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Draft  | Mock Draft | 4/3/2026

PG Staff Mock Draft

Jheremy Brown
Vincent Cervino
Tyler Russo
Jered Goodwin
John McAdams
Tyler Henninger
Blaine Peterson
Troy Sutherland
Cam McElwaney
Scott Rankin
Michael Albee
Joey Cohen
Ryan Miller
Jay Vossler
Welcome to another Perfect Game Mock Draft. This is not your typical mock draft as it features 15 different GMs drafting the first two rounds of the draft. Each member of the mock draft was assigned two teams and as such will be drafting all of the picks in the first two rounds for each responsible team. The actual draft order will be presented below and we will dive into how teams made their selections and how they feel about the players drafted. It is important to note that this is not how we think the draft will play out in almost any capacity. This is simply an exercise 4 months ahead of time with a large portion of the scouting staff and some picks fall under personal favorites, best available, and a multitude of other factors.

Chicago White Sox



1:1 Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA | 1:41 Jack Radel, RHP, Notre Dame

The White Sox don’t overthink here and select Roch Cholowsky, who has been at the forefront of 1:1 talks for the entirety of the spring. The slam dunk profile at shortstop paired with impactful offensive tools and track record have firmly kept Cholowsky at the top of the board. Chicago gets their future shortstop. Radel possesses a sturdy frame at 6’5/250 with an ability to pound the zone with a deep array of offerings. He sports a 29.6% K-BB to this point in the year, and has been a very solid starter for Notre Dame going on three years now. Radel can move it arm side and glove side with his arsenal, and has been into the upper 90’s with big extension down the slope. The breaking stuff has been playing well all spring too. -Michael Albee
 
Tampa Bay Rays

1:2 Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian (Texas) | 1:33 Derek Curiel, OF, LSU | 2:49 Daniel Cuvet, CIF, Miami

The Rays have the second pick in this year’s draft, meaning they’ll basically have their choice of the entire board minus Roch Cholowsky given how likely he is to be the top pick at this point. In this exercise, I balanced a couple college bats with a premier high school bat in Grady Emerson at 2. Grady has the chance to be a franchise shortstop with a high-level bat, something that teams would run to the podium for, especially so if you’re a team like the Rays who develop well. Derek Curiel and Daniel Cuvet are two distinctly different profiles in that Curiel is a high-level bat-to-ball athlete who puts the ball in play, can run and defend, but needs to develop the power aspect, while Cuvet has some of the biggest power in all of college baseball, and would likely go higher than this if there weren’t concerns over the swing-and-miss. Regardless, they would be a pair that the Rays would love to get in the system to mold, and all 3 would immediately become fan favorites in Tampa. -Tyler Russo

Minnesota Twins

1:3 Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama | 2:43 Myles Bailey, 1B, Florida State | 2:74 Cole Koeninger, SS/RHP, Keller HS (Texas)

The Twins pick at the top of what is shaping up to be a very good top of the draft and come away with Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron. A 1:1 candidate in almost any class, Lebron offers explosive athleticism with up the middle defensive value and real home run potential out of a shortstop. Bailey is a left-handed college power bat that the Twins have favored over the years and they would spend on a prep overpay with Texas two-way player Cole Koeninger in the second comp round. -Vinnie Cervino


San Francisco Giants 

1:4 Jackson Flora, RHP, UCSB | 2:55 Beau Peterson, 3B, Mill Valley (KS)

As of this moment at the end of March/early April it’s fairly consensus that Flora is the best/currently healthy pitcher in college baseball. And he’s throwing the baseball very well right now coming off three consecutive scoreless outings. Has the blend of frame, stuff, and performance track record to be a high pick in this year’s MLB Draft. Add in the strike throwing ability and there’s a chance can get to the MLB level quickly too. 

Beau Peterson has been one of, if not the best player on the field every game he has played since I can remember. And I first saw him play as an 8th grader. Emerging as an MLB Draft prospect is impressive for any player. Being able to maintain that high level of play for your entire prep career may be even more impressive. And it’s something I think will help him translate well to professional baseball. All the skills are there to become one of the highest draft picks from Kansas in several years and develop into an MLB player. -Blaine Peterson

Pittsburgh Pirates

1:5 AJ Gracia, OF, Virginia | 1:34 James Clark, SS, St. John Bosco (CA) | 2:43 Sean Duncan, LHP, Terry Fox Secondary School (BC) | 2:51 Tyler Head, OF, NC State

