With the 2026 MLB Draft a few months away, it’s time to start laying down a foundation.
Between now and July, this space will host a recurring MLB Draft Big Board series — updating my Top 50 prospects once per month as the college season unfolds, high school players build momentum, and new data reshapes the conversation.
Each installment will include:
An updated Top 50 Notes on movement (when applicable) Context on players I’m especially bullish on And thoughts on profiles that could shift in the weeks aheadThis first version is simply a starting point, a snapshot of where things stand right now based on performance, tools, underlying data, scouting looks, and projection.
As the season progresses, this board will evolve. Some players will climb. Others will slide. New names will enter the mix. That’s the nature of draft season.
Let’s get into it.
Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images2026 MLB Draft – Top 50 (Version 1.0)
No.NameAge (Draft Day)PositionSchool / Commit1Roch Cholowsky21.3SSUCLA2Grady Emerson18.4SSFort Worth Christian HS (TX) / Texas3Justin Lebron21.7SSAlabama4Jackson Flora21.1RHPUC Santa Barbara5Cameron Flukey21.2RHPCoastal Carolina6Drew Burress21.6CFGeorgia Tech7Derek Curiel21.1CFLSU8Gio Rojas19.0LHPStoneman Douglas HS (FL) / Miami9AJ Gracia21.7CFVirginia10Kevin Roberts Jr.18.0CFJackson Prep HS (MS) / Florida11Tyler Spangler18.8SSDe La Salle HS (CA) / Stanford12Blake Bowen18.5CFJSerra Catholic HS (CA) / Oregon State13Christopher Hacopian21.9SSTexas A&M14Rocco Maniscalco17.2SSOxford HS (AL) / Miss. State15Jacob Lombard18.8SSGulliver HS (FL) / Miami16Liam Peterson21.1LHPFlorida17Eric Becker21.2SSVirginia18Carson Bolemon19.3LHPSouthside Christ. HS (SC) / Wake Forest19Vahn Lackey21.0CGeorgia Tech20Sawyer Strosnider21.0OFTCU21Will Brick18.1CChristian Brothers HS (TN) / Miss. State22Logan Schmidt18.0LHPGanesha HS (CA) / LSU23Caden Sorrell21.3CFTexas A&M24Ace Reese21.23BMississippi State25Gabe Gaeckle21.8RHPArkansas26Trevor Condon18.5CFEtowah HS (GA) / Tennessee27James Clark18.8SSSt. John Bosco HS (CA) / Duke28Chris Rembert21.02BAuburn29Tyler Bell21.0SSKentucky30Ryder Helfrick21.4CArkansas31Jensen Hirschkorn18.6RHPKingsburgh HS (CA) / LSU32Coleman Borthwick18.2RHPSouth Walton HS (FL) / Auburn33Joseph Contreras18.2RHPBlessed Trinity Cath. HS (GA) / Vandy34Joey Volchko21.1 RHPGeorgia35Eric Booth Jr.18.0CFOak Grove HS (MS) / Vandy36Zion Rose21.1CFLouisville37Kaden Waechter18.9RHPJesuit HS (FL) / Florida State38Jake Brown 21.5RFLSU39Connor Comeau17.9SSAnderson HS (TX) / Texas A&M40Jared Grindlinger17.2LHP/OFHuntington Beach HS (CA)41Cole Koeninger18.9SS/RHPKeller HS (Texas) / Tennessee42James Jorgensen18.8RHPJesuit HS (TX) / Texas43Tegan Kuhns21.1RHPTennessee44Chase Brunson21.0CFLSU45Keon Johnson18.3SSFirst Pres. HS (GA) / Vandy46Brady Harris18.5CFTrinity Christian HS (FL) / Florida47Matt Ponataski18.4RHP/SSArchbishop Moeller HS (OH) / Kentucky48Landon Thome18.7SSNazareth Academy (IL) / Florida State49Carson Tinney21.3CTexas50Gavin Grahovac21.53BTexas A&MNotes on the Initial Top 50
Since this is the first installment, there aren’t “risers” and “fallers” yet. This is the baseline. But there are definitely players I’m higher on than the industry consensus, a few I’m more cautious about, and some profiles I think will move aggressively over the next few months.
Here are a few early thoughts:
A Few Players I’m Higher On
Jackson Flora, RHP, UC Santa BarbaraFlora has been electric out of the gates for the Guachos, posting a microscopic 0.82 ERA in his first two starts of the season. He’s punched out 11, walked two, and allowed opposing hitters a .179 BAA. For whatever refinement Flora has ahead of him, he has left in projection. With Coastal’s Cameron Flukey going down for an extended period of time (two months), he could be the first pitcher taken in July.
© Matt Bush/Special to the Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesJake Brown, OF, LSUBrown has opened the season as one of the hottest hitters at the college level, mashing four home runs and posting a 1.264 OPS through nine games for the Tigers. The underlying metrics are even better. Brown’s K% (10.9), ISO (.357), LD% (24.3), and FB% (40.5) are all at career-best marks, with room for natural regression. He’s making more contact, elevating, and working all fields to start the season.
