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High School  | Rankings  | 9/7/2021

Class of 2026 Rankings Release

Jheremy Brown     
Photo: Deion Cole (Perfect Game)
Class of 2026 Player Rankings

The level of play we see year after year at the youth levels continues to build upon itself and with the implementation of the 13u WWBA World Championship this summer, the 13u group (mostly class of 2026) was able to compete in a full circuit of national level events. From the National Elite and WWBA to the BCS and the World Series, the 13u age group was able to compete against each other on the brightest of stages, all of which led up to the 13u National Showcase and, ultimately, the 13u Perfect Game Select Festival just a couple weeks ago at the University of Oklahoma. 



While we still have loads of time until the class of 2026 graduates from high school, the group is already bursting at the seams with talent from all over the country, from coast-to-coast, with several players already making their marks in a loud way. Given the full slate of national level events we’re able to open up with a top 50 national ranking and while the order of the list will undoubtedly change and we’ll continue to expand, let’s take a look at the top five ranked players in a little more detail. 


1. Deion Cole, SS, Acworth, Ga.

Checking in at No. 1 in the initial class of 2026 rankings, Cole is more than deserving of the lofty honor and it’s scary to think that the young Georgian is only scratching the surface of his long-term talent. Just look at the improvement of his numbers from the 2020 13u Main Event Showcase to the 13u National Showcase: his 60-yard went from a 7.65 to a 6.98, his infield velocity jumped from 72 mph to 78 mph and his exit velocity jump up 4 mph as well. The measurables are good to have and highlights his overall athleticism, but it’s his play on the field that truly tells the story of Cole as a player. His power projection is absurd given how well and in sync he comes out of his coil, generating some serious barrel whip through the zone with natural leverage, all of which was on display throughout the summer. And just to put an exclamation point on what proved to be a terrific summer, Cole managed to make the University of Oklahoma look small to this pull side during the 13u Select Festival, taking the Home Run Derby title back to Georgia. While the power potential is off the charts, don’t overlook the hit tool he possesses as we saw during his final at-bat of the Select Festival in which he simply went with the pitch and drove a liner to the opposite field gap for a triple, showing plenty of balance in his approach.


2. Rouselle "Rookie" Shepard, SS/C, North Las Vegas, Nev.

Known simply as Rookie around the quads, the young Nevada product quickly became a can’t miss at-bat this summer and would draw in crowds whenever he dug into the left-handed batter’s box. Strongly built at 5-foot-10, 165 pounds though stronger to the eye, Shepard showed off his versatility on defense throughout the summer with the Texas Canes, working either side of the second base bag with soft, snatchy hands and plenty of body control and rhythm to his overall actions, though he’s just as intriguing behind the plate. The athleticism translates behind the plate as well and though he doesn’t take many of the reps back there, he by no means looks out of place and his big arm strength is a real weapon that’ll quick shut down the opposition’s running game. The bat however is Shepard’s loudest tool and while the numbers speak for themselves (.535/.614/1.474), it’s how he goes about his business in the box and his ability to execute that’s even more eye-opening than the stats. Perhaps the biggest reason for his success at the plate is his hand-eye coordination which leads to arguably the best bat-to-ball skills in the country at this age, already showing the ability to work to all parts of the field with comfort and authority. The overall bat speed to the looseness of his wrists and the balance through his base, Shepard is about as advanced offensively as you’ll find at this age. 


3. Grady Emerson, SS, Argyle, Texas

Without fail, you can look at any class, find a swing and say, “that’s the one to follow.” It won’t take Emerson but a swing or two before he has you saying just that as he repeatedly found the barrel throughout not only the summer circuit, but his entire Perfect Game career up to this point. A long and lean 5-foot-11, 150 pounds, success is nothing new for Emerson who has proven his swing plays regardless the age level or competition, routinely playing up as he hit .444 last summer as a 12 year old at the PG World Series while still taking care of business at his own age group. This summer proved to be a fruitful one for Emerson, hitting .545 in back-to-back premier events in the 13u National Elite and the 13u WWBA while finishing in the summer with a .447 mark, 14 doubles and 6 home runs. It’s the fluidity and the way his hands work in the swing that will immediately catch your eye as he’s already capable of lofting balls to the gaps, though with additional strength those doubles will quickly become souvenirs on the other side of the fence. On the other side of the ball Emerson proved to be a staple for Team Elite, locking down the premium position and doing so with athleticism and fluidity. Just like in his swing, Emerson shows advanced fundamentals and footwork in his actions, making him one of the more complete players in the class at this time. 


4. Kevin Roberts Jr., RHP/SS, Meridian, Miss.

Roberts opened the eyes of everybody watching the 13u Select Festival with a single pitch, the first offering to leave his right hand as it registered at 87 mph on the radar gun despite showing minimal effort in his delivery. That heater was tied for the best in the game but only begins to tell his story on the diamond as he’s less than two months too old to be eligible to throw in Williamsport. Take a minute and let that sink in. He already stands 6-foot-1, 165 pounds with angular shoulders and long limbs and he’s obviously far from reaching his long-term potential given both his size and age. Roberts Jr. is listed as a primary shortstop but the upside on the mound is far too loud to ignore as the arm acts like that of a whip through the backside, sitting comfortably in the mid-80s with his heater while utilizing a steady, methodical pace to his delivery. There’s no doubt he’ll continue to iron things out as he continues to accumulate innings on the bump and the overall upside is near limitless. And that’s not to detract from what he’s able to do on the other side of the ball as the arm strength plays both in the outfield and infield (his 87 mph throw at the 13u National is a new event record). His physical length also plays in his swing while staying balanced in his base with looseness to his hands and some present feel for finding the barrel. 


5. Beau Peterson, C/RHP, Shawnee, Kan. | College Commitment: Nebraska

Typically with an early commit you see an ACC or SEC team pulling the trigger, but in the 2026 class it was Head Coach Will Boldt and Nebraska making the first splash in landing one of the more talented players in the country, who also happens to live in a not-so-distant backyard, so to speak. You can search the 13u scene and you won’t find many players who can match the physicality possessed by the 6-foot-1, 175-pound Peterson who proven to be an instrumental part in several deep runs by the KC Crusaders this summer and he’s just beginning to tap into his left-handed power which always seems to be coveted by colleges and scouts alike. Throughout the summer and during his weekend in Oklahoma at the 13u Select Festival, Peterson proved it didn’t matter the type of bat in his hands as he continued to punish baseball, creating real whip through the zone with a fast barrel head and plenty of strength at impact which’ll only continue to elevate with added physicality. He’s listed as a primary catcher and moves well behind the dish as we saw in Norman and that athleticism also plays over at third base where he spent a good part of the summer. The arm is another weapon for Peterson on the mound where there’s some serious upside. Over 29 1/3 innings this summer he punched out 35, routinely living in the 80-83 mph with a clean operation and quick arm which he continued to show in a clean frame at the Select Festival. 
 
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