As we reach the end of March, most college baseball teams have either hit the halfway point in their regular season schedule, or do so after the upcoming weekend. That means now is as good of a time as any to do a midseason stock report on the 2026 MLB Draft prospects. We did one after February, which could be found right here – but now with more data, and conference play kicking off, we have a better idea of where some of these guys might be at, and which of the breakouts may be for real. As a reminder
the Atlanta Braves have picks No. 9 and No. 26 in the first round, along with No. 48 overall in the second round and No. 84 overall in the third round.
The focus here is guys who are in the Top 50-100 prospects in this draft, along with some names who have broken out this year to put themselves on the map for a potential Day 1 pick. Since the stats for all of these players are in their attached player cards, these write-ups will focus less on their stats and more on their stock and reasons why they are moving up or down at midseason.
Two names missing from the initial update, including one big name, are simply because Cameron Flukey and Tommy LaPour haven’t pitched at all since February – though Flukey is expected back in the near future and if he looks the same, could very much be a candidate for the Braves at #9. I have also removed Roch Cholowsky from the update, as there just isn’t any scenario where he would be available to the Braves this year, and I decided to leave this space for guys who could potentially be available for the Braves.
I also want to point out that these stat cards that I have generated have come from a new app focused on college baseball scores and stats, named Diamond: Baseball Stats. I would recommend the app to anyone with interest in college baseball or the draft.
Myles Bailey, 1B, Florida State – One of the top power bats in this year’s draft, Bailey is looking like he has taken the next step in his plate discipline this year as a sophomore eligible prospect with increased walks and decreased strikeouts – though the hit tool still needs further growth to reach his upside. Bailey likely isn’t a first rounder as a first base only bat with some hit tool questions, but he should go high with his elite power.
Brady Ballinger, 1B, Kansas – Ballinger bust out last year in his first year after coming from the JUCO ranks and was getting himself some later first round consideration due to some Nick Kurtz comps. Unfortunately he has never really gotten going yet this year, and took more than a month to hit his first homer of the season. Ballinger could possibly fall as far as the third round, but if he goes on a tear in the second half he could get himself back into first round conversation.
Eric Becker, SS, Virginia – Becker came in as a candidate for a Top 10 pick in this draft. Unfortunately his walks are down and his strikeouts are elevated. For a guy you are taking for his hit tool, you don’t really want to see a three strikeout to one walk ratio. That has Becker more in the late first to second round range at the moment.
Tyler Bell, SS, Kentucky – Similar to Becker above, Bell came in as a potential Top 10 pick. He got hurt on Opening Day and has returned in the last couple of weeks, so we don’t exactly have a large sample size on Bell at this point. Right now he is trending as a guy who still has a chance to go Top 10, but may have been passed out by a couple of this year’s helium guys.
Ben Blair, RHP, Liberty – A new addition since the last stock report, Blair has pitched very well so far this year at the mid major level, taking things up another level from a quality 2025 season in his starting debut. His strikeout to walk ratio is an eye-popping 14.8:1. He could be a factor in the later part of the first round.
Caden Bogenpohl, OF, Missouri State – Bogenpohl is another mid major star, though he already came in rated pretty high. An increase to his walk rate has helped to solidify him as an early pick in July, even if his home run total is a little down this year.
Jake Brown, OF, LSU – Brown used a huge February to shoot up draft boards. He has slowed down a bit from his ridiculous February pace, but is still looking like a guy who will have a chance to go in the later portion of the first round.
Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech – Burress came into the year as a candidate to go Top 5 overall. He has been having a good, though not elite season and some of the same questions about him have persisted – namely struggles against breaking balls. Burress is likely going to go Top 10-15, though he may not have the upside that some of the other candidates for the No. 9 pick have.
Cole Carlon, LHP, Arizona State – Carlon has emerged as the top college lefty in this year’s draft through the first half of the season, as he has been nasty all year while leading a surprise ASU team. That 14.4 K/9 is very much legit.
