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Draft  | Story | 12/10/2025

PG Draft: Post-Lottery Draft Targets

Photo: Roch Cholowsky (Ross Turteltaub/UCLA Baseball)
On Tuesday night, the MLB Draft Lottery took place, and the draft order has officially been set for July. With draft slots finalized, teams can now begin narrowing in on the prospects most likely to be available when they are on the clock. From polished college players to high-upside preps, several potential targets are already emerging as ideal fits based on past draft philosophy and finalized draft position. Let’s take a look at potential targets for the six teams that were awarded a lottery pick. 

1. Chicago White Sox

Potential Targets: 
-Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA
-Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian HS (Tex.)
-Gio Rojas, LHP, Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS (Fla.)



The White Sox took home the top spot at the MLB Draft Lottery, staying true to their spot, with the highest odds to earn the first-overall draft pick amongst lottery-eligible teams this year. This will only be the third time in the entire White Sox franchise history that they will make a first overall pick. The other two instances came when the White Sox selected Danny Goodwin in 1971 and Harold Baines in 1977. While Goodwin did not sign with the White Sox, Baines went on to spend parts of 14 seasons on the southside before being elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. They will get to make their third first-overall selection next summer, and while there’s still plenty of time for things to change, it feels that UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky is the frontrunner to be the 1:1 name. He’s been deemed the best amateur prospect by many and is the early favorite to be college baseball’s best player. If it is not Cholowsky, it’s likely to be prep standout Grady Emerson, who could wind up being selected by the White Sox. Emerson is one of the most toolsed up prep profiles with sky-high upside. Southpaw Gio Rojas may be sixth on the initial PG Draft Board, but it's not out of the question for the lefty to make a move up the draft board. Time will tell, but it’s hard not to believe the White Sox will not take who they believe is the best talent on the board, putting any positional needs aside.

2. Tampa Bay Rays

Potential Targets: 
-Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian HS (Tex.)
-Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Schools (Fla.)
-Gio Rojas, LHP, Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS (Fla.)

The Rays haven't had a pick this high since they selected BJ Upton with the 2nd overall pick in 2002. The organization has leaned toward the prep side with their first round selections in recent years and should be in a good spot to get a quality prep here. A pair of high school shortstops in Grady Emerson out of Texas and Jacob Lombard out of Florida are the two that appear at the top of the board currently. Both are potential high caliber players with tools on both sides of the ball. Emerson may have the better hit tool, while Lombard may have more power long term. If the Rays were to sway away from the position player side, prep left-hander Gio Rojas may be a target. While it is rare for prep arms to go this high, Rojas has the profile that may make a team do it. The fastball can overpower hitters, there is feel for secondaries, and the athleticism is obvious. Obviously picking second the Rays should have a bundle of talented players to pick from with plenty of prep targets that fit their mold. 

3. Minnesota Twins

Potential Targets: 
-Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech
-AJ Gracia, OF, Virginia
-Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep (Fla.)

The Twins dropped one spot, holding the second-highest chances to land the first overall draft pick in the 2026 MLB Draft Lottery. They will choose third, which will be the highest draft choice since they selected Royce Lewis with the 1st overall draft pick in 2017. The Twins have gone college the last two seasons, but selected Walker Jenkins with the fifth overall pick in 2023. The Twins could land a perennial collegiate performer in Drew Burress, especially if he posts another year of gaudy performance. AJ Gracia could be poised for a big year in his new home in Charlottesville. Gracia could move his way up the board as the spring plays out. If the Twins wanted to focus in on a prep talent that could fit their mold, Jacob Lombard could be a potential target at three. Lombard is arguably neck and neck with Grady Emerson, while Emerson will likely be off the board first, there’s no denying that Lombard has plenty of tools and athleticism. 

4. San Francisco Giants

Potential Targets: 
-Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech
-AJ Gracia, OF, Virginia 
-Liam Peterson, RHP, Florida

The Giants were one of the big winners of the lottery, jumping all the way up to 4th overall. Outside of Bryce Eldridge in 2023, San Francisco has consistently selected a college player with their first overall selection. If they choose to go the same route here, there could be a few high-end options. Drew Burress might not be available at this point, but if he is, the Giants are sure to be interested. The Georgia Tech outfielder has put up monster numbers throughout his collegiate career and could see a quick path to the big leagues. AJ Gracia is another college outfielder that could be a target. The big left-handed hitter has feel for the zone with a high on-base ability and intriguing power potential. While they have not selected a pitcher with their first pick since 2021, Liam Peterson out of Florida will be a potential option. The big righthander has all the tools to be a successful starter at the pro level and could be the first arm off the board. I expect them to go the college route here and they should have a quality pool of players to select from. This will be the highest selection that Giants have had since they took Joey Bart 2nd overall in 2018.