The Pirates have a chance to restock an already loaded farm system and while bonus pool money will come into play, they do have $19,130,700, the largest of any team. Not afraid to move guys up the ranks, Gracia is the type who could be very fast moving as the left-handed hitting outfielder comes with plenty of tools that have played well at the ACC level since stepping on campus 3 years ago. Prep shortstop James Clark has flown up the ranks for his combination of athleticism, speed, left-handed stroke and ability to stick up the middle long term. From California to Canada, don't be surprised if you keep hearing about Duncan as the neighbors up north continue to thaw out as the 17 year old was up to 95 mph in Jupiter and has plenty more in the tank. Rounding out the quartet, there's something to be said for plate discipline and zone awareness while being 6-foot-3 and left-handed comes as an added bonus. He's shown an increase in juice this year, already doubling up his home run total from a year ago -in half as many games- and is at a better than 3:1 walk to strikeout clip. -Jheremy Brown
 

Kansas City Royals

1:6 Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Schools (FL) | 1:30 Mason Edwards, LHP, Southern California | 2:56 Will Gasparino, OF, UCLA

The Royals land unlimited upside with this trio, Lombard has long been hailed as one of the top overall prep players and a true toolshed prospect. Lots to like there to make this kind of investment at the top from pure polish at short to the huge present and potential offensive impact. Mason Edwards by July could go a lot better than this and has been almost unhittable at times for the Trojans this year. He could be implanted to a depleted Royals pitching system as someone they can develop into a future frontline type southpaw. Will Gasparino has hit his stride for the Bruins in a big way, I don’t think teams will hold the lackluster years in the SEC against him too hard and buy into the incredible upside that’s in there if he continues to hit. -Troy Sutherland

Baltimore Orioles

1:7 Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech | 2:46 Ben Blair, RHP, Liberty

The Orioles stay in the college ranks for both of their pics here, as they grab two of the higher risers amongst the collegiate draft contingent in Lackey and Blair. Lackey has taken his offensive profile to another level in ’26, as the uber-athletic prospect is hitting over .400 with twenty of hits going for extra-bases including eleven bombs. The athleticism behind the plate stands out immensely as the catch-and-throw have vastly been refined but it is his positional versatility coupled with offensive tools that make this an easy pick. Blair has been downright dominant throughout the 2026 season, as the durable 6’3 right-hander has been named the CUSA Pitcher of The Week three times already. The velocity has ticked up into the mid-90s and he pairs it well with a swing-and-miss slider. The command is impeccable, evident by his 50:4, K:BB ratio thus far. -John McAdams

Athletics

1:8 Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech | 2:47 Cade Townsend, RHP, Ole Miss | 2:73 Ethan Kleinschmit, LHP, Oregon State

The Athletics went heavy on the collegiate side with their three selections inside the top 73 picks.  Drew Burress is as famous of a name as there is in this class and has the potential to fly through the ranks a make an early impact on the Major League roster.  The hit tool projects with 60-grade power to go along with his 60-grade arm in the outfield.  Townsend has a full pitch kit that features a fastball that can get up into the upper 90’s and a cutter that sits 90-92.  Kleinschmit offers a different profile with a fastball that sits in the lower 90’s with tailing life and shows good rotational depth with a slurvy slider to go along with a low 80’s changeup that adds deception.  Townsend and Kleinschmit both offer advanced arms, and as previously stated about Burress, could make an impact on the major league roster sooner, rather than later. -Scott Rankin

Atlanta Braves

1:9 Eric Booth Jr., OF, Oak Grove HS (MS) | 1:26 Coleman Borthwick, RHP/3B, South Walton (FL) | 2:48 Blake Bryant, RHP, Citizens Christian Academy (GA)
Atlanta uses their ninth overall selection taking one of the top prep bats in the class in Eric Booth Jr. He’s a toolsy outfielder with impressive batted ball data with just explosivity littering the profile. They have a good track record of developing hitters and take another Mississippi product early in the first round. The Braves continue to hit the prep ranks hard with their next two selections as well in Coleman Borthwick and Blake Bryant. Borthwick is one of the most dominant right-handed arms in the country and routinely gets the fastball into the upper-90s. Oh and he’s also an interesting right-handed bat with huge power. They may not have the chance to take him here as he might already be gone by 26th overall. Bryant is right in their backyard and has sky high projection to an already explosive repertoire. The fastball has been sitting mid-90s already this spring with four pitches and it’s easy to see him adding more strength in pro ball as well. The prep side of this draft is absolutely loaded, and the Braves hit it hard this July. -Cam McElwaney

Colorado Rockies

1:10 Tyler Bell, SS, Kentucky | 1:37 Chris Rembert, IF/OF, Auburn | 2:38 Trevor Condon, OF, Etowah (GA)

