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Draft  | Story | 8/23/2026

2026 MLB Draft Report Cards: NL East

Tyler Henninger
Michael Albee
Joey Cohen
Ryan Miller
With the 2026 MLB Draft officially in the books, it’s time to evaluate how each team performed. Every draft class was graded using the standard 20-80 scouting scale with risk factor assigned. While these grades won’t be proven right or wrong for years, they reflect the overall talent, value, and upside each organization added to its system.

NL East



Atlanta Braves 
Grade: 55
Risk: High
Notable Selections: OF AJ Gracia (1st rd) | OF Carter Beck (PPI) | RHP Kaiden McCarthy (2nd rd) | RHP Jensen Hirschkorn (3rd rd)
 

Atlanta had $15,870,800 to spend in this year’s draft, and they certainly made some splashes with that capital early on in the draft. The prep right-hander category is historically a mixed bag and comes with plenty of risk, but this staff was confident and spent nearly 6.5 million on Kaiden McCarthy ($2.49m) and Jensen Hirschkorn ($3.97m). McCarthy was young at draft (just 17.9), on the smaller side and worked in the upper 90’s with the fastball, holding mid 90’s deep into starts. He throws a pair of quality breaking balls and has a usable change plus average control, giving him a pathway into a mid-backend rotation role at the big league level. Hirschkorn provides more size at 6’7/205, getting downhill with ease and working low-mid 90’s on the fastball. There is plenty of capacity to spin here, and there is reason to believe both the fastball and slider could turn into 55-plus offerings at peak. Combined with his strike throwing ability, it’s easy to dream on. On the flip side, their first two selections in the draft came in the form of left-handed hitting collegiate outfielders. Gracia was taken in the 1st, a bat that is selective with good swing decisions, quality contact rates and maximizes his power output thanks to angles. A three year producer in the ACC with an OPS over 1.000 in each year, there is comfort knowing what this type of profile should turn into. Beck was a mid-major late riser on boards, showing an attractive hit/power combo with good contact rates and a chance for average game power. A plus runner as well, he will get every chance to stick in center. If not, his fringe arm will push him to left. He has already been assigned, and is hitting .409 over 44 AB to this point in his professional career. Another seven figure bonus man is prep catcher Jack Brenner. He presents a quality arm behind the dish, good athleticism and a clean linedrive stroke in the box. The body will hold strength nicely without sacrificing a step. To cap off the spending spree, Atlanta took a trio of arms in rounds 4-6: Cole Dennis, Wil Libbert, and Tyson Grulkowski. 

New York Mets 
Grade: 45
Risk: Extreme
Notable Selections: RHP Carson Wiggins (1st rd) | OF Aiden Robbins (3rd rd) | LHP Shane Sdao (4th rd) | RHP Luke McNeillie (5th rd)
 

Overall, New York signed just one high school player this year, opting for the college route with the rest of their selections. The Mets started their draft with a surprise selection of Arkansas righty Carson Wiggins, who totaled just 14 college innings due to injury and missed all of 2026. Maybe a bigger shock was that Wiggins was paid full slot value, a pick that looked like an underslot deal when it was made. Wiggins has power stuff from a large workhorse frame, including a fastball up to 102 and a pair of distinct breaking balls. Next, the Mets took Texas outfielder Aiden Robbins in the third round, someone who was generating first-round buzz throughout the cycle. Robbins slugged 24 homers and drove in 64 for the Longhorns last spring, but whiff-and-chase concerns impacted his draft stock. Overall, Robbins brings a track record of hitting and loud tools, proven in the SEC. New York went with Texas A&M southpaw Shane Sdao in the fourth, an experienced starter coming off a down senior campaign. Sdao works with an advanced three-pitch mix, including a riding mid-90s fastball, sharp sweeping slider, and a fading change-up. In the fifth, the Mets continued their trend of college pitching with Florida right-hander Luke McNeillie. McNeillie, similar to Sdao, has logged a good amount of innings at school, splitting time between the bullpen and rotation. He has seen the high-90s with the heater, mixing in a nasty two-plane slider, flashing a change-up. Overall, the Mets gained a good amount of pure tools in this class, but risk and inconsistencies will limit their immediate value. 

