Cubs MLB Draft Board Preview: Who to Watch in College Baseball This Weekend ...Middle East

If you’re the type of Cubs fan who refreshes MLB Pipeline rankings in February, this one’s for you.

With the Cubs currently slated to pick No. 23 in the 2026 MLB Draft, it’s not too early to start doing some homework — especially when it comes to college prospects. That’s a demographic the front office has leaned into heavily in recent first rounds, and once again, the teens-to-low-20s range looks flush with intriguing college talent.

So instead of casually flipping on college baseball this weekend, here’s a Cubs-centric viewing guide, a collection of potential first-round fits (and a few dream scenarios) playing across the country over the next three days.

Cubs MLB Draft Board Preview: Who to Watch in College Baseball This Weekend

College Bats

When it comes to college bats — a demographic the Cubs front office has recently leaned into in the first round — there’s a trio of projected first-rounders worth circling now, especially with Chicago picking No. 23 this summer. All three happen to wear the same uniform at Texas A&M: outfielder Caden Sorrell, third baseman Gavin Grahovac, and shortstop Chris Hacopian. If you’re a Cubs fan starting your draft homework early, that’s a pretty good place to begin.

Texas A&M takes on Penn this weekend in a three-game series, and all games will be broadcast on SEC Network Plus.

Virginia is another two-for-one school for Cubs fans looking to do their homework on prospects expected to fall somewhere in the teens-to-low-20s range, featuring shortstop Eric Becker and outfielder A.J. Gracia.

Virginia heads to DeLand, Florida, for a trio of non-conference games against Monmouth, Stetson, and North Dakota State this weekend. Saturday’s contest against Stetson will be streamed on the Stetson baseball website.

Another name to watch for Cubs fans this spring is Mississippi State third baseman Ace Reese.

Ace Reese (@TheRealAceReese) showed out in @HailStateBB's first midweek of 2026 ?5-for-5HR2 2B3 RBIs? t.co/vsp4bvOkvE pic.twitter.com/HyEK3ZCEwK

Reese and Mississippi State open a three-game series with Delaware today, and all three games can be watched live on the SEC Network Plus. It also looks like today’s contest will be available on ESPN+ with first pitch scheduled for 4:00 p.m. CT.

Another two-for-one here: LSU is playing in the Live Like Lou College Baseball Classic this weekend, and outfielders Derek Curiel and Jake Brown are two names to monitor this spring. The Tigers will take on Indiana (Friday), Notre Dame (Saturday), and UCF (Sunday). All games can be streamed at D1Baseball.com.

Jake Brown is an early riser, opening the season ranked No. 54 at MLB Pipeline. He’s red-hot to open the season, posting a 1.723 OPS with four home runs, three doubles, and 12 RBI in five games.

"There’s hot and then there’s 'surface of the sun' hot."With four homers in five games, Jake Brown (@JakeBrown_14) is halfway to his 2025 total (8) and not slowing down.Catch him and @LSUbaseball in the @LLL_JaxCBC!? t.co/scysBrqY45?️ t.co/WESytHnWrK pic.twitter.com/t4EmXWgXdt

College Arms

Right-hander Gabe Gaeckle will take the ball for the No. 5 Arkansas Razorbacks tonight against Xavier. Gaeckle is MLB Pipeline’s No. 24 draft prospect, and an arm that figures to fall into the high-teens-to-low-twenties range this summer. Unless he keeps throwing like this (at which point, you can forget about him being on the board in that range):

Does @RazorbackBSB’s Gabe Gaeckle have the most polished arsenal in college baseball?FB 122 Stuff+ | SL 122 Stuff+ | CB 121 Stuff+ | CH 118 Stuff+Here are his 9 Ks vs OSU on Friday⬇️ pic.twitter.com/bnGjLmJbAd

Arkansas and Xavier get things going at 3:00 p.m. CT today, and you can catch that on ESPN+ (remember, ESPN+ has the quad box option for viewing multiple games at the same time). Also, bonus watch: Arkansas catcher Ryder Helfrick is playing in this one. Helfrick is MLB Pipeline’s No. 29 draft prospect.

Georgia is at home this weekend, taking on Samford, and right-hander Joey Volchko will start today for the Bulldogs. Volchko remains one of the more tantalizing “if it clicks” arms in the 2026 class. Volchko showed off an advanced pitch mix, striking out five over 4+ innings while issuing just a pair of walks and allowing one run in his first start of the season last week. This one will be on ESPN+ as well, with first pitch scheduled for 2:00 p.m. CT.

These two are a bit of a pipe dream at this point—meaning a lot would have to get weird in the first 22 selections for them to be there for the Cubs for any reason outside of poor performances this spring. But heck, why not get to know them? Draft season can get weird.

Florida right-handed pitcher Liam Peterson will get his second start of the season on the mound for the Gators today against Kennesaw State. Peterson has electric stuff, but can be inconsistent at times, and scuffled a bit in his first start last week, so he’ll be looking to rebound against the Owls. First pitch is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT and can be watched on the SEC Network Plus.

UC Santa Barbara right-hander Jackson Flora is a big righty (6-5, 205) who pumps his four-seamer in at 97 mph and regularly hits triple digits. His heater has carry and arm-side run, and he has a pair of breaking balls that work gloveside, a slower sweeper-ish breaker with a bunch of horizontal run, and a harder, more traditional slider clocking in the upper 8s.

Flora struck out 86 opposing hitters for USCB as a sophomore and rang up five in six innings of work in his first start of the season over the weekend, allowing no runs. Flora will be on the mound today against Portland in their home opener at 6:05 p.m. CT, and that one will be broadcast on ESPN+ as well.

Related Reading

Hence then, the article about cubs mlb draft board preview who to watch in college baseball this weekend was published today ( Friday 20/02/2026 - 08:06 PM ) 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.

Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Cubs MLB Draft Board Preview: Who to Watch in College Baseball This Weekend )

Also on site :

• Free Fire MAX Redeem Codes Today February 22 Indian Server Bring Free Rewards
• Jalen Green’s miraculous 2OT buzzer-beater lifts Suns past more injuries
• ACC Women’s Asia Cup Rising Stars 2026 India A vs Bangladesh A Final: Date, Schedule, Timing, Streaming and More