The Rockies look to add to their position players in this mock draft with a pair of sophomore-eligible middle infielders with Tyler Bell and Chris Rembert paired alongside high school outfielder Trevor Condon. The Rockies will look for this blend of hit/speed to maximize the advantages of playing at Coors and advanced approaches to utilize all the open space of the field. Bell gives them a well-rounded hitter that can stick at shortstop and enough athleticism that retains value even if he does move off the position. The switch hitter is hitting .333 with two home runs and 11 RBI so far for Kentucky with more walks than strikeouts. Rembert has settled into second base nicely for Auburn with tons of bat speed and an advanced approach at the plate that works from gap-to-gap that will play up with the spacious outfield in Coors. Rembert is hitting .333 with three home runs and 20 RBI and provides some versatility with his ability to handle either second base or a corner outfield spot. Condon gives them a true centerfielder upside with his combination of speed and arm strength. The left-handed hitter has good bat speed and strength with more power expected to come. – Marcus Thomas

Washington Nationals

1:11 Gio Rojas, LHP, Marjory Stoneman Douglas (FL) | 2:42 Kevin Roberts Jr., OF, Jackson Preparatory (MS)

The Nationals went the prep route with their first two selections in the 2026 MLB Draft, landing the left-hander Gio Rojas at pick 11.  Rojas has established himself as one of the best arms available, high school or collegiate, in the class.  He has a fastball that can get up into the upper 90’s with riding life and compliments it with a filthy sweeping slider that that currently sits in the low 80’s.  Kevin Roberts Jr. offers a projectable mold that could be sculpted into 30/30 production down the road.  At 6-foot-5, 215-pounds, he has massive power and with his overall athleticism he shouldn’t have a problem handling centerfield in the long term. -Scott Rankin

Los Angeles Angels

1:12 Ace Reese, 3B, Mississippi State | 2:45 Kaden Waechter, RHP, Tampa Jesuit HS (Fla.)

The Angels MO in recent drafts has been to select a college bat perceived to be closest to the big leagues and there might not be a better example of that than Reese. He’s not the best defensive third baseman but he might be the most polished bat in the class and one that could see big league at-bats on an accelerated timeline. Waechter is in the middle of a lot of high school righties but Waechter has arguably the most polish among them. The son of former MLBer Doug, Kaden has three pitches that flash plus with excellent athleticism and command. -Vinnie Cervino

St. Louis Cardinals

1:13 Sawyer Strosnider, OF, TCU | 1:32 Ryder Helfrick, C, Arkansas | 2:50 Joey Volchko, RHP, Georgia | 2:68 Hunter Dietz, LHP, Arkansas | 2:72 Connor Comeau, SS/OF, Anderson (TX) 

The Cardinals are diving headfirst into a substantial rebuild and are set up for success in this year’s draft. St. Louis owns five top 75 picks in a loaded class with depth throughout. Grabbing Sawyer Strosnider would be a huge win for the Cards, a toolsy outfielder who maintains present impact and has cleaned up his pure hitting ability, with the defense for a strong and speedy outfield spot. College catchers are highly sought after and Helfrick is one of the top in the class, boasting a dynamic hit/power combo and solid defense. The Redbirds land a pair of up arrow college pitchers in Joey Volchko and Hunter Dietz, both possessing power pitch mixes with strike throwing questions. Their scouting department has focused heavily on college talent but will select a high impact prep player at times, as they did with Connor Comeau, a projectable left-handed bat, at pick 72. Overall, this mock’s Cardinals put together an outstanding class built on tooled-up college players and power pitching.  – Ryan Miller 

Miami Marlins

1:14 Cameron Flukey, RHP, Coastal Carolina | 2:52 Chase Brunson, OF, TCU | 2:71 Keon Johnson, SS, First Presbyterian Day
 
Flukey has been sidelined with a non-throwing arm injury for most of the spring, but it’s hard to imagine him getting much further down the board than this. There is still plenty of physical projection left to his frame at 6’6, and he boasts a plus fastball with a sharp downer curveball to pair off that. The rest of his arsenal is improving as well, and he’s always been a strike thrower. The Marlins are thrilled to get Flukey here. Brunson has the potential to play centerfield long-term, as he’s a good athlete at 6’3/200 with a right-handed stick. The impact is a bit down to this point in the spring, but he’s getting on base at a very healthy clip with a career high in walk percentage. Brunson offers more of a “safer floor” type of profile to bet on, even if he shifts off center down the line to right. The Marlins go prep here and get a good bit of clay to work with and mold over the coming years. Johnson is a contact specialist who routinely works gap to gap in the box. He’s already lifting the ball at a good clip as well. The hands and clock are good at shortstop, and he’s stuck at the position longer than some have thought even to this point. If the body forces him to third, he’s still going to be a good glove at the hot corner with above average arm strength. -Michael Albee
 
Arizona Diamondbacks

1:15 Chris Hacopian, MIF, Texas A&M | 1:31 Jake Brown, OF, LSU | 2:53 Noah Wilson, OF, McCallie School

