As we reach April and start to get closer to the 2026 MLB Draft, we have looked at the college players in this draft a couple of times this season already. Now it’s time to turn our attention to some of the high school options that the Atlanta Braves may want to select this year.
These are going to be in alphabetical order, with a focus on players who might be selected within the first 100 picks of this draft. It will also be focusing on guys the Braves could draft, so the top prep prospect, Grady
Emerson, will not be included due to there being no chance he gets down to the team with the ninth pick.
Carson Bolemon, LHP, South Carolina HS – Bolemon is in the conversation for the top prep pitcher off the board this year, meaning the Braves would need to select him as #9 as he may not be there for #26. He hasn’t pitched a ton this spring, but does have 13 strikeouts in just five innings, while also putting up big numbers as a hitter. He has touched 94 MPH so far this spring, but shown a plenty of swing and miss with both of his breaking balls as he has three to four potentially plus pitches. He is a Wake Forest commit.
Eric Booth Jr., OF, Mississippi HS – Booth has been rising over the past few months to the point where he is a potential Top 10 pick this year. The son of a former All Conference kick returner at Southern Miss, Booth is a power/speed combo center fielder with a feel for hitting. Booth will still be just 17 on draft day, but the Vandy commit is projected average or better in four tools – with his below average arm being the one exception. It is unlikely the Braves would even see him at #26.
Coleman Borthwick, RHP, Florida HS – A potential first rounder, Borthwick has looked great so far this year. He is presently at 32.2 scoreless innings with 58 strikeouts in that time, despite a pretty tough schedule. He was recently seen hitting 97 MPH, and has also been a key piece of his team’s lineup. The U18 World Baseball Classic MVP is an Auburn commit, who could start to be an option for the Braves at 26.
Blake Bowen, OF, California HS – A riser over the fall and winter, Bowen is a physical former football player with plus grades on his power, speed, and arm. He started his rise as he showed some real improvement with the hit tool over the fall, and could project into a middle of the order bat now. Bowen is a likely first rounder, who could be in play for the second Braves pick of the round.
Will Brick, C, Tennessee HS – The unquestioned top catcher in the prep class, Brick actually reclassified into the class from the 2027 class. His high end defense is the calling card, but he should be at least average with the hit tool and power. Brick is a potential first rounder, so the Braves would need to take him with #26 or their second round selection to get the Mississippi State commit.
Blake Bryant, RHP, Georgia HS – Bryant checks a lot of boxes that the Braves like. He’s a projectable, athletic, local 6’5 pitcher with a quality fastball, potentially plus slider, and the makings of a potentially future average change, as well as a future average command grade. He also possesses an average change to deepen his arsenal. The Clemson commit is probably more of a second or third rounder as the fastball is more average to a tick above, though could turn into a plus pitch depending on how much he adds when he fills in his 6’5, 180-pound frame.
James Clark, SS, California HS – A recent riser, Clark is a player who reminds me a bit of a prospect I liked last year in Kayson Cunningham. I was high on Cunningham and his similar skill set, a potential plus hitter with plus speed to go with power that is a tick below average and some questions about sticking at short – but would have a prospect like that a little further down the board in this loaded draft. Still he is a likely first rounder, and may not even be there for the Braves second first round pick. He just switched his commitment from Princeton to Duke to play with his twin brother, so he is very much a candidate to need an overslot deal.
Trevor Condon, OF, Georgia HS – Another local product, Condon is an old school leadoff hitting center fielder. His best tool is his 70 grade speed, but he is also a potentially plus hitter with plus defense in center. He brings a bit more power than the typical 80’s/90’s leadoff center fielder, though it’s probably just below average at maturity. Condon could potentially be a candidate at the back of the first round, but more likely in the second.
Joseph Contreras, RHP, Georgia HS – The son of former big leaguer Jose Contreras, the Vandy commit has had as loud of a spring as any high schooler on this list. That’s all due to his performance in the World Baseball Classic for Brazil, getting to pitch against Team USA and holding his own as a high schooler. He’s a projectable arm on the younger side for the class, and has four potentially above average pitches, including a plus forkball to go with average command. The ceiling could be really high if he was able to add a little more movement to his fastball, which has been up to 98 MPH – but doesn’t quite play at that velocity due to lacking life on it. He will potentially come off the board somewhere after the middle of the first round.