Derek Curiel, OF, LSU – Coming into the season Curiel was getting some Top 10 talk after a strong freshman debut last year. He hasn’t quite lived up to those expectations, and is now looking more like a late first round option because we are still waiting on his power to show up in games.
Daniel Cuvet, 3B, Miami – Cuvet is another slugger, though one with some real question marks. He has done a better job of limiting his strikeouts this year, but the future position questions around him still exist.
Jason DeCaro, RHP, North Carolina – DeCaro got off to a hot start to this year, but wasn’t quite as elite in March. At this point he is looking like more of a guy who should be picked sometime after No. 26, as the stuff isn’t on the level of some of the top tier of arms – though his three-year history of production in an ACC weekend role could be enough to entice a team early.
Jacob Dudan, RHP, NC State – Dudan has emerged this year after starting the year behind fellow 2026 prospect Ryan Marohn in the Wolfpack rotation. He has the swing and miss stuff to get himself drafted in the second round.
Mason Edwards, LHP, USC – One of this year’s biggest surprise teams is USC emerging as a Top 25 team. One of USC’s biggest surprise players has been Edwards emerging as a true ace on the college level. He is a guy the Braves would need to take at No. 26 to have a chance at, as he is chasing down Carlon for the top college lefty in this draft. The command is really the only thing keeping him from being even higher on the board.
Jackson Flora, RHP, UC Santa Barbara – Flora has looked excellent this year and is firmly in the mix as high as No. 2, looking like the best pitcher in this draft – partly because Cam Flukey’s injury has kept him from competing for that spot. There is a strong possibility that he won’t even be around for the Braves to pick.
Gabe Gaeckle, RHP, Arkansas – Gaeckle got off to a strong start to the year, but he hasn’t been as consistent in March. Gaeckle has elite stuff, but has never spent a full season in a starting role, so the question on if he could be starting to wear down has to be in the back of scout’s minds. Also his fastball has been a slight tick down from it’s peak, which might push him into the second round instead of being an option at No. 26.
Will Gasparino, OF, UCLA – Like Jake Brown above, a huge first month has shot Gasparino up the draft board. He has slowed down in March and still should go high this summer, but he is outside of the first round.
AJ Gracia, OF, Virginia – Gracia came in as a potential Top 10 pick and the Duke transfer has lived up to the hype. He’s a lefty with a pretty swing that should be able to hit for both average and power, which is a description that also fits Kyle Tucker well. Gracia may or may not be there when the Braves pick at No. 9, but if he is available he would be among the first names on the list for me to select.
Gavin Grahovac, 3B, Texas A&M – Last year was a lost year for Grahovac, as injury limited him to just six games. He came in as a potential first rounder and is having a good year at the plate, but his power just hasn’t showed up in games like it did back in 2024 – however it has started to come on a bit within the last week. He’s still a potential first rounder, as the power is definitely in there, but he is a bit hard for me to place right now.
Chris Hacopian, SS, Texas A&M – Hacopian transferred in from Maryland and was seen as a potential Top 10 pick coming into the season. He has performed well, though there has been some missed time with injury as well. He is still a Top 10 candidate, but his medicals could end up being a factor.
Daniel Jackson, C, Georgia – Daniel Jackson was not high on my list coming into the year as a three true outcomes hitter. However he has made real strides to cut the strikeouts and been among the national leaders in homers all season. Add in high end athleticism behind the plate and some defensive versatility, and Jackson is on the rise right now. He could be in play as high as some point in the second round with his interesting skill set for a catcher, but his second half could continue to push him up the board.
Cam Johnson, LHP, Oklahoma – Johnson is another one of the pitchers who have really emerged this season. His numbers have been excellent as the Sooners ace, and he could earn himself a spot in the second round of the draft.
Tegan Kuhns, RHP, Tennessee – After coming into the season as a late first round candidate, Kuhns has done nothing to dissuade that opinion, as his numbers would look even better if not for a couple mistakes being punished. At this point there is even a chance he wouldn’t be available to the Braves at No. 26.
Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech – Lackey came into the year as a potential first rounder, an advanced defender at catcher with elite athleticism for the position and a bat with potential to continue developing. His bat has taken a real step forward to the point he is a legit Top 10 candidate and passed out his teammate Burress for me. In fact the bat and athleticism are so good, you have to wonder if a team considers moving him to the outfield to fast track him to the big leagues and help extend his career. He would be very high on my list for the Braves at No. 9 – that is if he is even available at that point.
Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama – Yes, Lebron is considered a strong bet to go Top 3-4, but there is a world where he could slip just a little as guys like Flora, Strosnider, Lackey, and Gracia have earned Top 5 consideration. That is the only reason he is even included on this list, and it would be an absolute no brainer for the Braves to select him if he was available.
Wes Mendes, LHP, Florida State – The next in a long line of aces for the Seminoles, Mendes has been one of the best pitchers in the country this season. Despite his elite results, his stuff isn’t quite first round caliber, and he is more likely to go in the second or third rounds.
Ethan Norby, LHP, East Carolina – While Norby has hardly been bad, it’s safe to say that he has been passed out by some of the helium lefties in the race for best college lefty that was him versus Carlon at the start of the season. He is probably more of a second round pick.
Liam Peterson, RHP, Florida – Another season, and it’s been the same Peterson. He has Top 5 stuff, but the results have been inconsistent from start to start for him as his command has been up and down. He came in as the favorite to be the first college arm off the board, but has definitely been passed by Flora at this point.
Jack Radel, RHP, Notre Dame – Radel is the final helium arm to make this list, as he has taken a big step forward for the Irish this season. Radel’s numbers are just crazy, and the stuff is strong too. He could be pushing himself up into the first round conversation.
Ace Reese, 3B, Mississippi State – Reese came in likely to be picked somewhere between No. 10 and No. 15 before the season. However his big start to the season has his name now in the consideration for going somewhere in the Top 10, even if he has some questions about his future defensive home.
Chris Rembert, 2B, Auburn – Another sophomore eligible bat, Rembert came in as a late first round candidate. It’s been a good season for him so far, though he hasn’t really seen his stock move either way with his own performance.
Aiden Robbins, OF, Texas – The replacement in the Texas lineup for Will Gasparino, who left for UCLA, Robbins has seen his power show up more often in games while still getting on base at a high clip after trading Seton Hall for the Horns.
Zion Rose, OF, Louisville – Rose got a late start to his season because of injury, and after starting out his season hot in March, he hasn’t played since March 20 until coming into a game late yesterday and not recording any stats. He came in a potential late-first round candidate and has been good when he has been on the field, but at the same time he also hasn’t been on the field much yet this spring.
Caden Sorrell, OF, Texas A&M – Caden Sorrell came in a potential first round pick trying to bounce back from injury last year. So far the bat has looked great and he has put himself into Top 10 consideration, despite the swing and miss in his game.
Sawyer Strosnider, OF, TCU – Coming into the season Strosnider was seen as a first round pick after a freshman season that saw 10+ doubles, triples, homers, and steals. His bat has taken a leap forward to the point he could now be going as high as Top 5 overall as a potential true five tool prospect. Assuming my personal Top 3 of Roch Cholowsky, Grady Emerson, and Justin Lebron are gone, I would take Strosnider over anyone else in this draft right now at No. 9.
Cade Townsend, RHP, Ole Miss – Another one of the big helium pitchers, Townsend has really emerged this year to become a true first round candidate. He left his March 14 outing against Texas early with shoulder soreness and only returned on Sunday the 29th. That start wasn’t his best, as he was hit for three homers, but did also manage eight strikeouts in four innings of work. The fact he is a pitcher dealing with shoulder soreness is going to cause some pause until we see how his health and stuff look in the second half of the season, at least until teams get a chance to review his medicals ahead of the draft.
Joey Volchko, RHP, Georgia – The Stanford transfer has come to Athens and has seemed to make real strides in his development with a new coaching staff. Volchko has first round stuff, but until we see him make more SEC starts he might be hard to place. Right now his stock is very much dependent on whether teams can see his command continuing to improve or not.
