It’s still about eight months away, but it’s time to highlight some prep names at the top of the draft board for 2026. While the obvious caveats all apply here—we have a whole season between now and the draft, so plenty can change—I like this prep group quite a bit. With the caveat that many of them had uneven summers, this looks like the best high-school class since 2023. I’d argue Grady Emerson is currently the clear number one in this cluster. After him, you can make an argument for several different prospects as the next-best in that young crop.

Because there is so much flux in a typical prep class between winter and draft day, I’m only offering up a few names here. There will likely be players who vault themselves into consideration at the top of the board and some who fall off, so think of this more as an indicator of the caliber of talent than as the definitive top five names on the board. I’ve listed prospects alphabetically by last name. 

For each prospect, you’ll find their name, primary position, school, hitting and throwing hands, and their age on draft day 2026. 

Carson Boleman, LHP, Southdale Christian HS, SC, R/L, 19
Boleman is a lefty out of South Carolina who stands out for his size, present stuff and (most of all) polish. Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 210 pounds, Boleman has a repeatable operation from a three-quarter slot. His fastball has been up to 97 mph, but typically sits in the low 90s. What’s impressive is his ability to spot it anywhere in the zone. Boleman has similarly impressive command of two breaking pitches—a slower curveball and a sharp slider—with a changeup in the mix, too. A Wake Forest commit, Boleman has a track record of outstanding performance wherever he pitches, including with the 18U USA National Team in 2025.

Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian HS, TX, L/R, 18
Emerson has been a famous prospect since the age of 15. The University of Texas commit is the clear number two in this class overall, behind Roch Cholowsky of UCLA. It’s a Bobby Witt Jr. Lite kind of package, with less power currently. Emerson is a pure hitter, with a simple, adjustable swing. He doesn’t swing and miss much or expand the zone, so there’s high on-base value. There’s plenty of bat speed to suggest that more power is on the way. He’s a plus athlete and runner who defends well and should have a chance to stick at shortstop at the next level. He’s the best prep prospect in the class.

Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep HS, FL, R/R, 18
Jacob is the younger brother of George Lombard Jr., who was selected by the Yankees in a loaded 2023 class and is coming off a terrific 2025 season. Lombard the younger is one of the most tooled-up prospects in the 2026 class. He’s an explosive athlete, with plus power and speed. He offers strong defense at shortstop, with smooth actions and plenty of arm strength. Lombard is a more volatile prospect than other prep bats at the top of the class. He exhibited plenty of swing-and-miss on the summer circuit, particularly against breaking stuff. If he can iron out the hit tool inconsistencies, though, he might have the highest ceiling of any prep bat in the class. It’s a high-risk, high-reward play for a drafting organization.

Tyler Spangler, SS, De La Salle HS, CA, L/R, 18
Spangler is a Stanford commit who checks a lot of the same boxes as Emerson. A tall, wiry prospect (6-foot-3, 195 pounds), Spangler is a hit-over-power profile currently, with traits that point to more power on the way. It’s a direct swing that’s relatively short to the ball, despite his long limbs. Spangler has a knack for finding the barrel, which—combined with a good approach at the plate—gives his offensive profile a high floor. Defensively, the actions are sound. He moves laterally well and has a strong arm. Spangler is an above-average runner who may eventually find a more suitable home at third base, depending on how he develops physically and how his quickness holds up as his body fills out.

Gio Rojas, LHP, Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS, FL, R/L, 19
Rojas is likely to be one of the first arms off the board next July. It’s an easy operation with incredible arm speed from a great frame for pitching (6-foot-4, 190 pounds). Rojas’s fastball sits 94-96 mph, but has been up to 98 mph with more in the tank. The best secondary pitch is his slider, a sweeping nightmare of a pitch that generates up to 2,800 RPM of spin. There’s a changeup, too, but the fastball/slider combination is Rojas’s bread and butter. Rojas has a reputation as an excellent strike thrower. He’s committed to Miami.

Check out our 2025 draft tracker, updated with signing bonsues, scouting reports, news, and much more!

View The Draft Tracker