Sean Duncan, LHP, Canada HS – The top Canadian prep prospect this year, Duncan is a projectable, younger for the class lefty with three average or better pitches plus solid command. The change is his best weapon, but like many cold weather arms, there is potential he is just scratching the surface. He is a Vanderbilt commit. Duncan could go in the second or third rounds.
Sean Dunlap, C, Indiana HS – Dunlap is considered the second best catcher in this prep class, as the Tennessee commit has an interesting tool set for the position. Dunlap is most known for his power potential and great athleticism for the position, enough that outfield isn’t out of the question for him. He’s got some questions on the swing and miss in his game and will need to continue refining his defense, but this is a premium prospect who should go within the first four rounds.
Jared Gridlinger, OF/LHP, California HS – You may remember Jared Gridlinger as the very recent reclassification from the 2027 class, as the best legitimate two way prospect since Tampa took Brendan McKay in the first round. The younger brother of 2025 prospect and current Tennessee catcher Trent Gridlinger, Jared has high upside both on the mound and at the plate. It’s tough to say where he will end up playing, and that will probably be determined by the team drafting him. That along with his later entry into this draft complicate the draft stock a little bit, but he has a chance to be drafted in the first round, even before the Braves come up at #26.
Brady Harris, OF, Florida HS – A potential five tool talent, depending on if he is able to hit enough, Brady Harris is a player who has long been on teams radars. His stock is also tough as it really depends from team to team on what they think of the hit tool. He could go as early as the second round, or make it to Florida next year.
Jensen Hirschkorn, RHP, California HS – A projectable, athletic 6’7 prep arm up to 96 MPH already with above average command and a pitch mix that the Braves like (potential swing and miss slider, average curve) should have fans paying attention to LSU commit Jensen Hirschkorn. It’s thought that this multi-sport athlete has plenty of room to add on to his 205-pound frame. Hirschkorn would need to be drafted with the second first round pick or the early second rounder.
Archer Horn, SS/RHP, California HS – Horn is both another recent riser and two-way star, though most project him to end up playing every day. Horn, who is potentially average across the board as a hitter, is a Stanford commit. There are some questions on how his range would play at short, leading to some thought that he could move to third because of his strong arm. He also has a fastball that has been up to 95 MPH, giving him a fallback option for whoever drafts him. Horn could start to play a factor in the second round.
Cole Koeninger, SS/RHP, Texas HS – Yet another two-way guy, Koeninger may have some teams that like him as a pitcher – however he prefers hitting. There are some questions on his hit tool, but he could be a kid with four above-average tools including plus grades on his run and arm. As a pitcher he has touched 97 MPH and has what should be a plus curve to go with solid command and some flashes on a lightly used change. He is a Tennessee commit. Koeninger is a possible second or third rounder.
Jacob Lombard, SS, Florida HS – The son of former Brave George Lombard and brother of current Yankee top prospect George Jr., Jacob is an interesting prospect himself. Coming into last summer many saw him as a potential Top 3 pick this year, but then he started to struggle a bit with the hit tool in showcases. He came into the spring as a guy who would need to answer some questions, and the early returns from scouts have been very positive. He is starting to trend back towards the Top 10, and likely would need to be drafted #9 for the Braves to have a chance, that is if he even makes it that far as he is a potential plus power and speed guy who us expected to stick at short.
Bo Lowrance, 3B, South Carolina HS – A projectable prep shortstop, Lowrance is likely to have to move to third base as his 6’5 frame fills in. He is a guy who should have at least plus power and has some feel for hitting. He is likely to be a second or third round target, who will need to be bought out of a Virginia commitment.
Rocco Maniscalco, SS, Alabama HS – Another reclassification originally from the 2027 class, Maniscalco is the son of a former minor leaguer. The Mississippi State commit, who doesn’t even turn 17 until May, brings five average or better tools, with his plus defense and arm at short being the carrying tools. There is some first round buzz around him, but he could start to really be an option in the second round.
Beau Peterson, 3B, Kansas HS – A rare Kansas prep star that is ranked highly, Beau Peterson is a two-way guy that projects best as a hitter. The Texas commit has big power and has shown that he could be a potential average or above hitter at maturity. There are some questions about him sticking at third base, as his foot speed is below-average, but with his big arm he should have one of the corner outfield spots as an option if he does have to eventually move off third. He would start to be an option at the end of the first round.