This would be a massive haul for the D-backs, one that likely requires a healthy bonus pool but can be justifiable given the upside across all three picks. If this group is on the board when Arizona is selecting, it’s hard to imagine they wouldn’t be thrilled with the outcome. Chris Hacopian has one of the premier offensive profiles in college baseball. He combines elite bat-to-ball skills with exceptional plate discipline, and the power has flashed true plus, which gives him the look of a middle-of-the-order impact bat with a high floor. Jake Brown brings another polished college bat to the mix highlighted by a smooth left-handed swing. His ability to consistently make hard contact paired with tangible gains in power production has elevated his stock significantly. Brown’s offensive track record and hit tool make him one of the more coveted bats in the class with a profile that suggests both safety and offensive upside. Noah Wilson rounds out the trio as the high ceiling prep athlete of the group. A true toolshed prospect, Wilson offers an exciting blend of speed, strength and defensive potential. While there’s still some rawness to his offensive game, he’s shown promising flashes with the bat on the national stage that hint at significant developmental upside. If everything clicks, he could emerge as the most dynamic player of the three. -Joey Cohen

Texas Rangers

1:16 Liam Peterson, RHP, Florida | 2:54 Logan Hughes, OF, Texas Tech 

The Rangers had used their first selection on a college player six years in a row before selecting California prep infielder Gavin Fien last year. In this exercise, they tap back to the college market and select Florida right-hander Liam Peterson. Peterson has been in conversation as the top college arm in the class due to his loud repertoire. It’s a sturdy frame with velocity and an advanced feel for spin. Strikes have been inconsistent at times, but the stuff could result in him being a steal in the middle of the first round. As for their second pick, Texas grabs a quality bat in Logan Hughes. Hughes is a left-handed bat with power and strong contact skills. He is slugging well over .700 and has a career K-rate of 11.93%. Grabbing a pair of college players could reload a Rangers farm system with a couple of players who could both quickly get to the big leagues. 

Houston Astros

1: 17 Caden Sorrell, OF, Texas A&M | 1:28 Cole Carlon, LHP, Arizona State | 2: 57 Bo Lowrance, 3B, Christ Church Episcopal (SC)

The Astros have a real chance to improve their farm system as they pick thrice in the first 57 picks. In this, they take two left-handed bats with offensive upside, along with a versatile lefty on the bump. After a productive, yet injury-hampered, 2025, Sorrell has been on an absolute tear to start SEC play. Has exhibited plus power to all fields while playing a high-level defensive centerfield. Carlon made the move from high-leverage reliever to the weekend rotation this year and hasn’t skipped a beat. While still boasting an elite 14 K/9, his walk rate has slightly dipped even with the bump in workload, signaling that, with his high-level mix, he still has a shot to stick in the rotation. Lastly, Lowrance is a name that is starting to shoot up boards in the prep ranks this spring. 6’5’’ frame with a lot more in the tank, and enough defensive polish to believe that he will be able to stick on the dirt at the next level. -Jay Vossler
 


Cincinnati Reds

1:18 Carson Bolemon, LHP, Southside Christian Schools (SC) | 2:58 Archer Horn, SS/RHP, St. Ignatius College Prep (CA) | 2:70 Dominic Santarelli, 1B, St. Joseph Catholic (WI)

Carson Bolemon is certainly in the grouping of top prep left-handed pitchers in this year’s draft. A full pitch-mix with chance for above average control and command as well. Real chance to be selected somewhere in the top 20 picks. 

I first saw Horn at MLK West in 2025 and the display of hitting he showed there in January didn’t stop, adding in a multi-HR game along the way. An athletic left-handed hitting MIF with a chance to stick up the middle and hit for a blend of average and power. This is a really good player. Think he’s a draft riser over the next few months. 

Nobody hit more home runs at tournaments I was at this summer and fall than Dominic Santarelli. Has a legitimate claim as the top power hitter in this year’s high school class. And he performed at a very high level at national level events this past year as well. A potential middle of the order bat from the left side. Talent wise I think getting him at pick 70 would be a great value. 


Cleveland Guardians

1:19 Joseph Contreras, RHP, Blessed Trinity Catholic, (GA) | 1:29 Jared Grindlinger, LHP, Huntington Beach HS (CA) | 2:59 Braden Holcomb, OF/INF, Vanderbilt

The Indians have a honey-hole with players that they can develop from the ground floor. There are multiple high-end arms to choose from in that regard, in the 2026 draft. Joseph Contreras is the first pick here, with a fastball that reaches the upper-90’s and paired with a devastating splitter. The bloodlines play a factor many times, but not for the younger Contreras. He is carving his own path, even with a successful stint at the WBC. Jared Grindlinger also fits the Indians model. A newly reclassed 2026, he has mid-90’s stuff from the left side and is ultra-competitive. I’m throwing in the bat here with his batted ball numbers in play on the summer circuit in 2025. Two-way is now trendy in development. The final pick on the first day goes to Holcomb. He combines a unique blend of size, speed, power, and versatility that is really valuable to any club. -Jered Goodwin