5. Pittsburgh Pirates

Potential Targets: 
-Derek Curiel, OF, Louisiana State
-Gio Rojas, LHP, Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS (Fla.)
-Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep (Fla.)

The Pirates have had a Top-10 pick in each of the last four seasons, and two first overall selections in the last six seasons. The Pirates' M.O. the last few years has been heavy on the prep stars, outside of Paul Skenes, which felt like a no-brainer after his season with LSU. It’s not out of the question for the Pirates to take a college standout, and if they do, it could very well be Derek Curiel, the draft-eligible sophomore with plenty of tools and a top-of-the-order type skillset, with some added juice as of late. If the Pirates stick to their narrative of prep talent, it would be a steal for them to walk away with Lombard or Rojas at this spot. Being able to snatch up Lombard at fifth overall should be viewed as an incredible get for them, even after selecting Konnor Griffin in 2024. It’s hard not to think that Rojas could be on the Pirates' radar as well, with plenty of upside on the mound and a unique operation with bat-missing stuff. It’ll be interesting to see how the board progresses, to get a better feel for who the Pirates could be in the market for come draft day.

6. Kansas City Royals

Potential Targets: 
-Gio Rojas, LHP, Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS (Fla.)
-Caden Sorrell, OF, Texas A&M
-Derek Curiel, OF, LSU

The Royals were another winner of the lottery, jumping up 10 spots to 6th overall. This will be their 5th Top-10 selection since 2020 with an iffy success rate so far. While the organization is usually tied to athletic prep players nearly every cycle, the ones that would be worthy of a Top-6 pick may be off the board already by this selection. Prep left-hander Gio Rojas may not be available either, but if he is, the Royals would be jumping for joy. He is the best prep arm in the class and would be a great selection here. Look out for Caden Sorrell out of Texas A&M and Derek Curiel out of LSU as two potential college bats here. Both have been strong performers at the college level and could be a quicker rise to help an already competitive big league roster. With a successful selection, the Royals could use their lottery luck to boost them into World Series contention for years to come. 

Draft | Rankings | 1/12/2026

Top 100 Collegiate Freshmen

Vincent Cervino
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As we creep toward opening day here in a month or so, the draft team has put together the Top 100 freshmen on campus this spring.  Three high-end arms lead the way, starting with Jack Bauer. The Mississippi State left-hander reached triple digits as a prep and is sure to make an immediate impact this spring. UCLA right-hander Angel Cervantes was selected in the 2nd round of last year’s draft but held firm on his commitment and should be an impact arm for the Bruins. Following the arms, a collection of bats rounds out the Top 10. There is loads of upside to the group with the potential and they should draw considerable playing time as freshman.  As the list gets deeper, there are plenty of players that should pop up and make significant contributions both this year and years down the line. The class has both depth and talent, making for a very intriguing group of...
High School | General | 1/31/2026

Preseason HS Top 50

Tyler Russo
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The start of another high school season is right around the corner in a handful of states and with that, as always, comes our Preseason High School Top-50. A whopping twenty states are represented in the initial Top-50, a number that is staggering when you look at the amount of depth some of these rosters have across the nation. Leading the group is St. John Bosco (CA), a team that brought home a CIF Southern D1 title in 2025 and bring back a strong group of seniors to look to repeat. Stoneman Douglas (FL) is a name most people should know by now in the high school ranks and comes in as our preseason #2 team, looking to win their sixth straight state championship in Florida. Orange Lutheran (CA) had a good case for preseason #1 but come it an No. 3, bringing a roster with seven seniors ranked inside the top-200 in the country to the table. Four other Florida schools are represented...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 1/30/2026

