2026 MLB Draft Rankings 1.0: Top NCAA, High School Prospects
12h: Jesse Rogers
2d: Jeff Passan
1d: Tristan H. Cockcroft
7d: ESPN
2d: Dan Hajducky
3d: ESPN Staff
Kiley McDaniel, February 20, 2026, 07:00 AM ET
ESPN MLB Insider
Kiley McDaniel covers MLB prospects, the MLB Draft, trades, and free agency. He has worked for three MLB teams and is the author of 'Future Value'.
With the first week of the season in the books, it's time to take a closer look at the top prospects who could be high on MLB draft boards in July.
The 2026 draft class is considered above average, largely due to the first five players, especially the top two. Last year, only two players were in the 50 FV tier, and both regressed in the spring. This year, the top of the board and the rest of the first round are strong with college position players, while collegiate pitching is more solid than spectacular.
The high school position players are also strong, with the potential to take another step forward if a few high-variance players make the leap this spring.
These players were ranked using the FV (Future Value) system, which is applied to pro prospects. The grades will change as the spring progresses, generally improving with more information and certainty.
60 FV Tier (Prospects ranked 2-14 in the pro top 100)
- Roch Cholowsky (21.3), SS, UCLA
Cholowsky, a late first- to early second-round prospect in the 2023 draft, was pushed to UCLA due to a high price tag. He had a stellar 2024 season, hitting 23 homers with a 1.190 OPS, and is off to a hot start this season with three homers and three doubles through four games.
Cholowsky is a solid runner with a quick and instinctual defensive ability. He's a plus defender with a plus arm, and his raw power has improved, making him a strong contender for the first pick this year.
- Grady Emerson (18.4), SS, Fort Worth Christian HS (Texas), Texas commit
Emerson has been the top player in the 2026 prep class for a long time. He's a 6-foot-2, left-handed-hitting shortstop with above-average tools and soft skills. While he lacks the electric tools of some top prospects, he's still a strong contender.
- Justin Lebron (21.7), SS, Alabama
- Jackson Flora (21.1), RHP, UC Santa Barbara
- Drew Burress (21.6), CF, Georgia Tech
And so on...
