Following up on a loaded 2024 class, the 2025 draft was underwhelming. The college class lacked high-end talent, specifically at premium positions, which led to many teams looking to the high school prospects in the early rounds. That talent void led to many looking ahead to the 2026 class with excitement due to the potential elite college players at the top of the class. The 2026 college class has a balance of high performers at premium positions, as well as several others with talent who could break out with a big spring. There are several names to watch this spring, but with College Baseball’s Opening Day this Friday, here are the top talents every fan should be watching.

 

College Baseball Draft Names to Know

 

Roch Cholowsky, UCLA

Since Adley Rutschman in 2019, no consensus preseason top prospect has held the top spot all the way to being selected first overall. This year, Roch Cholowsky faces the same challenge that many before him have failed to accomplish.

Cholowsky enters the 2026 with a lot of hype. Coming off his sophomore season, where he dominated the Big 10, hitting .353/.480/.710 with 23 home runs, 19 doubles, and more walks than strikeouts, he is as close to a can’t-miss prospect as we’ve had in recent years.  Combine the on-field production with the data, and the profile becomes even more exciting. Last season, he averaged a 91.5 mph exit velocity with a 31.3% barrel rate and a 53.6% hard hit rate. That power and ability to hit the ball consistently in the air combine with an 81.7% contact rate, showing above-average bat-to-ball skills. The chase% could use some improvement at 23.6%, but all things considered, he checks every box as a hitter.

This year will be fascinating to follow. Will Cholowsky maintain his dominance and solidify himself as 1/1 by mid-April? Will some concerns in the profile appear? Will the pressure of his draft season get to him? No matter what happens, Cholowsky is must-see TV every time he steps on the field.

 

Cameron Flukey, Coastal Carolina

Cam Flukey burst on the scene in 2025 as the ace of national champion runner-up Coastal Carolina. In front of a national audience, he held eventual national champion LSU at bay for six IP, allowing just one run with nine strikeouts. That dominance in that game showed Flukey wasn’t just a starter who feasted on mid-major competition and solidified him as one of the top arms entering 2026.

Flukey’s most highly regarded pitch is his fastball, which he uses 62.8% of the time. The pitch averages 95.8 mph, while flashing up to 98.3 with 20.4 inches of induced vertical break. That movement profile, combined with a -4.7 VAA, allows him to attack hitters effectively at the top of the zone. On top of elite movement, he also has a great feel for commanding the pitch, with a 60.1% in-zone rate, showing the combination of confidence and command of his best pitch.

He rounds out his arsenal with a curveball, a slider, and a changeup. The curveball is his best offspeed pitch, as it generated a 46.2% whiff rate in the 2025 season and tunnels well with his fastball. Combine that with a slider that generated a 37.3% whiff, and a changeup with a 32.0% whiff, and you have the makings of a well-rounded starting pitcher. Coming off a season where he pitched to a 3.19 ERA with 118 strikeouts and 24 walks in 101.2 IP, it will be fascinating to see how Flukey potentially improves in 2026.

 

AJ Gracia, Virginia

Gracia is one of the more polarizing players in college baseball. From a statistical standpoint, he has fallen somewhere between great and elite. Over two seasons at Duke, he combined to hit .299/.445/.559 with 29 home runs and more walks than strikeouts. While those are productive, there is still untapped potential that leads many to believe Gracia could be drafted at the top of this year’s draft if he takes the step forward.

The 2025 season was a fascinating one for Gracia. While he performed almost identically to his freshman campaign, there were underlying improvements that could lead to a huge 2026 season. While he had above-average contact and chase rates as a freshman, they both took a major step forward in 2025. He lowered his strikeout total from 55 to 36, while raising his walk total from 48 to 57. That output is confirmed by an unbelievably impressive 86.4% contact rate and a 16.8% chase rate. There is a great argument that Gracia might have the best approach and plate discipline in the class.

For a player who many believe emulates Carlos González in the box, the power could use some improvement. After averaging 91.5 mph exit velocity as a freshman, that number took a step backward to 89.8 in 2025. With that came a 25.9% barrel rate, which limited his overall power production. For Gracia to push Cholowsky for 1/1, he will need to tap into his power more in-game. He has the requisite borderline elite bat-to-ball and approach skills, and if he combines that with a 20-25 home run season, he will have a legit argument to be the first player taken.

 

Drew Burress, Georgia Tech

Burress might be the complete opposite of Gracia from a physical projection standpoint. Where with Gracia you can dream of added muscle and projectable tools, Burress is maxed out. Clocking in at 5’9″ and 182 lbs, Burress is built more like a fire hydrant, and even with that “undersized” build, he packs a huge punch.