Perfect Game Burst the Bubble

Dave Durbala
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BURLINGTON, IA - Perfect Game Softball Burst The Bubble Tournament, January 24 - 25, 2026. 15 teams in  this four game guarantee, pool into bracket play tournament, with both a 16u and 18u division contested. In the 16u Division, it was the 09 Midwest Sluggers claiming the Championship over finalist Wisconsin Heat. In the 18u Division it was CIK 08’s taking home the gold rings over finalist Alliance Select Black. The tournament was filled with lots of young talent with big bats, and several players already committed to higher education programs. Below are some of the players that earned their way onto the tournament top performers list. 16U Division  Earning the tournament MVP award was Ruby Stagg (2028 Bettendorf, IA) a solid fielding SS for tournament champion 09 Midwest Sluggers. Stagg, hitting from the right side, sets up in a conventional stance, slightly wide and...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 1/30/2026

Perfect Game Winter Blow-Out 18U Division

Erica Beach
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Perfect Game Winter Blow-Out 18U Division Burlington, Iowa Jan 17-18, 2026   BURLINGTON, IOWA- The 2026 Perfect Game Winter Blowout, held in the Fun City Turf bubble was competitive from start to finish. Seven teams from three states converged to sharpen their skills and compete for the title. In the end, the Iowa Dynamite 18U took home the hardware, defeating the Alliance Select Harper in the finale. There were some very strong performances on both sides of the ball and below we highlight the top performers from the weekend.     Payton Harris (2028, Mediapolis, IA) of the Black Dragons was lights out on the weekend, batting an impressive .733.  She led the entire tournament in hits, 11 in total showing she was one of the most formidable hitters in her class. She showed her power and ability to drive the ball to all fields, belting four home runs and two doubles on...
College | Story | 1/30/2026

Conference Preview: Big West

Steve Fiorindo
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2026 College Preview Index | Preseason Top 25 | Preseason Collegiate All-Americans For all of Perfect Game's conference previews as part of the 2026 college baseball preview content, the 2025 records and all-conference teams are available for free. The conference top prospects and individual team breakdowns can be viewed with a subscription. 2025 Records Teams are listed in alphabetical order*  School W L W L Cal Poly 43 19 23 7 Cal State Bakersfield 18 38 9 21 Cal State Fullerton 29 27 19 11 CSUN 15 34 10 20 Hawai'i 35 21 16 14 Long Beach State 22 31 15 15 UC Davis 27 28 13 17 UC Irvine 43 17 24 6 UC Riverside 16 36 5 25 UC Santa Barbara 36 18 16 14 UC San Diego 26 25 15 15 Preseason All Conference Team Pos. Name School Stats/Notes C Nate Vargas UC Santa Barbara Honorable Mention All Big West performer, posted a 306 average with 10 HR’s and 50 RBI. ...
High School | General | 1/30/2026

High School Top 50: 10-1

Cam McElwaney
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High School Preview Index Top 50 Breakdown: 50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 10. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 2025 Record: 24-1 Head Coach: Dave Turgeon Notable Prospect(s): C Dillon Moss (Stanford), RHP Michael Ramsey, C Charles Messina (Northwestern), 1B Cy Chrisman (Oklahoma State), SS Dylan Messina (Pennsylvania), RHP Michael Todero (St. Joseph’s), SS Max Hemenway (Tennessee), OF Kyler Meccage (Mississippi State), OF Sebastian Wilson (Tennessee), 1B Frank Thomas III (Auburn), SS Juan Diaz (Florida State), C Ethan Armbruster (Mississippi State), SS Antonio Chavez (University of California, Berkeley), RHP Henry Britt, OF Aiden Choo IMG Academy rattled off an incredible season a year ago, finishing with a 24-1 record, and ended the season being named the national champion. It’s another year in Bradenton with some of the most talented players in...
College | Story | 1/30/2026

Conference Preview: SWAC

Michael Albee
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2026 College Preview Index | Preseason Top 25 | Preseason Collegiate All-Americans For all of Perfect Game's conference previews as part of the 2026 college baseball preview content, the 2025 records and all-conference teams are available for free. The conference top prospects and individual team breakdowns can be viewed with a subscription. 2025 Records Teams are listed in alphabetical order*  Team W L W L Alabama A&M 2 27 10 40 Alabama State 22 10 31 29 Alcorn State 1 29 6 43 Arkansas Pine-Bluff 17 9 19 34 Bethune Cookman 24 5 37 23 Florida A&M 25 5 34 24 Grambling State 18 11 26 28 Jackson State 16 12 30 21 Mississippi Valley State 7 23 12 29 Prairie View A&M 13 14 17 36 Southern 15 14 26 28 Texas Southern 15 15 22 31 Preseason All Conference Team Pos. Name School Stats/Notes C Vinny Saumell Arkansas Pine-Bluff Reliable backstop and offensive...
Juco | Rankings | 1/29/2026