Boston Red Sox

1:20 Tyler Spangler, SS, De La Salle (Calif.) | 2:67 Zion Rose, OF/C, Louisville

The Red Sox have gone heavy on the college side early in the last few years, last drafting a high schooler with their first pick when they took Marcelo Mayer in 2022, but in this go around I would take another shortstop from out on the west coast in Tyler Spangler, before pairing a nice college bat with it in the second. Spangler is a dynamic multi-sport athlete who pairs that athleticism with big power from the left side. The game has seen a ton of success out of big athletic hitters of late, and Spangler fits that mold. Zion has looked like a first round pick this year when he has been on the field, but injuries have had him in and out of the Louisville lineup. If he can string together a couple healthy months in the back half of the season, he has a chance to go well higher than this but another versatile athlete who can impact the baseball would be a great pick deep in the second round for the Red Sox. -Tyler Russo

San Diego Padres

1:21 Blake Bowen, OF, JSerra Catholic, (CA) | 2:60 Andrew Williamson, OF, University of Central Florida
The Padres seem to have a lot of faith with their development team when it comes to toolsy hitters, and they should. Blake Bowen was one of the most electric hitters on the circuit last summer and is absolutely tooled up, fitting the mold. A great overall athlete, the ceiling is extremely high in the right-handed batters box. Speaking of the model, Williamson’s speed/power profile could be a steal at this point. It’s real bat speed and he seems to just be tapping into his future potential. Even though he has put up numbers in college. This is a draft sticking to what has work, whether it is a big league piece or trade bait. -Jered Goodwin

Detroit Tigers

1:22 Will Brick, C, Christian Brothers (TN) | 2:61 Wes Mendes, LHP, Florida State | 2:69 Brady Harris, OF, Trinity Christian Academy (FL)

The Tigers take two high upside prep bats with Will Brick and Brady Harris and a college arm with Wes Mendes. The Tigers get the best prep catcher of the draft with Brick after he reclassed up to the 2026 class. He’s a true catcher that can stick behind the dish at the next level with all the tools and launch in a quick right-handed stroke. Mendes has gotten off to a hot start on the mound for Florida State with a 1.33 ERA in 40.2 innings with 58 stirkeouts. The left-handed pitcher has three quality offerings with starter traits. The fastball can get up to 95 and works 92-94 with 17 inches of IVB that he pairs with a plus change-up that is his go-to secondary that can get upwards of 20 inches of horizontal break. Also mixes in a slider with good two-plane bite. Harris rounds out their draft with high upside and all the tools. He can stick in center with plus speed and arm strength, and the right-handed hitter has shown feel for the bat and the power output will only tick up as he matures. The Tigers go for the upside and tools with both Brick and Harris and if it connects will have another pair of premier talents to go with the young core of hitters they’re building in the Motor City. – Marcus Thomas

Chicago Cubs

1:23 Tegan Kuhns, RHP, Tennessee | 2:62 Carson Tinney, C, Texas | 2:75 Lucas Moore, OF, Louisville 

The Cubs possess a trio of picks within the Top-75 selection and in this exercise come away with a trio of college prospects that each provide a unique skillset. Kuhns is a high-upside arm with loud stuff. The fastball works into the upper-90’s with carry. He spins a pair of breaking balls well. There still plenty to tap into as well. Tinney, a catcher out of Texas, may have some of the best power in the class. He can produce big time EVs and possesses strong catch-and-throw ability behind the dish. Moore, is almost the complete opposite type of prospect compared to Tinney. He is a 70-grade runner and may be the best defensive outfielder in the class. The bat is hit-over-power with contact skills. This class would give the Cubs a variety of profiles that each present value and the ability to impact the big league club. -Tyler Henninger

Seattle Mariners
1:24 Eric Becker, SS, Virginia | 2:65 Cooper Sides, RHP, Orange Lutheran (CA)

Seattle has one of the top rosters in the sport, especially on the pitching side, and it gives them the chance to take a proven college bat in the first round. This is exactly what I have them doing as they select Eric Becker out of Virginia. He’s proven this spring to be able to handle shortstop and the left-handed bat has always been top of the class. At the time of this article he’s hitting .345 with 13 doubles and looks to have solidified himself as a first round pick this July. The Mariners have had a track record of taking college arms and turning them into Cy Young candidates but now that they have a strong core of arms, they take a stab at a prep right-hander in Cooper Sides who came out firing bullets last week at NHSI, running it up to 97 mph. He has a workhorse look and if he gets into the Mariners player development system, they could turn him into another high end arm in a few years. -Cam McElwaney

