America’s College Player of the Year in the latter season. He posted a 1.071 OPS with 52 home runs during his three-year Bruins career, and it’s very rare to see a college shortstop in discussion for being the No. 1 overall pick. Only twice in MLB Draft history has a college shortstop gone first overall: Bill Almon (1974) and Dansby Swanson (2015).

Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech

Lackey attended the same high school as two-way football player Travis Hunter, and the former may have just as diverse a skill set. His primary position is catcher, but he also logged 13 games at third base last year, and in one game, he spent time at all eight fielding positions. Oh, and he also has some wheels for a backstop—in addition to slugging 20 homers last year, Lackey stole 33 bases over the last two seasons.

Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian HS (Texas)

If the Sox elect to go a bit younger with their first overall pick, then Emerson will hear his name called first. Imagine if a high school football player were so utterly dominant that he got votes for college football’s Heisman award. That’s essentially what happened to Emerson, except on the diamond. He was a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award, which, since its inauguration in 1978, has gone only to college baseball players. However, when you hit .532 with a 1.661 OPS at your high school, you attract the attention of voters. Emerson joined Bobby Witt Jr. as the only high schoolers to be named a semifinalist for the award.

Jackson Flora, RHP, UC Santa Barbara

The top college pitching prospect in the draft, Flora was perfect last year with the Gauchos. He posted a 12-0 record with a 1.06 ERA across 16 starts. He had one stretch where he went 38.1 consecutive innings without allowing a run, which is the longest streak in program history. Flora racked up numerous national awards in 2026, including being named College Baseball Hall of Fame National Pitcher of the Year and Perfect Game College Pitcher of the Year.

Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech

Burress excelled both on the diamond and in the classroom at Georgia Tech. He joined Nomar Garciaparra and Mark Teixeira as the only players in program history to be named both First-Team All-American and First-Team All-Academic in the same season. Garciaparra and Teixeira then combined for nine MLB All-Star appearances, so Burress is definitely on a promising path. The 5-foot-9 center fielder plays bigger than his size and clubbed four homers in a game as a freshman, making him the only Yellow Jacket to accomplish that feat.

Jared Grindlinger, LHP/OF, Huntington Beach HS (Calif.)

The youngest top-50 prospect per MLB.com, Grindlinger is dripping with potential as a two-way player who just turned 17 in April. Currently, his pitching is ahead of his hitting, as his fastball touches 96 mph despite a slight frame that’s yet to fill out. He also has a promising changeup and a slider that he uses at times. As a fielder, his biggest strength is, unsurprisingly, his throwing arm, and he projects as a possible corner outfielder. He’s more contact than power at this stage with the bat, but MLB personnel would love to get him into their system and see what he becomes.

Brody Bumila, LHP, Bishop Feehan HS (Mass.)

No prospect passes the eye test quite like Bumila, as he has the stature of Randy Johnson if The Big Unit packed on 50 pounds. Bumila is a 6-foot-9, 255-pound southpaw who can hit triple digits on the radar gun with his fastball. He pairs the heat with both an effective slider and changeup, though control remains an issue. However, it’s much easier for coaches to teach control than velocity, especially for someone who’s still just 18 years old. An all-around athlete, Bumila also excelled on the court as he led Bishop Feehan to its first-ever basketball state championship with a Wilt-like 36-point, 22-rebound stat line in the title game.