Miami Marlins 
Grade: 55
Risk: High
Notable Selections: SS Jacob Lombard (1st rd) | LHP Ethan Kleinschmidt (2nd rd) | RHP Ryan Peterson (CB-B rd) | OF Wessley Roberson (4th rd) 
 

It is hard not to come away from the draft excited if you are a Marlins fan. Shortstop Jacob Lombard was the No. 4 overall prospect on our final board and Miami was able to grab him at 14th overall. The hometown kid does come with some hit tool risk, but he is a ridiculous athlete with the ability to stick at shortstop and has power ability at the plate. At that point in the first round, you have to feel good about getting a talent like that even with the risk. They followed it up with one of my favorite arms in the draft with the selection of Ethan Kleinschmidt. The Oregon State left-hander has quality stuff, a performance history, and some projection still remaining. They were able to grab a handful of quality college arms, including Ryan Peterson, Trey Beard, and Cole Selvig. The class as a whole has a nice mix of depth and upside that could turn into legit big league contributors. 

Philadelphia Phillies
Grade: 45
Risk: High
Notable Selections: INF Tyler Spangler (1st rd) | OF Caden Bogenpohl (2nd rd) | OF Will Gasparino (5th rd) 


The Phillies embraced upside throughout this class as nearly every major selection comes with some level of risk. Tyler Spangler was viewed as one of the better pure hitters in the prep class entering the spring as his combination of offensive ability, athleticism and defensive skill gave Philadelphia plenty to dream on at No. 36. The concern is the limited exposure this year, which makes his evaluation more difficult than most players taken in that range. If he gets back to his previous trajectory, this could prove to be a strong value pick. Caden Bogenpohl brings perhaps the loudest offensive tools of the early group. His ability to produce elite contact is obvious but translating that strength into consistent in-game production will be the ultimate question. If Philadelphia can unlock more playable offense, there’s legitimate impact potential. Will Gasparino also feels like an intriguing fifth-round developmental bet for the Phillies. The UCLA outfielder has shown enough physicality and raw power to create real offensive upside, but the hit tool remains the swing skill. If Philadelphia can help him tighten the approach and turn more of his strength into consistent game production, there’s enough here for him to outperform his draft slot.The pitching selections carry their own set of concerns. Ruger Riojas has the fastball and secondary stuff to advance quickly, although his age leaves less room for development. Jaxon Jelkin offers intriguing arm talent but comes with an even greater projection hurdle also given his long college path and age. Bo Rhudy could wind up being one of the class’s better Day 2 values. His stuff isn’t overwhelming, but his ability to consistently get ahead and finish hitters with his breaking ball gives him a fairly straightforward bullpen path. Overall, this is a class built around solid bets rather than certainty. Spangler and Bogenpohl give the Phillies two intriguing offensive swings, while the pitching group offers potential for relatively quick returns. The ceiling is high, but Philadelphia will need some of these gambles to pay off.

Washington Nationals 
Grade: 50
Risk: Moderate-High
Notable Selections: INF Chris Hacopian (1st rd) | OF Chase Brunson (2nd rd) | SS Luke Williams (3rd rd) | RHP Cooper Harris (4th rd)
 

The Nationals put together a strong class built on different demographics and a whole lot of tools. In the first, Washington selected Texas A&M infielder Chris Hacopian, a Maryland transfer with a proven track record of hitting. Hacopian posted a .339/.449/.604 career line with 40 homers, 144 RBIs, and more walks than strikeouts. He has a well-rounded offensive profile, keeping whiff and chase in check while hammering extra-base damage. Defensively, Hacopian should stick on the infield dirt. In the second, the Nationals took TCU outfielder Chase Brunson, coming off a season in which he produced a 1.018 OPS and slugged ten homers. Brunson is a corner outfield profile with a well-rounded offensive game, limiting in-zone whiff and posting high-end exit velocities. In the third, Washington landed Pittsburgh-area infielder Luke Williams, giving him a significant overslot deal. An athletic shortstop with loud tools, Williams is an advanced runner with significant arm strength, giving him the skill set to stick at shortstop. He will need to polish parts of his offensive game moving forward. Texas right-hander Cooper Harris was the Nationals’ fourth-round selection, another significant overslot deal. Harris operates with a four-pitch mix, starting with a low-to-mid 90s fastball from a projectable frame. Overall, Washington blended safe college profiles with high-upside preps. 
 