JUCO: Top 500 Prospects

Blaine Peterson
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JUCO Preseason Top 50 RK Name Class Pos. School State Commitment 1 Carson Bailey SO LHP McLennan TX 2 Bishop Quarles SO OF Florida Southwestern FL 3 Holden Hering FR RHP Weatherford TX Arkansas 4 Mikhai Grant SO RHP Northwest Florida FL 5 Jimmy Anderson SO SS Heartland IL Kentucky 6 Noah Bentley SO RHP Weatherford TX Oklahoma 7 Hayden Morris SO RHP Blinn TX LSU 8 Collin Smith SO RHP Cochise AZ South Carolina 9 Anthony Quigley SO OF/3B Northwest Florida FL 10 Anson Seibert RS FR RHP Johnson County KS 11 Major Osbolt RS FR RHP Walters State TN LSU 12 Ben Polleschultz SO LHP Blinn TX Texas A&M 13 Peyton Firgens RS FR MIF McLennan TX Mississippi State 14 Garrett Mirel FR LHP Golden West CA North Carolina State 15 Kole Fenton SO SS Walters State TN North Carolina 16 Joseph Sandusky FR SS Weatherford TX Texas A&M 17 Caden Mitchell SO C Weatherford TX Oklahoma 18 Easton Davies SO RHP...
Press Release | Press Release | 1/28/2026

2026 Pacific Baseball Championship Set

Perfect Game Staff
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    667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923  www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    PERFECT GAME ANNOUNCES VENUES, DATES FOR   2026 PACIFIC BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP    Elite global talent converges in Southern California, December 26-29, 2026, at the Dodgers’ new ONT Field Stadium and October Empire Complex    Ontario, California (Wednesday, January 28, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced additional details surrounding the 2026 Perfect Game Pacific Baseball Championship (PBC), including official venues, dates and the various nations that players will be coming from,...
Juco | Rankings | 1/28/2026

JUCO Top 50: January 28

Blaine Peterson
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Welcome to the 2026 Junior College baseball season. Once again, this year will begin for us with annual coverage of the PCB JUCO Classic in Panama City Beach, FL this week. With that we bring you our beginning of season JUCO baseball rankings. Perfect Game JUCO rankings combine all levels of JUCO baseball across the country into one overall ranking.  The top of this year’s beginning of season ranking begins where the D1 NJCAA World Series ended, with Walters State and Salt Lake. Walters State returns several contributing pieces from last season's team and will begin the year in the top spot. Defending D1 JUCO National Champion Salt Lake will slot in at number 2. This list shows the strength of junior college baseball around the country with programs from 16 different state represented in our initial top 25. Six teams from Florida make our initial top 25, four of which will...
College | Story | 1/29/2026

Conference Preview: Southland

Troy Sutherland
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2026 College Preview Index | Preseason Top 25 | Preseason Collegiate All-Americans For all of Perfect Game's conference previews as part of the 2026 college baseball preview content, the 2025 records and all-conference teams are available for free. The conference top prospects and individual team breakdowns can be viewed with a subscription. 2025 Records Teams are listed in alphabetical order* Team W L W L Southeastern 38 16 22 8 UT- Rio Grande Valley 36 18 22 8 Lamar 40 17 20 10 Northwestern State 35 21 19 11 McNeese 31 17 19 11 Houston Christian 32 23 17 13 TAMU- Corpus Christi 21 31 12 18 New Orleans 28 26 12 18 Nicholls 17 32 10 20 Stephen F. Austin 17 32 9 21 Incarnate Word 17 33 3 27 Preseason All-Conference Team Pos. Player School Stats/Notes C Julius Ramirez UTRGV Huge numbers at the Juco level as a member of New Mexico JC. Impact stick that will force his way...
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