The 2026 MLB Draft is considered to be very strong, and it is an especially strong class within the state of Georgia – more than 30 names below would be slam dunks to be selected this year based on talent, though the money might keep some from being picked. I wanted to provide an update on how prospects within the state are looking thus far, as the Atlanta Braves are very likely looking closely at them.
To be able to make this list a player either needs to play their high school or college baseball
within the state. Some of these prospects were already covered in the college and prep updates recently, so the updates on those prospects will be a little more brief to focus on some newer names.
Jess Ackerman, LHP, Mercer – Ackerman is a senior reliever who has posted an impressive strikeout rate this year, with 41 strikeouts in his first 25.2 innings. The former starter with a big sweeping breaking ball could make a nice senior sign, even with some questions surrounding his command.
Jarren Advincula, 2B, Georgia Tech – After transferring into Tech from Cal for this year, Advincula had received some first round buzz heading into the season. He’s had an excellent season, as he’s got nearly a .500 OBP (.494) with a very low strikeout rate (12 K in 171 PA) and double plus speed. The power hasn’t really been as much of a factor as you would hope, and that will likely push him to the second round in this loaded draft.
Caden Aoki, RHP, Georgia – Aoki is a fifth year senior who turns 24 later this summer, but the USC transfer is striking guys out at a career best rate in his first season in the SEC. Currently his 12.7 K/9 over 35.1 innings is nearly four above his highest posted during his three years with the Trojans (8.5), and three above what he did in his one short sample season with Notre Dame as a freshman. He’s definitely a senior sign considering the age and the fact he sits more in the 88-90 MPH range, but his curve and change are both capable of missing bats.
Jack Arcamone, C, Georgia – Last year Arcamone was receiving some fairly early draft buzz as a sophomore eligible, but ended up passing up the draft to transfer from Richmond to the ACC. His numbers are down across the board from .355/.463/.675 to .302/.406/.453 and he hasn’t played as much as initially expected due in part to the emergence of Daniel Jackson. This follows an up and down stint in the Cape last summer, where he posted a .779 OPS but also struck out 21 times in just 49 plate appearances. Still this is a catcher who was highly thought of a year ago, and is still a name that teams are monitoring.
Ryan Black, INF, Georgia – Black is another senior sign candidate who is having the best season of his career. So far he is hitting .307/.41/.564 with six homers and 23 walks to 26 strikeouts over 127 plate appearances. As a senior with two years of production in the SEC, plus the versatility to play everywhere in the infield as well as left field, he is a guy with a chance to hear his name called.
Blake Bryant, RHP, Citizens Christian Academy – Covered in the recent high school update, Bryant is a prep right-hander with a deep arsenal and plenty of upside that could hear his name called in the second or third rounds.
Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech – Covered in the college update, Burress is a first rounder. Unfortunately he is sliding a bit as others strengthen their stock, while he is having the least productive year with the power in his Tech career. Some of that may be due to the pressure of his draft season, but he has been able to be attacked with breaking balls at a higher rate too.
Porter Buursema, RHP, Georgia Tech – In his second year with Tech, Buursema has elite stuff and a deep arsenal – though due to issues with command he has been best in shorter stints out of the bullpen. However he did have a solid run as a starter last summer in the Northwoods League. When he is pitching out of the pen he is able to ramp up the velocity to the upper 90s and pairs that fastball with a cutter and two different breaking balls. Buursema is an interesting target in the draft with bat missing stuff, but also is walking nearly a batter per inning, so the hope with him is that a pro developmental staff can help him harness his stuff. Considering some teams may be looking at him as a starter, he could potentially go somewhere between the fifth and tenth rounds.
Justin Byrd, RHP, Georgia – Byrd is a redshirt junior who offers multi-inning relief potential while posting a K/9 rate of greater than 10.5 in each of his two years in Athens. Some teams may even be considering him as a starter with a low to mid 90’s fastball with good movement, quality slider, and solid change. He is more likely ticketed for relief though, where he can dial up the velocity to 96 MPH. He is already 22 – though just turned 22 in March, and is more likely to be taken after the 11th round.
Jackson Chirello, OF, Kennesaw State – Chirello is a senior sign candidate who was a mid to late round prospect a year ago, following a solid Cape showing in 2024 and a decent junior season. He is in the middle of his best season, and has already surpassed his career-high in home runs. Even more importantly he has so far shaved more than five percent off his strikeout rate, though it is still higher than you would like against Conference USA competition at 25.4%.
