Leading up to the 2026 MLB Draft, Fish On First brings you a series of scouting reports on top prospects in this draft class who could realistically wind up in Miami.

 

Overview

Position: OF

Height: 6’0″

Weight: 205 pounds

School: Oak Grove HS (MS)

Commitment: Vanderbilt

Eric Booth Jr. is a 6’0”, 205-pound outfielder who plays at Oak Grove School in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Booth has been rising on the board since the beginning of his senior season. He is now viewed as arguably the best outfield prospect in this draft class.

On Perfect Game, Booth is the fourth-ranked prospect and the top-ranked outfielder in the Class of 2026. He’s also the #1 overall prospect in the Magnolia State. Booth is signed to play college baseball at Vanderbilt University.

Booth is one of the best athletes in this draft class. He’s arguably the fastest prospect and has already started to fill out his frame.

At the plate, Booth has an unorthodox batting stance and tends to swing down on the ball. While Booth is not the biggest prospect, he has plus bat speed and can already generate power with his frame. He won the Home Run Derby at the Perfect Game All-American Classic last summer.

Defensively, Booth is projected to be a center fielder due to his excellent range. He has improved his arm strength from average to above-average. According to Perfect Game, Booth has been clocked running a 6.27 60-yard dash. He also has good instincts and tracks the ball well in the outfield.

While Booth’s tools are exciting, there’s still work to be done when it comes to his overall development.

 

Strengths

Elite speed

Plus bat speed

Good bat-to-ball skills

Good feel for the strike zone

Excellent athlete

 

Weaknesses

Needs to improve at lifting the ball

Needs to improve on swing mechanics

 

Pro Comparison: Cedric Mullins

Projection: Top 10 pick

 

Bottom Line

Eric Booth Jr. is certainly has the raw talent to develop into a very productive big leaguer.

Both MLB Pipeline and Baseball America have Booth ranked as the sixth-ranked prospect in this draft class.

The Marlins will have the 14th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft and should be able to grab one of the top prospects in this draft class. Selecting Booth would come with high risk. However, that might be a risk worth taking.

 

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