2026 MLB Draft Big Board: Roch Cholowsky, Grady Emerson, Vahn Lackey headline this year’s class

The 2026 MLB Draft is finally here, and the first 10 picks of the draft will air live Saturday, July 11 on NBC beginning at 1 p.m. ET.

This year’s draft class is considered by many to be a solid group at the top, but one that is not viewed as particularly deep; especially in terms of pitching at both the collegiate and high school ranks. Still, there’s plenty of talent in every class — even if there’s more volatility in the baseball version than any other sport — and this year’s class will certainly see at least a few stars join the MLB ranks in the coming years.

▶ Related: How to Watch the 2026 MLB Draft

Here’s a look at the top 50 prospects eligible for the 2026 MLB Draft. A quick reminder that this is not a mock draft, and because of the signing rules and the eligibility of prep players — on top of talent evaluators obviously holding different opinions, of course — the actual selection order could differ greatly from this list.

1. Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA
2. Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian HS (TX)
3. Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech

This year’s draft class has formed a big three that is not totally dissimilar to the NBA trio of AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer. Cholowsky gets the top spot as a shortstop who has a chance to not only hit for average and power, but also provide outstanding defense at a premium position and could play in the majors as soon as next summer. Emerson won’t be ready that soon, but may have more upside as a left-handed hitter who gets 70 grades on his hit tool on the 20-80 scouting scale, and he might have more upside than Cholowsky.

Lackey is a drastically different player than those two names, but he’s a backstop who hit .397/.519/.772 with the Yellow Jackets and possesses considerable power from the right side who should have no issues staying behind the plate. Any of those three players could go first overall, and while Cholowsky is the top name on the board, none would be a reach.

4. Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep HS (FL)
5. Jackson Flora, RHP, UC Santa Barbara

Lombard is one of the best athletes in the class, and the brother of top Yankees prospect George Lombard Jr. offers enormous upside as a right-handed hitter who could have 30-homer power and 50-plus stolen bases speed. The ball jumps off his bat, but some worry that he may need to move to second base — the bat would play fine if he did, but shortstop would be the preferred landing spot — because of a less-than-spectacular arm.

While this is not the best group of college arms, Flora is no consolation prize. He’s a 6-foot-5 right-hander who gets his fastball into the high 90s without much effort, and he complements that heater with an impressive slider and quality change. He should throw more than enough strikes to remain a starter, and while he doesn’t project as the next Paul Skenes, it’s not hard to see him being a frontline starter who could reach the majors quickly.

6. Eric Booth Jr., OF, Oak Grove HS (MS)
7. Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech
8. Trevor Condon, OF, Etowah HS (GA)
9. Tyler Bell, SS, Kentucky
10. Derek Curiel, OF, LSU
11. Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama
12. Liam Peterson, RHP, Florida
13. Sawyer Strosnider, OF, TCU
14. Ryder Helfrick, C, Arkansas
15. Gio Rojas, LHP, Stoneman Douglas HS (FL)

The top five in this class compete with most previous iterations. This is where things get a little rockier, but there’s still plenty to like about this third tier. Booth has some of the best speed in the class, and his left-handed stroke suggests he should be able to hit for average with some decent pop — even if the swing isn’t picturesque — with very little doubt he’ll be able to handle center. Condon is a similar prospect in skillset to Booth, but offers a smidgen less power projection but also might be the best defensive outfielder in the class.

Burress shows five above-average tools and gets rave reviews for his baseball IQ, and if Cholowsky isn’t the first bat to reach the majors, it just might be him. Lebron, meanwhile, isn’t a typical college bat as a player who has a higher ceiling than floor; he has tremendous power from the right side and plenty of speed, but there are significant questions about the hit tool and whether he can make enough contact to reach that ceiling.

On the pitching side, Peterson has dealt with command issues as a Gator, but he shows four quality pitches to give him a chance to be a mid-rotation starter or better, with the best of those offerings being a slider that gets plus-plus or 70 grades. Rojas is considered the best of a weak prep pitching class as a left-hander who touches 98 mph with his fastball from a 6-foot-4 frame, and also has a slider that already flashes plus along with the ability to land those two offerings in the zone.