Trevor Condon, OF, Etowah HS – He was covered already in the high school update, as Condon is a potential first or second rounder who offers an excellent hit tool and speed with a chance to be a good defender in center.
RJ Cope, LHP/1B, Georgia Premier Academy – An interesting two-way prospect with a massive 6’8, 245-pound frame, Cope has been on the radar for a while now. The power is very real as a hitter, though he also comes with swing and miss concerns. More teams seem to prefer him as a pitcher, where he is in the mid 90’s with a solid slider and a change that is more advanced than you typically see for a high school power arm. Based on talent alone he could be a candidate starting around the fourth round, however a team selecting him would need to buy him out of his Vanderbilt commitment and the ability to play both ways there. It is also worth noting that he is a bloodline prospect, as his father played in the minor leagues.
Joseph Contreras, RHP, Blessed Trinity Catholic – The biggest bloodline prospect in the state, Joseph is the son of former All Star Jose Contreras. Joseph notably pitched for Team Brazil in the recent World Baseball Classic, and had a good showing against Team USA. I recently covered him in the high school update, and he is a possibly first or second round pick.
Isaiah Galason, SS, Houston County – Galason is kind of an infield version of Condon. He’s got a very strong hit tool, which could be an above average tool, and double plus speed, though his power is more hoping for an average grade. Some think he could stick at short, but others believe he may need to move to second base. The Georgia Tech commit is young for the class, but if a team thinks he could stick at short then they may be considering him around the start of the third round.
Andrew Garnett, RHP, Mercer – A senior sign reliever candidate, Garnett is in the middle of a bit of a breakout season. He’s currently pitching to a 2.79 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 28 strikeouts in 19.1 innings with just 12 hits and seven walks allowed. Those numbers would be even better, if not for the fact he’s been touched up for five runs between his last two appearances. The stuff isn’t that loud, but a team may value his results for one of their cost savings picks.
Alex Hernandez, 2B, Georgia Tech – A sophomore-eligible prospect, Hernandez was a two-way prospect until this year when he has focused only on hitting. He’s been extremely productive since stepping on campus with a career .349/.447/.595 slash line to go with 23 career homers, and also looked good in his brief stint in the Cape last summer. He does strikeout a bit too much with a 22.8% rate, but the hit tool has a chance to grow into being average. Still he could be average or better across the board, with a chance at plus power, has some defensive versatility, and there is hope for some untapped potential due to only hitting full time for the first time this year. He is expected to go in the second or third round.
Kenny Ishikawa, OF/LHP, Georgia – Ishikawa is an interesting prospect. Born in Japan, he was selected in the sixth round of the NPB draft last year. The two-way player is draft eligible as a sophomore, however things haven’t gone according to plan for him in his first year in the SEC after transferring from Seattle. As a hitter he is hitting .286/.434/.333 in 53 plate appearances, as he did miss some time after an early injury. As a pitcher he is pitching to an 11.08 ERA, though he has hit 95 MPH with some feel for the slider and change, which has led to 18 strikeouts in 13.1 innings. Things went a lot better for him last year, and a team could consider him as a guy with some untapped upside that has just had a tough year because of that early season injury.
Cameron Jackson, SS, Georgia Premier Academy – This Oklahoma commit is an athletic player filled with upside. He will likely stick at short and has the ability to hit for both average and power. He’s a switch-hitter with room to continue to fill in the frame to add to that power. He has risen over the last year, and now could go somewhere after the fourth round begins.
Daniel Jackson, C, Georgia – Already covered in the college update, Jackson is one of the season’s bigger breakouts. He’s an athletic catcher with real power who could be a candidate between the second and third rounds at the moment, though a strong finish could further lift his stock since college catchers tend to rise in the draft.
Jamir Johnson, OF, Locust Grove – A bit of a rising prospect this spring as a toolsy power/speed combo guy who will have a real chance to stick in center. Johnson does have some questions about his hit tool, though he has shown enough that teams could be optimistic about it, and will have to prove he can stick in center long term. He is committed to Cincinnati, but will have a real chance at a team drafting him high enough to sign him.
