Oxford High School shortstop Rocco Maniscalco is officially heading to the pros. The St. Louis Cardinals selected the 17-year-old with the 50th overall pick in the second round of the 2026 Major League Baseball draft.Maniscalco first caught the attention of scouts when he was just a freshman at Oxford. At the time, evaluators were visiting the high school to watch Carter Johnson, a 2024 second-round pick by the Marlins, but they couldn’t help but notice the young shortstop.After reclassifying into the 2026 draft, Maniscalco became one of the youngest players selected in years at just 17 years and 2 months old. The Mississippi State recruit shares some similarities to 2025 No. 1 overall pick Eli Willits, though scouts note Maniscalco possesses more power potential with slightly less speed.On the field, there is no question about his ability to remain at shortstop. Scouts project the 6-foot-2, 192-pound athlete as a plus defender, praising his smooth actions and well-above-average arm strength.>> FOLLOW YOUR TEAMS: Sports coverage from WVTM 13At the plate, the switch-hitter shows a markedly better stroke from the left side. While he previously carried a reputation for having a very advanced approach for his age, Maniscalco struggled to make contact against Alabama high school pitching during his final season. Evaluators noted he looked overmatched before rallying later in the spring, looking too aggressive at times and too passive at others.Despite concerns over his current hitting ability and a deep trigger in his swing, evaluators are willing to cut him some slack because of his youth. Most scouts believe he will develop average or better power as he continues to fill out his frame.Baseball is in Maniscalco’s blood. He has developed a high baseball IQ while growing up around the game with his father, Matt Maniscalco, who reached Triple-A as a shortstop in the Rays system and currently runs his travel ball program.>>VIDEO BELOW: Family, hard work fuel Oxford’s Rocco Maniscalco’s draft riseStay updated on the latest sports stories with the WVTM 13 app. You can download it here.

OXFORD, Ala. —

Oxford High School shortstop Rocco Maniscalco is officially heading to the pros. The St. Louis Cardinals selected the 17-year-old with the 50th overall pick in the second round of the 2026 Major League Baseball draft.

Maniscalco first caught the attention of scouts when he was just a freshman at Oxford. At the time, evaluators were visiting the high school to watch Carter Johnson, a 2024 second-round pick by the Marlins, but they couldn’t help but notice the young shortstop.

After reclassifying into the 2026 draft, Maniscalco became one of the youngest players selected in years at just 17 years and 2 months old. The Mississippi State recruit shares some similarities to 2025 No. 1 overall pick Eli Willits, though scouts note Maniscalco possesses more power potential with slightly less speed.

On the field, there is no question about his ability to remain at shortstop. Scouts project the 6-foot-2, 192-pound athlete as a plus defender, praising his smooth actions and well-above-average arm strength.

>> FOLLOW YOUR TEAMS: Sports coverage from WVTM 13

At the plate, the switch-hitter shows a markedly better stroke from the left side. While he previously carried a reputation for having a very advanced approach for his age, Maniscalco struggled to make contact against Alabama high school pitching during his final season. Evaluators noted he looked overmatched before rallying later in the spring, looking too aggressive at times and too passive at others.

Despite concerns over his current hitting ability and a deep trigger in his swing, evaluators are willing to cut him some slack because of his youth. Most scouts believe he will develop average or better power as he continues to fill out his frame.

Baseball is in Maniscalco’s blood. He has developed a high baseball IQ while growing up around the game with his father, Matt Maniscalco, who reached Triple-A as a shortstop in the Rays system and currently runs his travel ball program.

>>VIDEO BELOW: Family, hard work fuel Oxford’s Rocco Maniscalco’s draft rise

Stay updated on the latest sports stories with the WVTM 13 app. You can download it here.