The 2026 MLB Draft is already feeling different. Honestly, if you felt like the 2025 class was a bit of a "down year" for high-end position player depth, you weren't alone. Scouts were saying it behind closed doors all summer. But 2026? It’s basically the exact opposite. We are looking at a class absolutely headlined by "up-the-middle" monsters, specifically a group of shortstops that might be the best we've seen since the legendary 2005 crop.
You've probably heard the name Roch Cholowsky by now. If you haven't, get used to it. The UCLA shortstop is essentially the consensus 1:1 right now. After the White Sox won the 2026 MLB Draft Lottery back in December, the conversation shifted from "Who goes first?" to "How fast can Chicago get Cholowsky to the South Side?"
The Shortstop Stranglehold on the First Round
It is rare to see one position dominate the top of a draft like this. In most years, you get a mix—a fireballing righty, a towering corner outfielder, maybe a polished college lefty. But the 2026 MLB mock draft landscape is currently being eaten alive by shortstops.
We aren’t just talking about "guys who play shortstop because they’re the best athlete on the team." We are talking about true, long-term options at the six-spot.
- Roch Cholowsky (UCLA): He’s the gold standard. After slashing .353 with 23 home runs for the Bruins in 2025, he proved he isn’t just a glove-first player. He’s been compared to Troy Tulowitzki, and honestly, that might be underselling his hit tool.
- Grady Emerson (Fort Worth Christian HS): The top prep player in the class. He’s a Texas commit with a left-handed swing that just doesn't miss. He’s a bit twitchier than Cholowsky, and some scouts think he might actually have a higher ceiling if the power keeps developing.
- Justin Lebron (Alabama): There was a minute there where people thought Lebron might overtake Roch. He has five-tool potential, though his plate discipline can be a bit... adventurous. If he tightens the zone in 2026, the White Sox will have a very hard decision to make.
- Jacob Lombard (Gulliver Prep): Athletics run in the family here. His brother George Jr. is already tearing it up in the Yankees' system. Jacob might be the most "pro-ready" defender of the prep bunch.
Where is the Pitching?
If you’re a fan of a team that desperately needs a frontline starter, you might want to look at the high school ranks. College pitching for 2026 is a bit thinner than usual at the very top.
Carson Bolemon is the name that keeps popping up. The Wake Forest commit (via Southside Christian HS) is a massive lefty who basically didn't allow an earned run in over 42 innings as a junior. When you're 6-foot-4, left-handed, and touching 96 mph with a wipeout curve, you don't stay on the board long.
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Then there’s Gio Rojas. He’s another southpaw out of the Florida powerhouse Marjory Stoneman Douglas. It’s almost unfair that one school keeps producing arms like this. Rojas has a mid-90s heater that looks like it’s rising, and his slider is a nightmare for left-handed hitters.
On the college side, Liam Peterson at Florida and Cameron Flukey at Coastal Carolina are the leaders in the clubhouse. Flukey is interesting because he’s got that "downer" curveball that generates some of the highest whiff rates in the country. He’s the type of pitcher modern analytics departments drool over.
The Risers and the "Helium" Guys
Every draft has them. Guys who weren't on the radar six months ago but are now suddenly Top 15 locks.
Vahn Lackey, the catcher out of Georgia Tech, is that guy this year. He wasn't a massive recruit coming out of high school, but he’s blossomed into the best defensive catcher in the draft. Usually, catchers with his athleticism go in the first round regardless of the bat, but Lackey can actually hit.
Keep an eye on A.J. Gracia too. He’s a Duke-to-Virginia transfer who basically broke the Blue Devils' record for walks in a season. He’s the "data king" of this draft. If you value OBP and exit velocity, Gracia is your guy. He might move to a corner outfield spot eventually, but the bat is legit.
2026 MLB Mock Draft: Early Top 10 Projection
- 1. White Sox: Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA
- 2. Rays: Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian HS (TX)
- 3. Twins: Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama
- 4. Giants: Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech
- 5. Pirates: Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep (FL)
- 6. Royals: Carson Bolemon, LHP, Southside Christian HS (SC)
- 7. Orioles: Derek Curiel, OF, LSU
- 8. Athletics: Cameron Flukey, RHP, Coastal Carolina
- 9. Braves: Gio Rojas, LHP, Stoneman Douglas HS (FL)
- 10. Rockies: Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech
The "Buyer Beware" Profiles
Look, no draft is a sure thing.
The biggest risk in 2026 is the abundance of high-school right-handed pitchers. Historically, that’s the riskiest demographic in the entire draft. Guys like Coleman Borthwick and Jensen Hirschkorn have incredible stuff, but the "volatility" label is real. Borthwick is 6-foot-6 and touches 98 mph, but teams are still split on whether he’s a future starter or an elite back-end reliever.
Also, we have to talk about Derek Curiel. He was a massive name in high school, had a bit of a slump, and then completely reinvented himself at LSU. He helped lead them to a title in 2025. The question now is power. If he hits 15+ homers this spring, he’s a Top 5 lock. If he’s just a singles/doubles guy, he might slide into the late teens.
What to Watch This Spring
If you're trying to track the 2026 MLB mock draft movement in real-time, focus on the ACC and the SEC. Between Georgia Tech, Virginia, LSU, and Florida, about 40% of the first round is going to be playing on the same handful of weekends.
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Specifically, watch the series between UCLA and the top Pac-12 (or what's left of it) / Big Ten competition. Cholowsky will be under a microscope every single at-bat. If he shows any weakness against high-velocity righties, the door opens for Emerson or Lebron to snatch that top spot.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans and Evaluators:
- Follow the Strikeouts: For college arms like Liam Peterson, the K/BB ratio is more important than the ERA. Look for him to keep that walk rate under 3.0 per nine innings.
- Check the Exit Velos: For prep bats like Jacob Lombard and Tyler Spangler, keep an eye on Wood Bat tournament data. High school stats are often inflated; wood bat data tells the real story.
- Watch the Reclassifications: Every year, a few elite 2027 prospects reclassify into the 2026 class (like Rocco Maniscalco did). These "young for the class" players often get a boost in team models.
- Philadelphia Bound: Mark July 11-13 on your calendar. The draft is returning to a Saturday start for All-Star Week in Philly, and the atmosphere for the Cholowsky coronation will be electric.
The board is going to shift—it always does once the February college openers start—but the 2026 class has a "foundation" that makes it feel much safer than years past. Whether you want an elite shortstop or a projectable lefty, this is the year your team's farm system gets a massive injection of talent.
Next Steps: You can start following the spring college season on February 13th, or keep an eye on the Perfect Game preseason rankings for any late-rising high schoolers who might crack the first round.