Keon Johnson, SS, First Presbyterian Day – Johnson came into last summer with some first round talk, but a tough summer for him has dropped him down a couple of rounds. He is still a young for the class, toolsy athlete that should stick on the left side of the infield with some feel for contact and some future power potential. He is committed to Vanderbilt, which could make him a tough sign.
Titan Kamaka, INF, Mercer – Kamaka is a senior sign candidate in the middle of a breakout season. He started off at Florida State and came to Mercer for last year, when he had a solid year – but strides with thee hit tool have made him even better this year. He is presently slashing .397/.494/.619 with three homers among his 21 extra base hits, and has more walks (23) than strikeouts (22).
Carson Kerce, SS, Georgia Tech – Kerce was good for Tech last year posting a .886 OPS. Then he took things to another level this year, slashing .402/.486/.677 with four homers among his 26 extra base hits and as many walks as strikeouts. He’s a plus runner with a strong hit tool and should be able to stick at short, but also brings some defensive versatility. He could be an option as early as the second round, but is probably more of a third round candidate.
Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech – Part of the recent college update, Lackey is looking like a Top 3-5 pick this year. He started off the year hoping to go in the first round, but his breakout with the bat makes it seem very unlikely that the Braves even get a chance to select him.
Garrett Lambert, RHP, Mercer – Lambert is the rare freshman eligible player, as he was a part of the 2023 high school class, pitched four games in 2024 and took a medical redshirt, then was forced to miss last year as well. He has pitched to a 4.85 ERA and 1.46 WHIP with 44 strikeouts in 39 innings and is considered to be the top prospect in the SoCon this season.
Griffin Long, RHP, Sonoraville – Long is a bit of a different profile for a prep pitcher. He’s a projectable, athletic, young for the class arm who has been up to 95 MPH this spring with a potentially plus change. His biggest question is the fact his breaking ball needs a lot of work. He’s committed to Kennesaw State.
Dylan Loy, LHP, Georgia Tech – Loy transferred into Tech from Tennessee this year and has a premium slider. Unfortunately his fastball relies more on deception than velocity and command can be an issue at times, which has led to him bouncing around between the rotation and bullpen. He has pitched to a 3.48 ERA and 1.23 WHIP with 32 strikeouts in 31 innings. Loy is probably a later round candidate, but could end up back at Tech for another season now in the NIL era.
James McCoy, INF, Georgia Southern – A 24-year-old senior who came to GSU from Kentucky for this year, McCoy is in the middle of a breakout. He is slashing .372/.491/.620 with six homers and offers versatility considering he has been a two-way guy who has played first, third, and all three outfield spots in his career. His age might make him undesirable for some teams, but the production and previous pedigree are there to have some interested as a senior sign, and the hopes of having him focus just on hitting could help continue the growth he has seen this year.
Tate McKee, RHP, Georgia Tech – Tech’s Friday night starter for the past two years has low to mid 90’s stuff and a couple of solid secondaries. He has just been more up and down with the results. Last year he had a 4.84 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, and 9.3 K/9, numbers that are 3.50, 1.35, and 9.3 this year to date. McKee could start to be an option in the fourth or fifth round and has back of the rotation upside.
Jordy Oriach, OF, Georgia – Oriach transferred into Georgia from New Mexico and has put up a good year in the SEC, following a great year in the Mountain West. He’s slashing .346/.458/.603 with five homers and more walks than strikeouts. This comes after a 1.218 OPS and 16 homers at New Mexico last year. Being a senior with a history of production, including now in the SEC, he projects as a senior sign.
Tre Phelps, OF, Georgia – After hitting 12 and 10 homers in his first two years as a Bulldog, Phelps is off to his best year yet with a career-high 14 homers to go with a slash of .393/.517/.757, while also reducing his strikeout rate from last year. The power is real, but there are some questions about the hit tool and he looks like he could start to be under consideration around the fifth round.
Daniel Powell, RHP, Kennesaw State – Kennesaw State’s closer Daniel Powell is an intriguing arm with the pitch mix to be tried as a starter in pro ball. He would probably be more of a backend guy as the fastball is more fringy and his change is his best pitch, but he’s been pitching to a 2.75 ERA and 1.14 WHIP with 10.3 K/9 over 36 innings.
AJ Rice, RHP, Pickens Day – Rice is an Auburn commit in the mid 90’s with a nasty slider and a high spin cutter plus a lesser used cutter. He represents another two-way guy and will have a good amount of projection remaining.