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Draft | Prospect Scouting Reports | 10/15/2026

Beyond the Board: C/UTL Gavin Kelly
Tyler Henninger
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Beyond the Board: SS Dylan Seward As the 2027 draft cycle moves through the fall and into the offseason, we kick off a new series called Beyond The Board. With each installment, we will provide an in-depth scouting report for some of the top players in the class, breaking down their tools, strengths, question marks, and overall projection. This week we are diving in West Virginia’s Gavin Kelly. The Mountaineer backstop posted a .382/.477/.725 slash line with 19 home runs, 44 extra-base hits, and helped lead WVU to Omaha in ‘26. Let’s dive in.  Player: Gavin Kelly  Position: C/UTL B/T: R/R Height: 6-foot-0 Weight: 175-pounds School: West Virginia Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pen. Physical Description: 6-0/175. Lean, athletic build. Sneaky strength throughout. Frame has room to fill out and get stronger.    Slo-mo look at the HR by Gavin Kelly (@WVUBaseball)....
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Tournaments | Story | 10/21/2026

Windy City Finale Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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‘27 RHP Jaxson Weiss (IL) pitched well in his 5 innings and put up some eye popping strikeout numbers. He punched out 10 and allowed only 2ER. FB T86 early and flashed a BB 72-75. #WCFinale https://t.co/M8GtCUgxyS — Perfect Game Illinois (@PG_Illinois) October 17, 2026 Jaxson Weiss (2027, New Lennox, Ill.) a right-handed pitcher put up big strikeout numbers in his start on Saturday. He worked five innings while punching out ten opposing hitters. The fastball topped out at 86 mph and sat in the 82-85 mph range most of the game. His breaking ball was his primary off-speed, living 72-75 mph. Weiss keeps his body under control throughout his delivery, helping him with his good command on the mound. He uses his lower half well with a nice leg drive and gets his hips through, guiding his backside. He pitched with confidence and stayed ahead of hitters most of the game. Hayden...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/19/2026

PG Draft: Jupiter Draft Movers

Tyler Henninger
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The WWBA World Championship remains one of the premier events on the draft calendar as all 30 major league organizations descend on Jupiter to evaluate some of the top talent in amateur baseball. The event serves as a pivotal checkpoint in the scouting process, giving established prospects an opportunity to further elevate their stock while lesser-known names have a chance to put themselves on the radar of various organizations. This year was no exception, as several players made strong impressions and positioned themselves for increased attention heading into the spring. With that being said, let’s dive into a few draft risers and sleepers who stood out in Jupiter. Calum Andersen (‘27,CAN) had his A stuff working today running the FB to 96 mph with a devastating horizontal SL at 85 mph that can break bats. Mixed in a late breaking 12/6 curveball at 78 mph that induces weak...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/20/2026

Jupiter Recap: Stars Being Stars

Vincent Cervino
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WWBA World Championship Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 PG Draft: Jupiter Draft Movers With the 2026 WWBA World Championship in the rearview mirror, we're going to begin our breakdowns of 4 different subcategories, beginning today with the Stars Being Stars category. Most of the players below are household names or were teetering on the edge of such recognition, using Jupiter as their launching pad. From Perfect Game All-Americans to some serious helium names for the MLB Draft, the PG crew breaks them all down below.  ‘27 Samir Mohammed (FL) racked up 11 Ks thru 5 IP on 75% strikes. FB lived 98-99, T100 w/ tons of ASR & life thru the zone. Hit 99 mph 10+ times incl his final pitch of the outing. Had his sharp vert CB on a string & faded the CHG effectively vs LHHs (clip). #LSU commit. @PG_Draft #WWBAWorlds @Florida_PG — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting)...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/21/2026

Jupiter Recap: Uncommitted...For Now

Kyler Peterson
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WWBA World Championship Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 PG Draft: Jupiter Draft Movers | Jupiter: Stars Being Stars Gets your reads in now because by the time you reach the end, some of the talent in this article might be giving their commitments to a college somewhere across the country. Every player below did something that caught out scout's eye and should certainly be on the radar for college coaches, if they aren't already.  Braxton Sykes (2028, Brunswick, Ga.) tossed a total of six innings down in Jupiter, collecting six strikeouts while failing to allow either a hit or earned run during his tenure on the mound. The 6-foot-2 right-hander showcased an impressive three-pitch mix with excellent feel to locate in every part of the strike zone. His fastball lived in the mid- to upper-80s mph range with more velocity to project for as Sykes continues to add strength and...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/15/2026