Kevin Roberts Jr., OF, Mississippi HS – A high school teammate of Konnor Griffin, Kevin Roberts Jr. has been on scouts radars for a long time already. He’s super toolsy and is easily a four tool guy, though there are some questions about just how much the Florida recruit will hit. The power and speed each have the potential to be plus for him, and the glove is also an asset in center, but this three-sport, two-way star does have some questions to answer because of the hit tool. There is a wide variance to where he could be drafted because of that, but he is as toolsy as anyone in the class.
Gio Rojas, LHP, Florida HS – The other arm firmly in the running for the top prep arm in the class is Gio Rojas, out of Florida powerhouse program Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS. Rojas has a plus fastball up to 98 MPH, plus slider, and the makings of a solid change to go with above average command. This Miami commit is both athletic and projectable. To draft him the Braves would likely need to take him at #9, as it doesn’t seem especially likely that he would be there at #26.
Aiden Ruiz, SS, New York HS – While Aiden Ruiz isn’t the biggest prospect out there (5’10, 168) and projects to have below-average power, there is enough to like about him that he is considered to be a potential mid to late first round pick. The switch-hitting Vanderbilt commit is an elite defender at short, has a very strong hit tool, and has above average speed. He’s the kind of player that pitchers hate to face, because he is going to grind out tough at bats and put the ball into play. With a little more power, he’d be even higher on boards, but he still hits the ball plenty hard – just more into the gaps for doubles.
Logan Schmidt, LHP, California HS – Yet another reclassification from the 2027 class, Logan Schmidt, is another prep arm who is likely to go somewhere in the first round. Schmidt is up to 97 MPH with the fastball, but it hasn’t always been a plus pitch for him. You could argue his slider is his best pitch, and he has the makings of at least an average change to go with a very good feel for command. The LSU commit, who will still be 17 on draft day, may need a little more development than Rojas and Bolemon, but has everything teams want in a prep arm.
Martin Shelar, OF, Georgia HS – One of the biggest risers from the prep ranks this spring is Martin Shelar, the Mississippi State commit from Marist HS. Shelar projects as a power hitting outfielder with some feel for the hit tool. He could be an option after the start of the second round, though might be more likely around the third round.
Savion Sims, RHP, Texas HS – An ultra long and projectable arm, Sims is 6’8 and 205-pounds with a fastball already touching 97 MPH. The rest of his arsenal projects more average, with the command still a work in progress. Although he is listed as being from a Texas high school, he transferred there from an Oklahoma high school, and is committed to his home state Sooners for next year. He is also a bit older for the class, turning 19 before the draft. Still he is a lottery ticket type of talent and projection who could start to get interest in the second or third rounds.
Tyler Spangler, SS, California HS – Spangler is another potential first round shortstop, though with his 6’3, 195-pound frame there are some who wonder if he will eventually outgrow the position. Still he’s got all five tools with average or better grades, as a player who should hit for both average and power, and play above average defense over on the left side of the infield. The Stanford commit could be an option for the Braves as early as #9, though they may be hoping he could get to #26 as a possible overslot pick.
Landon Thome, SS, Illinois HS – The son of Jim Thome is the teammate of 2025 second rounder Jaden Fauske. Thome is a prospect expected to hit for both average and power. He isn’t going to have the quickness for short as a pro, though his glove itself is solid. That leads to questions about quickness and arm strength for second and third base, with left field being a possibility. That is going to put some extra pressure on the Florida State commit’s bat, but it is a very strong bat. He could start to be a candidate late in the first round, into the second.
Kaden Waechter, RHP, Florida HS – The son of former big league pitcher Doug Waechter, Kaden is athletic and projectable, pitching with a good four-pitch mix. The fastball already touches 96 MPH to go with a swing and miss slider and solid cutter. The change is a bit behind, but he has feel for it and it could turn into an adequate fourth offering with more reps. Command is also a selling point, as it could grow into above average in time. Waechter could start to become an option in the second round. He is a Florida State commit.
Noah Wilson, OF, Tennessee HS – Wilson is another player with helium this spring. The Vanderbilt commit is a two-way star who projects as a hitter at the next level with an interesting power/speed combination. Wilson could start to be considered at the end of the first round, but is more likely a second rounder.
