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Draft  | Story | 8/5/2026

2026 MLB Draft: Northeast Recap

Ryan Miller
The Northeast region once again produced a deep class of 2026 draft selections, headlined by outfielder AJ Gracia and right-hander Cameron Flukey going in the first round. Both landed in southern states to compete in college, skyrocketing their value from talented preps to established talents. Until the last round, region players were selected throughout this year’s draft, with a deep bag of individual profiles. Many talented prospects went unselected or failed to sign due to their college commitment, betting on themselves for an upcoming class. Below we look at some of the trends and landing spots for the Northeast’s top players in the draft. 

College Arms Throughout the Draft

Each spring, an abundance of Northeast high school pitchers makes their way to campuses throughout the power four level. Many in recent memory have drastically changed their draft stock, hearing their names selected in the early-to-middle rounds each July. This summer was no different, with New Jersey’s Cameron Flukey selected by the Detroit Tigers at pick 22 after a successful career at Coastal Carolina. Having seen him in high school, I can attest that the intriguing traits that got him draft looks propelled him safely into the first round. Flukey offers an explosive fastball that has seen the upper-90s, complimented by an advanced curveball, tight gyro slider, and a change-up that gives him a starter look. 
The Padres took Moorestown, New Jersey’s Ryan Lynch in the third round out of North Carolina thanks in-part to a deep College World Series run. Lynch had advanced stuff in high school but took a noticeable jump forward during his three years with the Tar Heels. The 6-foot-3 right-hander features an east-to-west profile starting with a sinking fastball that has worked into the high-90s. Lynch mixes in a sharp slider and change-up that he uses to produce weak contact, owning an underwhelming 20.3% strikeout rate. 




A group of five intriguing arms came off the board in the middle-to-late rounds, starting with Hofstra’s Carlos Martinez. A senior signee, Martinez carried some leverage thanks to a strong spring and earned himself a $597.50k signing bonus by the Giants (4th rd). He possesses a starter profile thanks to a projectable frame and a deep pitch mix headlined by a sharp two-plane slider. In the sixth round, Stony Brook’s Micah Worley was taken by the Diamondbacks, a power left-hander with projection remaining. Worley operates from a big and strong 6-foot-5 frame, getting a lively run/ride fastball into the high-90s at times, living in the mid-90s. He turns to a pair of high-level breaking balls to keep hitters off balance, starting with a tight horizontal slider with feel to land on both sides of the plate. Worley also offers a sharp 1-7 curveball with more depth and less velocity than the slider. 

In the tenth round, the Reds selected Binghamton’s Conner Griffin, a projectable right-handed with a developing power mix. Griffin has gotten a lively fastball into the high-90s, settling into the 92-95 range with riding actions. A reliever look, the Pennsylvania native going exclusively from the stretch, mixing in a tight horizontal cutter and deeper two-plane curveball. Moving into the later rounds, the Phillies selected right-hander Christian Coppola out of nearby St. Joseph’s after prior stops at Rutgers and Arizona. Coppola is regarded as having some of the better breaking stuff (slider & curveball) in the class, working his fastball into the mid-90s with riding life. In the fourteenth round, the Nationals took righty Zack Konstantinovsky out of Rutgers, their Friday night starter. Konstantinovsky is an east-to-west pitcher with a run/ride fastball that has gotten into the mid-90s, showcasing late arm side run. He turns to a tight horizontal slider, firm cutter, and tumbling change-up to mix and match. 

A Pair of Prep Arms Get Paid


The Braves were aggressive with high school pitching this year, handing out over seven million to post first round over slot arms. Their bold strategy included the selection of Vermont’s Kaiden McCarthy. The Tennessee recruit operates from a medium right-handed frame and offers an advanced pitch mix. McCarthy works his run/ride fastball into the upper-90s with regularity, commanding the zone well. He mixes in a sharp 12-6 curveball with late vertical bite, as well as a tumble and fade change-up, both of which produce whiffs. 