Joseph Contreras, RHP, Blessed Trinity Catholic School (GA)Yes, it’s a prep pitcher. Yes, that comes with volatility. But the delivery is repeatable, the arm action is clean, and the raw stuff is there. Contreras has been up to 98 and sat comfortably in the mid 90s last spring. We’ll get a look at Contreras in the WBC, as the prep senior will pitch for Brazil (his mother is Brazilian), where he’ll be the youngest player in the tournament.
An extended look at ‘26 RHP Joseph Contreras… 3 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 5 K. #VandyBoys commit. #PGHS @BT_Baseball @PG_Draft t.co/PMeqY0lwd6 pic.twitter.com/vabYlJ32gi
— Perfect Game Georgia (@PG_Georgia) February 10, 2026Profiles I’m Monitoring Closely
Ace Reese, 3B, Mississippi StateReese could’ve even landed in the above bucket, because I think I’m higher on him than some, but we’ll see how things progress. For now, he’s got a 1.575 OPS, 3 HR, 15 RBI, and 8 doubles in his first nine contests. The BABIP is really high, and the K-rate isn’t much better than his college career norms, so perhaps there’s some regression coming, but he’s crushing everything inside right now. We’ll see how pitchers adjust.
Ace Reese Powers Up Again 3rd HR .514 AVG 15 RBI | 5 Multi-Hit GamesReese is scorching early and sending his draft stock through the roof. pic.twitter.com/cCQHaHvgAR
— RotoLegends (@RotoLegends) February 25, 2026Derek Curiel, CF, LSUCuriel’s projections vary. The draft-eligible sophomore posted a 127 wRC+ for LSU last season, but was slashing .276/.361/.310 prior to the start of the week. He’s had a much better week, and his Z-Contact% is at 97.3 (which ranks third among all hitters (minimum 150 pitches).
Tyler Bell, SS, KentuckyI thought Bell was going to be a big riser this spring, but a shoulder injury suffered opening weekend (while diving for a ball) has dampened that a bit. Kentucky manager Nick Mingione said on Wednesday that Bell is progressing and has begun taking ground balls and BP, but didn’t provide an ETA on his return.
Liam Peterson, LHP, FloridaPeterson was named the SEC Preseason Pitcher of the Year by Baseball America, but has turned in a mixed bag in his first two starts of the season for the Gators. Like with Flora, Flukey’s injury could boost Peterson’s draft position in the first round if he can capitalize on the opportunity.
© Cyndi Chambers / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesThis and That …
Prep shortstop Aiden Ruiz just missed my list, but he could be on here at some point this spring.Rare February barrels from one of the top players in the northeast.2026 SS Aiden Ruiz putting on a show from both sides of the plate.Immense barrel feel with compact strength to carry balls to all fields.@VandyBoys commit.@PrepBaseballNY || @ShooterHunt#MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/L5Pt218v8u
— Ian Smith (@IanSmittyGA) February 24, 2026Just an impressive AB here from 2026 SS Aiden Ruiz.Spoils countless good pitches before hammering this backside for the RBI 2B on pitch #12Top-of-the-class zone awareness with innate feel for the barrel.@VandyBoys commit. @PrepBaseballNY || @ShooterHunt @PB_DraftHQ pic.twitter.com/CgfovFsoqu
— Ian Smith (@IanSmittyGA) February 24, 2026 Colin White is an older (will be 19 and 5 months on draft day) prep southpaw, who could end up making it to campus (Florida commit), but this is wicked:This is diabolical.– 94.4 MPH– 2621 RPM– 21” IVB@PrepBaseballGA || @ShooterHunt #GDC26 || #GAHS26 t.co/ci8uDXWyCL pic.twitter.com/oAli8QjD9r
— Ian Smith (@IanSmittyGA) February 22, 2026 The consensus top prep arm Gio Rojas (FL), is already up to 97 this spring:No. 1 Pitching Prospect in the country, Gio Rojas ‘26 (FL) looks in full form early this spring. Up to 97, striking out the first 9 batters of the game. FB: 95-97 (2567) | 17 IVB, 17 HMSL: 82-84 (2747)CH: 81-83 (2422)@CanesBaseball recruit | #PBAAG25@ShooterHunt |… pic.twitter.com/3EnqoR2lod
— Rocco Iervasi Jr. (@rocco_iervasi) February 20, 2026 Mississippi State OF Caden Sorell with a 452 FT bomb on Tuesday:452 ft roundtripper for No. 20 Draft prospect Caden Sorrell ?Scouting report and grades on the junior outfielder with 4 above-average tools: t.co/3BgkaMDAgO(?: @AggieBaseball)pic.twitter.com/tKLqIbpetT
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) February 25, 2026Hence then, the article about 2026 mlb draft big board 1 0 initial top 50 guys i m high on profiles to monitor more was published today ( ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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