Milwaukee Brewers

1:25 Cole Prosek, IF/C, Magnolia Heights (TN) | 2:66 Rocco Maniscalco, SS, Oxford HS (AL)

This is a true flag plant type pick in the first but I’m shoving chips on Prosek being one of, if not the most polished prep bat. He can hit in a big way and always has hit in a big way. Can lose a ball line to line presently and could grow into even more juice as he further matures. Wood bat resume is there and has hit the best arms in the country. Has caught this year but best profiles as an athletic left-handed hitting third baseman for me. Going back to the prep ranks for the young switch hitting shortstop Rocco Maniscalco. Despite the bat showing a bit light this spring, he is a very good defensive shortstop that moves like a professional in all facets. Tools across the board in there and would be a safe bet that Brewers PD would get them to show. -Troy Sutherland

New York Mets

1:29 Logan Schmidt, LHP, Ganesha (CA)
The Mets have one, uno, less than two, a singular pick in the first 75 and it's safe to say they've had a nice run of developing arms as of late, with Nolan McLean showing ace stuff while several more are on their way to Queens. With Rojas and Bolemon already off the board, Schmidt makes it three in the first thirty, though a new entrant could very well be in the mix with Massachusetts prep southpaw Brody Bumila up to 100 in his opener. Schmidt has long been on the national circuit, delivery more than his fair share of impressive performances, living in the low-90s while bumping the mid-90s frequently and long showing advanced pitchability with the chance for a plus changeup. -Jheremy Brown
 

New York Yankees  

1: 35 Aiden Ruiz, SS, The Stony Brook School | 2:63 Ruger Riojas, RHP University of Texas

The Yankees are known to take some calculated risks when it comes to the draft and they do that a bit with both of their picks here. Now, that’s not to say that either Aiden Ruiz or Ruger Riojas are actually “Risks” but taking a prep shortstop and a 6-foot right-hander does come with its caveats. Ruiz, a 2025 PG All-American brings exceptional barrel skills from both sides of the plate and couples it with athleticism and ridiculous defensive chops. Riojas has seen the “stuff” tick up in ’26 and has parlayed the added velocity to show he can miss bats with his full arsenal of pitches. It is a ton of strikes coupled with command as evident by his 64:7 K:BB ratio. These picks may take some time but should prove very fruitful for the Yankees. -John McAdams

Philadelphia Phillies

1:36 Jensen Hirschkorn, RHP, Kingsburg (CA), CA:36 | 2:64 Daniel Jackson, C, Georgia

The Phillies snagged one of the most intriguing prep prospects, along with arguably the biggest riser in the draft. Hirschkorn, a 6’7’’ unit on the bump, is a rare blend of athleticism and projectability from a plus frame. It is mostly two pitches, with a fastball in the mid-90s and a low-80s slider, but the flashes from the change, along with the intangibles, make for some serious upside. Very few prospects have had as loud a spring as Daniel Jackson. Hitting around .400 and putting up plus exit velocities on a routine basis. While drafting the potential heir apparent to JT Realmuto is intriguing, the fact that Jackson has dabbled at five positions between Georgia and the Cape only raises his value. -Jay Vossler

Toronto Blue Jays 

1:39 Gabe Gaeckle, RHP, Arkansas 

The Blue Jays are faced with a ten-pick penalty due to exceeding the tax threshold and will make their first selection at pick 39. Luckily for Toronto, this class is littered with talent throughout the first handful of rounds, landing a high-level college arm in Gabe Gaeckle. The medium-framed right-hander comes from the Arkansas pitching factory and has a long history of success. Gaeckle works his fastball into the high-90s with run/ride traits, with a full pitch mix to compliment. He’ll turn to a pair of breaking balls, including a two-plane slider and vertical curveball. Gaeckle has also flashed a change-up with tumble and fade. His mix of present ability and collegiate success make him a fun project for the Blue Jays, who have proven their ability to find early contributions from college arms such as Trey Yesavage. – Ryan Miller 
 

Los Angles Dodgers

1:40 Aiden Robbins, OF, Texas

With the Dodgers facing draft penalties tied to their payroll and recent free agent signings, their bonus pool flexibility is limited and their first selection drops ten spots to No. 40 overall. That constraint makes this a spot where value, upside and signability all need to align. If they’re able to maneuver financially, Aiden Robbins out of Texas would be an outstanding target at this pick. He offers a rare, well-rounded five-tool profile that fits the Dodgers’ preference for athletic, high-upside position players. Robbins combines elite physicality with plus athleticism giving him impact potential on both sides of the ball. His power has taken a noticeable step forward this spring highlighted by his 11 HRs and easy plus exits. There’s real bat speed and leverage in the swing and the power plays to all fields. Given the Dodgers’ track record in player development particularly in maximizing athletic profiles, Robbins could be an especially intriguing fit if they can make the bonus structure work.
  



