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Draft  | Rankings | 9/7/2026

2027 Draft Preview: Collegiate LHP

Ryan Miller
2027 MLB Draft Profile Preview: Collegiate Right-Handed Pitchers
The collegiate left-handed pitching class is always a popular demographic, and this year’s is no different. The group contains a mix of power pitch mixes and polished pitch-ability, with healthy representation from power four schools and a handful of mid-majors. Below we look at this year’s top college left-handers.


Tomas Valincius, Mississippi State



 Valincius followed head coach Brian O’Connor from Virginia to Mississippi State and immediately established himself as their ace last spring. The Illinois native posted a 3.50 ERA over 17 starts in 2026, striking out 33.5% of hitters and walking just five percent. Valincius operates from a 6-foot-2 southpaw frame with a bit of length and strength throughout. He starts with a mid-body handset, working into a direct compact leg lift before firing down the mound via an abbreviated arm action and three quarters slot. The Bulldogs’ workhorse gets his fastball into the mid-to-upper 90s with late arm side run and heavy actions. Valincius changes speeds with a pair of secondaries, including a sharp slider with horizontal bite and feel to spin. He also showcases feel for a late tumbling change-up with deception and velo separation. Overall, Valincius is a proven SEC Friday night starter with the ability to keep an advanced three pitch mix around the zone. 

Dylan Volantis, Texas

 Volantis arrived on campus and made an immediate impact out of the bullpen for the Longhorns before transitioning to the rotation last spring. The big left-hander has appeared in 40 games (17 starts) for Texas, posting a 2.03 ERA with 209 strikeouts in 146 frames of work. Volantis works from a lengthy 6-foot-6 frame, offering a decent amount of room to fill and projection. He operates exclusively from the stretch, starting above the belt before transitioning into a high compact leg lift. The California native fires down the mound thanks to a long reach back arm action and over-the-top slot. Volantis utilizes a deep pitch mix, employing multiple distinct fastball shapes. He mainly works with a sinking heater in the low-90s, mixing in a tight horizontal cutter in the upper-80s. The calling card secondary is a hammer 12-6 curveball with late vertical bite and feel to land. Volantis also offers a firmer change-up that is still in development, mainly working off his fastball/curveball combo. 

Ethan Lund, Oklahoma State

 Lund was deployed in an increased role last spring, starting 17 games (16 starts) while posting a 5.34 ERA, striking out 37 percent. The Indiana native operates from a lengthy 6-foot-6 frame with lower half strength and room to fill. Lund starts over the face before working to the belt and into a deep side-step windup. He employs a high pronounced leg lift before firing down the mound via a quick standard arm action and higher three quarters slot. Lund utilizes a four-pitch mix, starting with a lively fastball that has reached the upper 90s with slight cut/ride traits. The Cowboys’ southpaw possesses feel to spin a pair of unique breaking balls, including a sharp 1-7 curveball with late teeth. He also mixes in a tighter horizontal slider with late bite in the upper-80s, taking on more of a cutter look at times. Lund also offers a change-up and will need to tighten up his strike throwing going into the spring. 


Mason Brassfield, TCU
Brassfield was a highly touted southpaw out of Southern California before arriving on campus and making an immediate impact. He appeared in 18 games as a freshman, starting seven, while posting a 4.09 ERA and striking out 28.7 percent of hitters. Last spring, Brassfield took a step back in a similar role, in part thanks to a substantial jump in walk rate from 8.6 to 11.7 percent. He operates from a bigger left-handed frame with length and strength throughout, offering additional projection. Brassfield starts over the face, working to the belt and into a high compact leg life before firing down the mound via a long reach back arm action and high three-quarters slot. There is a bit of effort and a head whack present in the operation, carrying with it some reliever risk. He runs a lively heater into the mid-90s with presumably more on the way, relying heavily on a sharp horizontal slider with late bite. Brassfield also mixes in a firmer change-up featuring some late drop, primarily working with the fastball-slider combination. 

Casey Euper, Pepperdine

 Euper is a helium arm out of Southern California who carries a lengthy track record and advanced pitch mix from the left side. The 6-foot-4 southpaw appeared in 15 games for Pepperdine last season, starting 12 while posting a 3.11 ERA. This summer in the Cape Cod League, Euper turned in 22.2 innings of dominant ball, earning a 1.19 ERA while striking out 32. The UCSB transfer works from a lengthy frame with room to fill and a healthy amount of projection. Euper starts over the face before transitioning to the belt and into a high compact leg lift, firing down the mound thanks to a long arm action and higher three quarters slot. He gets a riding fastball into the mid-90s, operating in the low-90s, with jump from the hand and late life through the zone. Euper utilizes a pair of breaking balls, including a sharp curveball with late two-plane bite and a tighter slider. He also flashes a change-up that is a seldom used offering currently. Euper has the look of a high floor left-hander with projection on his arsenal. 


Noah Franco, TCU
Franco was a highly touted two-way player out of IMG Academy in Florida before making it to campus in Fort Worth, logging time on both sides of the ball through his first two seasons. Mostly of his appearances have been with the bat, recording 313 plate appearances and big raw power. On the mound, Franco has only managed 27.1 innings where he battled traffic but showcased a power pitch mix and struck out 37. He operates from a strong and sturdy 6-foot-3 frame with length throughout. Franco starts at the belt from the stretch, utilizing a medium direct leg lift before getting down the mound via an abbreviated arm action and high three-quarters slot. The California native operates a power fastball in the mid-90s, reaching the upper-90s with riding life through the zone. His go-to secondary is a nasty two-plane slider with late teeth and high spin, proving the ability to turn over a quality change-up with late fade. Overall, Franco is a low milage arm who will need to throw more strikes and stay healthy moving forward, but the stuff is real while possessing a workhorse frame. 

