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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...
Tournaments | Story | 1/20/2026

MLK West Scout Notes: Days 3-4

Steve Fiorindo
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MLK West Scout Notes: Days 1-2 Markus Chandler, RHP, Westside HS Class of 2027 A little on the undersized side as a sub 6 footer, but Chandler can generate some velo and spin.  Spun 3 frames of hitless ball for Spects National with zero walks and 6 strikeouts.  Committed to Kansas State, the righty ran the fastball to 92, living 89-92 pumping the zone with 75 percent strikes.  Looked like two different breaking balls, with the SL 80/81 (spin in 2500’s) and curveball 75/76.  No hard contact, little contact at all off the righty in this dominant outing. To follow up the pitching performance, Chandler swung the bat well on Championship Monday (Trademark Pending) with 5 RBI and three hits on the day, regularly on the barrel.  Trevor Alons, RHP, Centennial HS Class of 2028 Lean framed sophomore with a quick, whippy arm.  Playing up a few classes, you might...
College | Story | 1/20/2026

Conference Preview: Oregon State

Tyler Henninger
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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 Record W L T Oregon State 48 16 1 Impact Player: Easton Talt, OF Impact Pitcher: Dax Whitney, RHP Impact Freshman: Mason Pike, RHP/MIF 2026 MLB Draft Prospects 1. Ethan Kleinschmit, LHP 2. Eric Segura, RHP 3. Zach Edwards*, RHP 4. Easton Talt, OF 5. Jacob Kreig, 1B 6. Wyatt Queen, RHP 7. AJ Singer, IF 8. Eli Gries-Smith, OF 9. Noah Scott, RHP 10. Paul Vazquez*, IF 11. Nyan Hayes, OF 12. AJ Hutcheson, RHP 13. Tyler Inge*, 3B 14. Bryson Glassco, IF 15. Jacob Galloway, C 2027 MLB Draft Prospects 1. Dax Whitney, RHP 2. Adam...
Tournaments | Story | 1/18/2026

MLK West Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Steve Fiorindo
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Cole Migaki (‘29 WA) w/ one of his 5 K’s thru 2-innings. FB 84-86 coupled w/ a firm BB that has 11/5 shape sitting 77-77. Balanced operation w/ a live, loose arm. Athletic frame at 6-ft, 170 that projects #MLKWest @PG_PacificNW pic.twitter.com/iBgAoajNUM — Perfect Game Four Corners (@PG_FourCorners) January 16, 2026 Cole Migaki (2029 Vancouver, WA) Was lights out in his start on Friday at MLK West, only needing 42 pitches to get thru three-innings and did not allow a hit or run while punching out 8.  Migaki overwhelmed opposing hitters, running his fastball up to 86 and mixing in a firm breaking ball at 75-77 with 11-5 shape and depth.  The athletic 6-foot, 170-pound right-hander is the top ranked third base prospect in the state of Washington for the class of 2029, collecting a couple of hits in his five at-bats and drove in a run.  Excellent start to...
Press Release | Press Release | 1/16/2026

Perfect Game Hires Blakeley As Regional Dir.

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 HIRES ERIC BLAKELEY AS REGIONAL DIRECTOR    Sanford, Florida (Friday, January 16, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced the hiring of Eric Blakeley as a Regional Director. Blakeley brings more than two decades of experience in elite baseball and softball events, along with an accomplished background as both a collegiate and professional player.    Blakeley joins Perfect Game after building the highly respected Crossroads Baseball Series, where for more than 20 years he developed and operated baseball...
College | Story | 1/16/2026

Conference Preview: ACC

Kyler Peterson
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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 Boston College 28 29 11 19 California 24 31 9 21 Clemson 45 18 18 12 Duke 41 21 17 13 Florida State 42 16 17 10 Georgia Tech 41 19 19 11 Louisville 42 24 15 15 Miami 35 27 15 14 North Carolina 46 15 18 11 NC State 35 21 17 11 Notre Dame 32 21 14 16 Pitt 28 27 10 20 Stanford 27 25 16 15 Virginia 32 18 16 11 Virginia Tech 31 25 12 18 Wake Forest 39 22 16 14 Preseason All-Conference Team Pos. Name School Stats/Notes C Vahn Lackey Georgia Tech...
College | Story | 1/19/2026