 
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Vincent Cervino
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Last Four In First Four Out Next Four Out 61. Mercer 65. Kentucky 69. Kent State 62. TCU 66. Texas State 70. Gonzaga 63. Troy 67. Pittsburgh 71. Miami (OH) 64. UTSA 68. NC State 72. Campbell Auto-Bids ACC Georgia Tech A10 VCU America East Binghamton American East Carolina ASUN Lipscomb Big 10 UCLA Big 12 Kansas Big East St. John's Big South USC Upstate Big West Cal Poly CAA Northeastern CUSA Jacksonville State Horizon Milwaukee Ivy Yale MAAC Rider MAC Northern Illinois MVC UIC MWC Washington State NEC LIU OVC Little Rock Patriot Holy Cross SEC Georgia SoCon The Citadel Southland Lamar Summit South Dakota State Sun Belt Southern Miss SWAC Alabama State WAC Tarleton State WCC Saint Mary's  Teams by Conference SEC 11 ACC 8 Big 12 7 Big 10 4 Sun Belt 4 CUSA 3 American 2 Big West 2 SoCon 2 Los Angeles Regional Conference 1 (1) UCLA* Big 10 2 (32) Arizona State Big 12 3 Cal Poly* Big West...
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Tournaments | Story | 5/24/2026

East Memorial Day Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Perfect Game Staff
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‘27 IF Braylon Sheffield (FL) with an absolute 🚀 here, launching high off the RCF wall for a 3B. Super polished LH stick; hit over .400 last year on the circuit. #GoHoos commit. #EastMemorial pic.twitter.com/mdehqpR5v5 — Perfect Game Florida (@Florida_PG) May 23, 2026 Braylon Sheffield (2027, Fort Myers, Fla.) got the event started with the loudest swing of the night on Friday at Terry Park, rocketing a triple off the wall in the stadium. Sheffield, ranked 121 and committed to Virginia, is a super polished left-handed hitter with left side of the infield projection long term. The swing is tension-free with loose wrists and he generates easy bat speed with already present power to the pull side. This blast came inches away from being a home run and hitting a ball that far at Terry Park stadium is a significant shot. Sheffield also tripled in his second game of the weekend at...
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Tournaments | Story | 5/24/2026

West Memorial Day Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Tyler Henninger
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Colton Floyd (‘27,AZ) just misses a HR here. Can really impact the baseball & shows over the fence power potential. Took 3 QAB’s today. He’s the #1 ranked 3B in the state and #4 in the country. #MDWest https://t.co/ReMh7D0v4y pic.twitter.com/w1dzssSy8N — Perfect Game Four Corners (@PG_FourCorners) May 23, 2026 Colton Floyd, 3B, Chandler, AZ. Canes West National (2027) Floyd is a high-upside prospect with physical tools and burgeoning power. His combination of size, bat speed, and raw strength makes him one of the top power-hitting third basemen in the country. Currently ranked the #1 third baseman in Arizona and #4 nationally in his class. With continued refinement of his approach and defensive consistency, he has all the ingredients to be a middle-of-the-order bat at Texas A&M and a legitimate MLB Draft prospect JJ Utash (‘27,AZ) with a triple here....
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Tournaments | Story | 5/21/2026

Memorial Day Classics Set to Kick Off

Perfect Game Staff
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Southeast Memorial Day East Cobb Baseball will welcome more than 100 teams spanning the 13-17u age groups this weekend as summer baseball gets underway with the highly anticipated PG Southeast Memorial Day Classic, commencing on Thursday, May 21st. This weekend’s annual premier event will feature 11 nationally ranked teams across the five age groups with the No. 9 16u East Cobb Astros headlining the 17u division alongside top prospects such as No. 11 ranked Bryan Johnson Jr. And No. 22 ranked Georgia Tech commit, Malachi Butler. The No. 34 17u ranked 643 DP Cougars will also be a squad to watch as they will look to challenge the Astros for the championship amongst the other 14 17u division teams. While the oldest division will draw lots of attention with highly touted prospects, the 16u field is stacked with 29 total teams including three nationally ranked clubs. Over 30 top 1000...
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High School | General | 5/22/2026

Northeast High School Notebook: May 22

Anthony Gambardella
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‘26 RHP Hunter Brown (@NHLionsBaseball - NJ) struck out 1️⃣5️⃣ thru 6 IP w/ 0 BB & 2 H allowed. FB lived 90-92, T93 w/ ASR & late life. Froze bats with his 11/5 CB both early/late in counts (2600rpm). Mixed in fading CH & short/tight SL. #WeAre commit. @PG_Draft#PGHS @PG_Scouting pic.twitter.com/NbSSOmCyD0 — Perfect Game Mid-Atlantic (@PGMidAtlantic) April 23, 2026 Hunter Brown - 2026 RHP, North Hunterdon Reg (N.J.) was utterly dominant in his start against Franklin last month, tossing six shutout innings with 15 strikeouts, zero walks and just two hits allowed. The 6-foot-5 215-pound right-hander has pitched to a 0.97 ERA this spring with 78 punchouts over 36 innings of work. Brown has been one of the many northeast arms receiving increasingly more buzz ahead of the MLB Draft this July. Brown’s heater lived in the low-90s throughout the duration of his...
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Press Release | Press Release | 5/22/2026