16. Bo Lowrance, 3B, Christ Church Episcopal HS (SC)
17. AJ Gracia, OF, Virginia
18. Hunter Dietz, LHP, Arkansas
19. Jared Grindlinger, LHP/OF, Huntington Beach HS (CA)
20. Chris Hacopian, 2B/3B, Texas A&M
21. Zion Rose, OF, Louisville
22. Mason Edwards, LHP, USC
23. Logan Reddemann, RHP, UCLA
24. Ace Reese, 3B, Mississippi State
25. Eric Becker, SS, Virginia

Lowrance draws some of the widest opinions of any player in the draft, but it’s not hard to come away intrigued by a 6-foot-5 infielder who has the frame and bat speed to provide significant power production, and an approach/IQ that suggests he’ll be able to hit for average as well. Grindlinger is not only a legitimate two-way prospect, but a player who doesn’t turn 18 until next April after reclassifying from the 2027 class. Many believe his future is on the mound, but there’s enough power and athleticism that a team could give him a chance to do both. Rose is going to be limited to a corner outfield spot and is likely close to his physical ceiling, but he’s a hitter used the entire field who shows the potential for above-average offensive production both in terms of average and power. Every draft has a “safe” left-handed pitching prospect, and this year’s is Edwards; a southpaw who gets rave reviews for his feel for pitching and shows an above-average change and curve that helps compensate for a less-than-spectacular heater. Reddemann suffered a flexor injury and teams will need to be sure they’re comfortable with his medicals, but prior to the ailment he shows three plus pitches in his fastball, cutter and change with the ability to command those offerings along with a solid slider. He could be a steal if he falls due to those injury concerns.

26. Taylor Rabe, RHP, Mississippi
27. Daniel Jackson, C, Georgia
28. Cameron Flukey, RHP, Coastal Carolina
29. Cole Carlon, LHP, Arizona State
30. Gavin Grahovac, 1B/3B, Texas A&M
31. Carson Bolemon, LHP, Southside Christian School (SC)
32. Aiden Robbins, OF, Texas
33. Logan Hughes, OF, Texas Tech
34. Taj Marchand, SS, James Island HS (SC)
35. Chase Brunson, OF, TCU

Flukey entered the year as the top pitcher on many draft boards, but like Reddemann, he dealt with injuries and also inconsistent results when he was healthy enough to pitch. Rabe, on the other hand, was a major riser in 2026 as a pitcher who has some of the best control in the class, but also three pitches that have a chance to miss bats — or at least initiate weak contact — at the highest level, despite spin rates that will certainly concern some teams. Bolemon also pounds the zone with his four offerings and all four have a chance to be 60-grade or better, and while he’s on the older side as a high school arm that turns 20 in April, his advanced feel will likely make that less of a concern than it could be.

There’s some intriguing college bats in this tier, as well. Jackson was as productive as any hitter in college baseball and was awarded the Golden Spikes Award as the top amateur player, and if teams believe he can stay behind the plate, he could go significantly higher than this ranking suggests. There’s a trio of collegiate bats from the Lone Star State who have a chance to be productive outfielders in Robbins, Hughes and Brunson; with Robbins having the highest ceiling, Hughes the higher perceived floor and Brunson in between.

36. Rocco Maniscalco, SS, Oxford HS (AL)
37. Tegan Kuhns, RHP, Tennessee
38. Cade Townsend, RHP, Mississippi
39. James Clark, SS, St. John Bosco HS (CA)
40. Cole Prosek, 3B/C, Magnolia HS (MS)
41. Landon Thorne, SS, Nazareth Academy HS (IL)
42. Kaden Waechter, RHP, Jesuit HS (FL)
43. Tyler Spangler, HS, De La Salle HS (CA)
44. Jack Radel, RHP, Notre Dame
45. Aiden Ruiz, SS, The Stony Brook School (NY)
46. Will Brick, C, Christian Brothers (TN)
47. Kaiden McCarthy, RHP, Vermont Academy (VT)
48. Archer Horn, SS, St. Ignatius HS (CA)
49. Jarren Advincula, 2B, Georgia Tech
50. Coleman Borthwick, RHP, South Walton HS (FL)

One name that doesn’t make the list who would have if not for injury concerns is Brody Bumila; a 6-foot-9 southpaw who offers significant upside, but he’s currently dealing with a UCL injury and already had an internal brace surgery in 2025. He could be a steal if a team reaches a deal with him, but there’s a lot of risk that comes with the reward.

It’s a good prep shortstop class — most shortstop classes are, that’s where the best high school players play — with several middle-infielders lined up in this portion. Ruiz is the best defender of the bunch — and probably the best defending shortstop, period — but there are concerns about the offensive upside. Maniscalco is a similar profile, but with a better chance to hit for power from both sides of the plate. Clark is the more offensively inclined player of this group with a swing that suggests he can hit for a high average and enough speed to be a stolen-base threat, although he’s far less likely to remind at shortstop.

Kuhns is a draft-eligible sophomore, and the Tennessee right-hander has two pitches that are plus at his disposal, and while he’s lacking that third offering right now, there’s time to find it from a pitcher that is just 21 until next May. Townsend, on the other hand, shows five unique pitches from the right side, and if the command can be even average, he has a good enough arsenal to pitch in the middle of a rotation someday.

Just missed: Brady Ebel, SS, Corona HS (CA); Andrew Williamson, OF, Central Florida; Chris Rembert, 2B, Auburn; Ethan Kleinschmit, LHP, Oregon State; Jensen Hirschkorn, RHP, Kingsburg HS (CA)