Conference Preview: SEC

Vincent Cervino
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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 41 18 16 14 Arkansas 50 15 20 10 Auburn 41 20 17 13 Florida 39 22 15 15 Georgia 43 17 18  12 Kentucky 31 26 13 17 LSU 53 15 19 11 Ole Miss 43 21 16 14 Mississippi State 36 23 15 15 Missouri 16 39 3 27 Oklahoma 38 22 14 16 South Carolina 28 29 6 24 Tennessee 46 19 16 14 Texas 44 14 22 8 Texas A&M 30 26 11 19 Vanderbilt 43 18 19 11 Preseason All-Conference Team Pos. Name School Stats/Notes C Carson Tinney^ Texas .348-17-53; power hitting RHH...
College | Story | 1/14/2026

2026 College Preview Index

Perfect Game Staff
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From Preseason All-Americans to a Top 25, make sure to check back daily as we will continue to pump out content as a staff. Every conference preview will include a Preseason All-Conference Team as well as Draft/Prospect lists for each of the next 3 years (2026, 2027, 2028) while also breaking down every team within each conference. Publish Date Content Wednesday January 7 Preseason All-Americans Thursday January 8 Preseason Top 25 Friday January 9 No. 1 Feature: LSU Monday January 12 Top 100 Freshmen Tuesday January 13 Top 100 Sophomores Wednesday January 14 Top 100 Juniors Thursday January 15 Top 100 Seniors College Conference Previews Publish Date Conference Friday January 16 Atlantic Coast (ACC) Monday January 19 Southeastern (SEC) Tuesday January 20 Oregon State Preview Wednesday January 21 Big 12 Thursday January 22 Big 10 Friday January 23 American (AAC) Monday...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 1/14/2026

Perfect Game Softball Turf Wars

Ashley Mears
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2026 Perfect Game Softball Turf Wars January 9-11 Ashley Mears   The 2026 season kicked off in impressive fashion at the Fun City Dome in Burlington, Iowa, featuring a highly competitive field across both age groups. The 18U division was loaded with talent, including over 20 Division I and II commits and several high-upside prospects, leading to intense bracket play and multiple walk-off finishes. Iowa Nationals claimed the championship over a well-rounded Iowa Prospects Gold team. The 14U division brought together quality programs from Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois. The tournament championship was an exciting matchup where Southeast Iowa Swarm edged a tough Black Dragons squad. 18u Lauren Hagedorn (2026, Adel, IA) of Iowa Nationals and future Iowa State Cyclone earned weekend MVP honors after a strong two-way performance. In the circle, she consistently kept hitters off balance...
College | Rankings | 1/15/2026

Top 100 Collegiate Seniors

Vincent Cervino
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Top 100 Collegiate Freshmen | Top 100 Collegiate Sophomores | Top 100 Collegiate Juniors This senior board is one of the deepest we’ve assembled in years. From experienced weekend arms with power stuff, to proven position players coming off loud 2025 spring seasons, to former prospects returning from injury and looking to reestablish their status, impact players are scattered throughout the group. Headlining the board is Maika Niu, now at Arkansas after a strong season at Marshall and an MVP summer on the Cape. Nui is a high-level athlete in center field and a legitimate offensive force who should slide seamlessly into the heart of the Razorbacks’ lineup. Close behind are two premium arms in Ole Miss’s Hunter Elliott and Kentucky’s Jaxon Jelkin. Elliott is coming off a monster 2025 spring, going 10–3 with a 2.94 ERA and 104 strikeouts, and...
College | Rankings | 1/14/2026

Top 100 Collegiate Juniors

Vincent Cervino
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Top 100 Collegiate Freshmen | Top 100 Collegiate Sophomores As we look ahead to another season of college baseball and continue our week of class-by-class lists, we look at the Junior class and we’ve got our Top 100 Juniors in the 2026 college season. This list aligns with the PG Draft lists we compiled at the top, with Roch Cholowsky, Drew Burress, and AJ Gracia rounding out the top three. There’s a litany of storylines to follow this year, with players who have tons of draft upside or players looking to be impactful players among their respective programs. These are the players who we feel are in a position to make some serious noise during the 2026 season. Talent is present all across the board, with players who could make some serious statements this year. Looking all the way up and down the board, there are impact bats, players primed for a breakout, Friday...
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