Wessley Roberson, OF, Glynn Academy – Roberson is very similar to Condon in the fact the LSU commit is a speedy center fielder with a strong hit tool and good defensive potential. The power is the one tool that doesn’t stand out, and projects to be below-average to fringy. It is worth noting that he is on the younger side for the class.
Kent Schmidt, 1B, Georgia Tech – After a good freshman year at Georgia Southern, Schmidt came to Tech for the 2025 season. There he slashed .397/.464/.596 with five homers and 17 walks to 22 strikeouts. He has followed that up by slashing .286/.460/.462 with four homers and 28 walks to 22 strikeouts this year, after a solid run in the Cape last summer. Still he’s a first baseman without the prototypical power for the position and hasn’t quite hit as well as he did last year. It wouldn’t be out of the question that a team bought in on his feel for contact and the fact he had 21 extra base hits last year though.
Matt Scott, RHP, Georgia – While he is a senior, Matt Scott won’t be a senior sign. This is a kid with first round stuff, but inconsistent command which has held him back his whole career. He is off to the best start of his career, pitching mostly in relief in his first year after transferring in from Stanford. To date he has a 3.45 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and 43 strikeouts to 11 walks in 28.1 innings. Scott figures to go somewhere between the fourth and tenth rounds as an underslot selection, though is likely looking at a bigger bonus than the $5-25k most senior signs get.
Justin Shadek, RHP, Georgia Tech – Tech brought in Shadek from Rutgers this year, and although the sophomore eligible arm hasn’t lived up to the expectations due to issues with command, he still has touched 100 MPH and shown off his high spin curve. Shadek could be drafted by a team hoping to harness his stuff, though his future would likely by in the bullpen.
Matthew Sharman, RHP, Etowah – Sharman is a Georgia commit with an interesting three pitch mix. He’s been up to 95 MPH, has the makings of a swing and miss slider, and some feel for the change. He has also been a two-way guy through his high school career, so there is hope that he would be able to continue his growth as he focuses on pitching full time.
Martin Shelar, OF, Marist – Covered in the recent high school update, Shelar is a helium prospect on the rise as a power hitting outfield prospect. He could come off the board starting in the second round and is a Mississippi State commit.
Logan Shepherd, 1B, Mercer – Shepherd has hit himself into consideration this spring, slashing .345/.469/.697 with 14 homers, nine doubles, 26 walks, and 37 strikeouts over 179 plate appearances after coming over from a JUCO. He will have a chance to be a later round pick.
Dylan Vigue, RHP, Georgia – Another transfer into UGA this year, Vigue came from Michigan and had success there. He is off to a strong start with a 2.63 ERA and 1.15 WHIP, though it is worth noting he left Friday’s start injured. He profiles as a backend starter with a mid 90’s sinking fastball and potentially plus slider. If healthy he could be someone who could go starting later in the third round.
Joey Volchko, RHP, Georgia – Covered in the recent college update, Volchko will have a chance to be drafted towards the end of the first round.
Malachi Washington, OF, Parkview – Washington is a younger for the class premium athlete with a chance to stick in center because of his speed. He has started to come into more power within the last year, and the LSU commitment will be on the younger side for the class.
Colin White, LHP, Harrison – White is an older for the class lefty who is up to 96 MPH with a big time curve. He hasn’t done a ton of showcases and has command questions, but the two potentially plus pitches make him worth tracking. He will be off of some teams boards because he will be 19 and a half at the time of the draft, but it is possible a team can lure him away from his Florida commitment.
Sean White, C, Georgia Southern – White is a potential senior sign catcher hitting .274/.371/.438 with six homers so far this year, after hitting a combined 17 in the previous two seasons.
Cooper Williams, OF, Kennesaw State – Cooper Williams is on this list because of his production, slashing .339/.432/.520 with five homers and 15 steals. However he strikes out a bit more than you’d like to see for a guy without bigger power, striking out 30 times in 148 plate appearances. He may or may not get drafted this year, but he will at least be considered.
Ryan Zuckerman, 3B, Georgia Tech – Zuckerman is in his first year at Tech after transferring in from Pitt, where he hit nine and 13 homers in his first two years. He is at a career-high 14 homers with a .362/.474/.780 slash, but the 49 strikeouts in 156 plate appearances is a very concerning number and speaks to the questions about his hit tool. Still he is a proven power bat and may be considered somewhere after the fifth round.