Wolforth Throwing Mentorship: Article 65

Ron Wolforth
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The Insidious Lie That Hurts Pitchers Thep Most How many of you have ever had a terrible outing and afterward couldn’t really explain what went wrong? And how many of you have ever had a great outing and couldn’t explain what you did differently either? That gap between what is happening and your awareness of what is happening may be one of the most important gaps in player development. Closing that gap has a name. It is called metacognition. In simple terms, metacognition means thinking about your thinking. It is the ability to understand how you learn, how you perform, how you respond under pressure, and how you make adjustments when things are not going your way. For a pitcher, that matters because no matter how good your coach is, he cannot stand on the mound with you. Your coach cannot take the ball with the bases loaded, two outs, and the best hitter in the league...
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College | Rankings | 5/20/2026

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: May 20

Nick Herfordt
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There is a reason the preseason pick to win it all rarely does. College baseball's postseason is a gauntlet — double elimination, best-of-three’s, then a full World Series format — and the team that looks unbeatable in February has to prove it again in May against opponents who have had just as long to get ready. Plenty of programs have entered the tournament as the obvious favorite and gone home early. It happens every year. Nobody should be shocked when it does. Top-ranked teams flaming out in regional weekends happens so many times it has become its own genre of schadenfreude Which makes this particular moment worth noting. The Perfect Game preseason picks to win the NAIA, NCAA Division II, and NCAA Division III national titles — Tennessee Wesleyan, UT Tyler, and the University of Lynchburg — are all still alive heading into the final rounds. All three...
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College | Story | 5/21/2026

Coppy's Corner: May 21 POY Deep Dive

John Coppolella
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Each week I huddle with Vinnie Cervino and Craig Cozart  to discuss Top-25 rankings and Players of the Week. In Coppy’s Corner, I dive deeper into these Players of the Week, providing analysis from 20+ years working in baseball front offices at the highest level.   Co-Player of the Week: Carson Tinney – University of Texas  As a Notre Dame alumnus, it pained me to see Tinney transfer from the Golden Dome to the University of Texas after an All-American sophomore season for the Irish. He’s picked up in Austin right where he left off in South Bend and is currently hitting .321 AVG, 20 HR, .475 OBP / .695 SLG / 1.170 OPS on the 2026 season. It’s plus right-handed power and a plus arm; with the numbers I have found indicating that Tinney has erased more than half of attempted base stealers over the past two seasons of college baseball. Tinney threw...
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Tournaments | Story | 5/19/2026

Best of the Best Event Preview

Jheremy Brown
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In simplistic terms, the Best of The Best tournament is an absolute gauntlet as seemingly every game brings a playoff game atmosphere. Coaches must strategically map out their pitching to ensure they can get through Pool Play while also making sure they have arms to make a deep playoff run. Each and every age group is loaded with the best teams, composed of some of the best players that travel baseball has to offer. The 9u & 10u age groups will respectively have 9 out of the Top 10 Teams within the latest PG National Team Rankings participating in the event. At 9U, LTP-Reign will look to hold on to their #1 ranking but will have plenty of competition with the likes of ZT National Prospects and HTX-Wildcatters 9U looking to take over that #1 spot. In the 10u age group, Elevate National will look to fend off plenty of talent with #2 ranked Kaos National, East Cobb Astros and ZT...
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College | Story | 5/19/2026

College Players of the Week: May 19

Vincent Cervino
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May 19th Perfect Game/Co-Players of the Week:  Carson Tinney, C, Texas  The Texas Longhorns just finished off another stellar regular season and are heading to Hoover for the SEC Conference Tournament as the No. 2 Seed this week.  To secure their 2nd place finish, they had to sweep Missouri at home last weekend and did so in large part to the power bat of Carson Tinney.  The 6-4/240 catcher from Castle Pines, CO transferred to Austin after two sensational seasons at Notre Dame and has thrived in his draft year.  In the 3-game set, Tinney collected 7 hits in 13 at-bats, scoring 5 runs, with a double, 3 home runs and he drove in 10 runs all told.  With some of the most prodigious power in the college game this year, Tinney is now slashing .321/.695/.473 with 10 doubles an incredible 20 home runs and 54 RBIs while playing in the most spacious ballpark in the...
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