In two seasons at Georgia Tech, Burress is the focal point of the Yellow Jackets’ lineup. He broke onto the scene as a true freshman with a .381/.512/.821 triple slash and 25 home runs. Those numbers came with impressive batted ball data and approach metrics, showcasing a mature approach from Burress.

While Burress regressed in 2025, it wasn’t because of much regression. He only hit 19 home runs, and lowered his triple slash to .333/.469/.693, but maintained his impressive metrics. He averaged 91.3 mph exit velocity, and combined that with an 80% contact rate. Add in a 19.5% chase rate, and he checked all the boxes I would want to see from a hitter. Burress’s redeeming tool will continue to be his bat, and a return to elite form will go a long way in solidifying his draft position.

 

Justin Lebron, Alabama

Lebron has the early lead for the highest variance prospect in the class. In two seasons as Alabama’s starting shortstop, he has been extremely productive. He has combined to hit .327/.425/.593 and has had several highlight reel moments, from big home runs to impressive defensive plays. But with that production and high-octane excitement comes some concerns.

As a hitter, Lebron is probably best described as a free swinger. With a combined 121 strikeouts and only 55 walks in two seasons, there are some glaring approach concerns. Last season alone, he had a 70.4% contact rate and a 26.5% chase rate, which are both below expectations for the top of the draft and the rest of the college hitter class. With that aggressive approach, however, comes impressive power metrics, with a 91.1 mph average exit velocity and a 51.2% hard-hit rate.

If the contact and chase rates improve this spring, Lebron will be in for a big year. There is probably nothing he can do to top the combination of refined approach and power of the trio of Cholowsky, Gracia, and Burress, but that doesn’t mean he won’t contend to be a first-round pick. The data and production for Lebron is very similar to that of the 2025 Golden Spikes Award winner and Orioles first-round pick, Wehiwa Aloy. Lebron just happens to be in the wrong draft class.

 

Liam Peterson, Florida

This pitcher class feels like it is a lot closer to a race for SP2 than SP1, unless something unforeseen happens. Peterson fits the mold of unforeseen.

The stuff has never been in question. Peterson was advanced enough to be put right into Florida’s rotation as a freshman. That early exposure led to immense struggles and inconsistencies. He finished that season with a 6.43 ERA in 63 IP with 77 strikeouts, 44 walks, and a 1.714 WHIP. His struggles were a combination of too many walks, too many home runs, and being too easy to hit, while showing glimpses with impressive strikeout numbers.

The 2025 season was a big step forward for Peterson. He improved in every category, and if his trajectory continues, 2026 could be a major spring for him. Peterson is basically a three-pitch pitcher with a fastball, slider, and changeup combo being his most used offerings. The fastball has impressive radar gun readings, but lacks the elite profile of the modern fastball. While it has 20.9 inches of IVB, it is thrown from a -5.51 VAA. The pitch generated solid whiff, but was hammered when hit with a 92.2 mph exit velocity against and a 25.5% barrel rate.

Peterson’s best pitch is his slider, which generated a 41.4% whiff rate while being used 31.3% of the time. Add in a 30% chase rate, and the pitch shows flashes of being a dominant pitch. The changeup, while only used 12.7% of the time, did register a 42.3% whiff rate. If Peterson can refine his fastball command or better use the pitch, he has the potential for three above-average offerings. It is just a matter of the quality of stuff translating to results this Spring.

 

Gabe Gaeckle, Arkansas

Whereas Peterson was exposed to a starter role way too early, Gaeckle has lacked opportunities to be a starter. Arkansas has developed an elite stable of arms each and every year, and Gaeckle is the next in line to step up into a dominant starter’s role.

After a dominant freshman All-American season in the bullpen, Gaeckle bounced between the starting rotation and bullpen in 2025. He registered nine starts out of 19 outings, but showed that he was capable of providing length even in a bullpen role. He regressed a little with the inconsistency in role, pitching to a 4.42 ERA over 71.1 IP, but that does little to diminish his potential impact.

Gaeckle features a four-pitch mix with his fastball and slider being his top two offerings. The fastball averaged 95.1 mph while maxing out at 98.5. He is able to use the pitch at the top of the zone due to an above-average VAA at -4.41. His slider is the better of the offspeed offerings, generating a 38.4% whiff rate on the season while being used 33% of the time. That two-pitch combo can be lethal when Gaeckle is able to command his pitches. His potential ceiling will be determined by his strike-throwing ability, and this will be a massive spring to see if that will happen.