Pennsylvania’s Kyle Casteel lasted until the 11th round, allowing for the White Sox to select him and provide a $1.25 million signing bonus. A West Virginia commit, Casteel operates from a big and projectable right-handed frame with length and lower half strength. He fires down the mound via a quick arm, getting a run/ride fastball into the mid-90s. Casteel turns to a sharp two-plane slider and late fading change-up to keep hitters off balance. The Butler native blends future projection, a strong current pitch repertoire, and strike throwing ability, making him a high-level arm to keep an eye on at the next level. 

Prep Infielders Sign Over Slot Deals


The high school infield demographic is one of the most coveted in draft circles, with teams willing to outbid slot values to keep them away from school. Such is the case with New York shortstop Aiden Ruiz, selected in the second round by the Pirates and paid $3.50 million to sign. Ruiz is regarded as the best defensive shortstop in the class, a title that gives him a carrying tool to the big leagues. A switch-hitter, the Vanderbilt recruit sprays hard hit line drives all over the yard, with sneaky underlying impact metrics despite a hit over power profile. Ruiz employs a compact stroke from both sides, displaying accuracy in the barrel, with a good amount of bat speed present. 

Pittsburgh-area native Luke Williams heard his name called by the Nationals in round three, earning himself a significant over slot deal of $2.50 million. A high-level athlete, Williams showcased a loud set of tools, starting with his blazing speed that has been given plus-plus grades. He blends his quick twitch actions with the ability to reach the mid-to-upper 90s on throws from the infield and outfield. At the plate, the Vanderbilt commit hits the ball hard to all fields via an explosive right-handed operation. The hit tool could use some polish, but Williams gives Washington a good amount to work with at a premium position. 

Later, in the eighth round, the Orioles selected New York infielder Will Plunkett, a Binghamton commit that gained draft steam throughout the cycle. Plunkett operates from a big and lengthy right-handed frame, possessing projection and present strength. He displays a well-rounded skillset with the tools to stay on the infield dirt while growing into budding impact at the plate. Baltimore selected another Northeast prep infielder in Cranford, NJ’s Brayden Fry, a St. Joseph’s recruit without much discussion throughout the cycle. Fry offers a balanced and rhythmic right-handed swing with smooth actions on the infield, growing into an advanced all-around game with the skills to stick on the dirt. 

High-Level Outfielders Selected Early

AJ Gracia was the highest overall selection with ties to the Northeast, picked ninth by the Braves, after spending his high school days in New Jersey before following head coach Chris Pollard from Duke to Virginia. Gracia offers a sweet left-handed swing with an advanced hit/power combination with the track record to back it up. Defensively, he profiles at a corner outfield spot, with the experience and ability to handle first base. Rutgers outfielder Peyton Bonds heard his name called by the Giants in the third round, a fitting destination thanks to his family history. Peyton is a high-quality prospect himself, operating from a big and strong right-handed frame, leaving some room for projection. Bonds showcases a well-rounded game with the ability to impact the ball via a strong approach at the plate. He keeps the whiffs down while posting top-of-the-scale exit velocity numbers, displaying a tendency to chase. Defensively, Bonds has the skills to handle all three outfield spots, patrolling the outfield with a strong arm and advanced instincts. 


From the high school ranks, the White Sox selected New Jersey outfielder Alex Weingartner in the sixth round, signing him for $1.40 million. An athletic right-handed hitter, Weingartner utilizes a simple operation in the box with real impact potential, already producing high level exit velocities. The Penn State recruit has elite speed and knows how to use it, demonizing the basepaths while providing range in center field. Weingartner displays arm strength on the mound, running his fastball up to 96 with feel for secondaries, although he likely focuses on center field at the next level. While not an early selection, fellow Philadelphia area outfielder Eddie Rosado Jr. received a six-figure bonus to sign with the Blue Jays in the 20th round. Rosado utilizes a balanced left-handed swing with intriguing traits at the plate, profiling best in an outfield corner. 
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Draft | Story | 8/11/2026

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