Cooper Williams, Louisiana State

 Williams is another low milage arm who’s logged just 37 innings across two seasons for the Tigers, missing time with injury last spring. He produced better results during his freshman campaign, posting a 1.80 ERA over 21 appearances out of the bullpen. Williams battled traffic thanks in part to control issues last spring, skyrocketing his ERA to 7.94 in a similar relief role. The native Texan works from a long and lean 6-foot-4 frame, offering a healthy amount of projection and room to fill. He starts over the face before working to the belt and into a high compact leg lift, firing down the mound via a long reach back arm action, releasing from a lower three-quarters slot. Williams operates his fastball in the low-90s from a deceptive slot with late arm side run. He spins a pair of breaking balls that blend shape at times, featuring two-plane sweeping action and feel to land with regularity, adding vertical depth on the curveball. Williams will need to throw more strikes in whatever role he takes on for a stacked LSU staff, with hopes that he is able to prove himself as a starter in 2027. 

Grayden Harris, Southern Miss

 Harris stepped on campus in Hattiesburg and immediately stepped into a rotation role, starting 15 games enroute to a 3.39 ERA as a freshman. His success continued as a sophomore, improving his walk rate by four percent while striking out 28.7 percent of hitters. Harris operates from a medium left-handed frame with a bit of length and present lower half strength. The Louisiana native starts at the belt before working into a high compact leg lift, firing down the hill via a quick and abbreviated arm action, releasing from a three-quarters slot. Harris runs a sinking fastball into the mid-90s, a groundball producer that features late heavy actions. His go-to secondary is a fade and tumble change-up with late downward action. Harris also mixes in a two-plane breaking ball with sweeping action through the zone. He will be young from the class on draft day with a long track record and an advanced pitch mix that looks the part as a backend starter. 


Jake Marciano, Auburn 

Marciano started his college career at Virginia Tech where he made 14 starts as a freshman, striking out 71 in 60.2 innings pitched and walked just 6.5 percent. He transferred to Auburn, turning in a big season for the Tigers, posting a 3.32 ERA while improving his strikeout rate to 30.1%. Marciano works from a lean and lengthy left-handed frame, offering obvious projection. He starts over the face before transitioning to the belt and into a high compact leg lift. The New Jersey native gets down the mound thanks to a quick reach back arm action, releasing from a deceptive low three-quarters slot. Marciano sits around the low-90s with the fastball, possessing jump from the hand and late arm side run. He mixes in a cutter variant with tight horizontal bite in the upper-80s, while deploying a two-plane sweeping slider with feel to land. Marciano mixes in a split change-up that he sells well off his fastball, flashing late diving action. Thanks to his proven track record and strike throwing ability, Marciano will undoubtedly lock up a rotation spot for Auburn this spring. 

Honorable Mentions:

 Easton Barrett, Arizona State – Has split time between the bullpen and rotation, struggling with strike throwing. Appeared in five outings in the Cape Cod League, cutting down the walks. Utilizes a low-90s fastball with a pair of distinct breaking balls (slider, curveball), flashing an infrequent change-up. 

Rhys Bowie, Wake Forest – Medium framed southpaw with experience out of the bullpen, missing bats while battling control issues. Offers a deep mix starting with a power fastball that has reached the triple digits, operating in the mid-to-upper 90s. Mixes in a hard cutter and a pair of unique breaking balls, needing to find more consistency around the zone. 

Cole Gibler, Arkansas – Another medium framed lefty with experience in several bullpen roles, owning a 4.97 ERA with 116 strikeouts in 88.2 innings. Works the fastball into the mid-90s, turning to a sharp breaking ball to miss bats. Also mixes in a firm change-up, utilizing a deceptive operation. 

Charlie Foster, Ole Miss – Transfer from Mississippi State coming off an inconsistent season split between the rotation and bullpen. Lean projectable frame with a unique left-handed operation. Cutting fastball from a high slot up operating in the low-to-mid 90s, mixing in a depthy 12-6 curveball and tight horizontal cutter. 

Henry Zatkowski, Virginia – Followed head coach Chris Pollard to Virginia from Duke, establishing himself as a trusted option at both stops. Has logged 144.1 career innings while striking out 154, posting a 4.68 ERA. Lean southpaw with a handful of fastball variants operating around 90 mph. Mixes in a sweeping slider and fading change-up to produce whiffs.

Van Froling, UC Santa Barbara – Projection lefty with proven success on a talented pitching staff out of the bullpen. Has struck out 48 in 41.2 career innings, walking just 18. Deceptive slot with a fastball around 90 mph, mixing in a cutter, sweeping slider, and change-up that he keeps around the zone. 

Brendon Bennett, Clemson – Had success in a limited role over his first two seasons with the program. Struck out 30.5 percent of hitters over 22 innings out of the ‘pen with an ERA of 2.05. Operates his fastball in the mid-to-upper 90s with a deep bag of secondaries (SL, CB, CH), including a pair of sharp breaking balls. 

Mason Russell, Grand Canyon – Has been limited over first two seasons with the Wildcats, totaling just 11.1 innings. Advanced arsenal when on the mound, including a riding fastball into the mid-90s. Relies heavily on a deep vertical breaking ball with late bite and feel to land. Will look to stay healthy and lock down a rotation spot this spring. 
 
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Draft | Story | 9/11/2026

PG Draft: Potential Risers Into Top 50
Michael Albee
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