Big Offense Propels TBT/FTB to Title

Hannah Jo Groves
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Big Offense Wins TBT/FTB Phillies Scout WWBA Freshman Title Runs scoring in every inning led to the TBT/FTB Phillies Scout Team taking home the 2026 PG WWBA Freshman World Championship - winning over Canes National 15U 10-5. It had been a long week in West Palm Beach for the freshmen coming in from around the country to go up against the best of the best. While they had gotten to play on the backfields during the whole tournament, the players who made it to the championship game got to play it in the CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches Stadium. TBT/FTB showed their defensive strength right away - executing quickly to retire each of the first three batters. With the bats in their hands, they also showed speed to deliver - with Luca Briggs batting Trey Vandergriff in for the first run of the game and Kingston George quickly plating Briggs with a double in the next at-bat. In the first at-bat of...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/14/2026

Beast of the East Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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‘31 Ryan Spann (GA) obliterates this ball for a solo HR 💣. Ball jumps off barrel & shows the juice and & PS impact. 3x @PGSelectFest alum. #BeastOfTheEast @PG_Georgia https://t.co/TgVGPfDRYc — Perfect Game Youth (@PGYouthBB) October 10, 2026 Ryan Spann (2031, Warner Robins, Ga.) took home MVP honors after a standout weekend and finishing as the number one player on the top performers list. The top player from Georgia and number two player in the country led all performers in home runs (2) and tallied 7 RBIs on his way to a .400 average. The overall profile on Spann is super advanced for the age with electric offensive upside and one of if not the prettiest swing in the class. This will be a fun follow for years to come and I am all in. Carlo Rivero (2031, Apopka, Fla.) checks in as the number one overall player in the class and it’s easy to see why at...
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Press Release | Press Release | 10/14/2026

Perfect Game Extends Turtlebox Deal

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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 EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH TURTLEBOX AS OFFICIAL BLUETOOTH SPEAKER AND AUDIO PROVIDER   Sanford, Florida (Wednesday, October 14, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced that Turtlebox has extended its partnership as the Official Bluetooth Speaker and Audio Provider of Perfect Game. The relationship, which began in 2023, expands to include original content, player recognition and a larger presence at Perfect Game's marquee events. At the center of the extension is "Turtlebox Cage Sessions," a new series produced and distributed by Perfect Game across all its social media platforms. The 12 short-form episodes will feature...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/13/2026

East Cobb/Padres Explode Late for Jupiter Win

Hannah Jo Groves
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East Cobb/SD Padres ST Explode Late for WWBA Worlds Win A hard-fought, crazy ending resulted in the East Cobb/SD Padres scout team coming back and winning the 2026 PG WWBA World Championship over the SBA/Marlins Scout Team 2028. The score was 8-7 after the championship was won with a walk-off balk. After going against some of the most talented, highly-ranked players in the country for the past couple days, it was finally time for the championship game at Roger Dean Complex Stadium in Jupiter, FL. The WWBA World Championship, or, as it’s more commonly and lovingly referred to as, “Jupiter,” has become a favorite for all who have been part of its iconic, golf-cart infested, electric atmosphere. This championship game was sure to entertain. The first two innings were scoreless for both teams as they got settled. Both defenses were making plays - SBA/Marlins executed a...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/12/2026

WWBA Freshman Scout Notes: Day 4

Marcus Thomas
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WWBA Freshman Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 James Watson (2030, Canton, Ga.) showed the two-way upside to start bracket play for East Cobb Astros 15u. On the mound the right-handed pitcher went three innings and with three strikeouts and spread five hits and two walks for three runs. Watson works from a hybrid windup from the middle-of-the-rubber into a small heel-turn and an around-the-belt leg lift before using drop-and-drive back leg mechanics into a longer, in-line stride down the mound. Showed some feel to get extension down the mound. The hands separate into a moderate arm action before accelerating through from an over-the-top arm angle. The fastball ran up to 86 with arm-side run and life. Paired it with a curveball with 11-5 shape and solid two-plane break. Mixed in a change-up in the upper- 70s with some vertical depth. Competed at the top of the zone well. Athletic...
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