2026 MLB Draft Report: 6 prep prospects to follow this spring

Prep baseball season begins in the Midwest next week, and it gives us another opportunity at Sox Machine to see potential Chicago White Sox draft targets in person. It’s well documented that they enjoy drafting and signing players from their Area Code team so in this week’s MLB Draft Report, we’ll highlight six prospects who could be draft targets starting with the second round and the 41st pick.

This weekend, I'm heading to Nashville to watch more college baseball. SEC conference play begins, and I’m looking forward to seeing Vanderbilt and LSU. Neither school has players who could challenge Roch Cholowsky's status as the heavy favorite to be selected first overall, but conference season is a great way to watch and learn about possible mid-round targets, like Kyle Lodise, Gabe Davis, and Colby Shelton from last year’s draft. Next week’s report will have more video, photos, and interviews from Nashville.

Six prep prospects to follow this spring

While the notion generates eye rolls from the Sox Machine readership, the White Sox love their Area Code team prospects. Look at our top 10 White Sox prospects list: Caleb Bonemer, Noah Schultz, Christian Oppor, and Jaden Fauske played on their Area Code teams. Before them, Colson Montgomery played on the White Sox Area Code team. Focusing on White Sox Area Code players can make the process feel insular, but still, it is a great way to learn how these prep players are developing, and to feel more comfortable with the White Sox handing out multi-million-dollar signing bonuses to teenagers.

For the 2026 class, we could see several players from this past summer’s squad selected in the first three rounds. The White Sox will have the spending power to buy out college commits from this prep pool with picks No. 41 and No. 77.

Beau Peterson, 3B, Mill Valley HS (Kansas)

Beau Peterson is ranked No. 41 in our preseason 2026 MLB Draft Top 50, so we could say he's the most appropriate selection at No. 41 and leave it at that, but he has garnered attention in the past two summer showcases. Peterson profiles as a potential left-handed power-hitting third baseman. He could play shortstop professionally, but his range is lacking compared to other first-round prep shortstop targets. Peterson has a strong throwing arm, easing doubts about his ability to stick at third base. He could also move to a corner outfield position.

Hitting-wise, Peterson has made adjustments in the lower half. Once featuring a big leg kick, he has shortened his stride and works to keep his load on the back hip before his swing. The more film I watch, the more I enjoy his swing and power potential. He’s a Texas commit, so it will require a first-round signing bonus like the White Sox have done in the past with Bonemer and Fauske.

Landon Thome, SS, Nazareth Academy HS (Illinois)

The son of Hall of Famer Jim Thome, Landon is working to create his own path to the majors. At 6 feet tall and 185 pounds, Thome isn’t built like his father as we know him, but the elder Thome was a similar size at the same age. He plays mostly at shortstop but has also played other infield positions during showcases. The White Sox have been tracking Thome not only because of his dad, but also because he was teammates with Fauske, last year’s second-round pick.

Ranked 47th in Sox Machine’s preseason top 50, Thome’s swing focuses more on generating line drives than loft. That is a key difference in how he stands out on film compared to Peterson. He uses less of a lower-half load, and his hands stay higher. After Tony Vitello left the University of Tennessee to take the San Francisco Giants manager job, Thome switched his college commitment to Florida State. Early expectations are that Thome will be selected in the first 50 picks.

Ethan Bass, SS, Glenbrook North HS (Illinois)

A regular on the showcase circuit since 2022, Ethan Bass is a right-handed shortstop with plus athleticism. Scouts have noted Bass’s ability to throw from multiple angles, which helps him make tough plays moving laterally or charging slow grounders. From the showcase film, I’d note that accuracy seems like an issue at times for Bass, as there are a few plays where his throw is pulling the first baseman off the bag when trying to make a play on the run.

The swing could use some adjustments. Bass is upright, relying on his quick hands to generate power by whipping the barrel through the zone. There is not much build-up or transition from his back hip. I am looking forward to seeing him in action this spring. If Bass can make a lower-half adjustment that unlocks more power, he could join Peterson and Thome as a top-50 pick.

Savion Sims, RHP, Prestonwood Christian HS (Texas)

A big kid with big stuff, Savion Sims possesses MLB-level velocity. He’s hit 100 mph with his four-seamer in showcases, and Texas game video has clocked him at 99 mph. Sims is working to maintain high velocity deeper into starts, as he can dip into the low-90s later in games.

Sims pairs his fastball with a tight-spinning slider and a developing changeup. At 6-8, Sims could add strength and velocity. It's unclear if he'll become a starter or reliever, but his arsenal could command a significant draft day bonus.

Dominic Santarelli, 1B, St. Joseph Academy (Wisconsin)

Every time I watch the batting cage film of Dominic Santarelli, I’m in total disbelief that he's 18 years old. Already at 6-2 and 230 pounds, Santarelli is built like a linebacker. At the Super 60 showcase in February, Santarelli was producing exit velocities greater than 110 mph with a wood bat. Because of his frame, many expect Santarelli to be a future first baseman, but we could see him play more outfield this spring.

The draw for Santarelli from a White Sox perspective is very similar to what it was when they drafted George Wolkow. With in-house financial restrictions, if the White Sox front office doesn’t have the spending capacity to attract marquee free agents, they have to learn how to develop power hitters. Santarelli definitely has the strength and showcase data to back up his future power potential, but there are questions about his future contact ability and defensive position. An LSU commit, it’ll take a sizable bonus amount to draft and sign Santarelli. 

Sean Dunlap, C, Crown Point HS (Indiana)

Typically, prep catchers with good 60-yard and 10-yard splits get moved to the outfield, but reports on Sean Dunlap suggest scouts like his ability to stay behind home plate. Dunlap’s average pop time at Perfect Game last summer was 1.94 seconds, and he hit 85 mph on throws from home. At Super 60, Dunlap had a 1.75-second pop time and ran a 6.49-second 60-yard dash.

Dunlap's bat profiles with more power than contact and shows a slight bat wrap during his load. Reports from Perfect Game note challenges with handling inside velocity. The tools Dunlap shows position him as a potential top-100 pick. He is committed to Tennessee.

Roch Report: Cholowsky hitting a cold streak

UCLA continues to roll, sweeping its first Big Ten conference series against Ohio State in Columbus last weekend. Like the previous weekend in Arlington, UCLA didn’t need to rely on Roch Cholowsky offensively, as he’s cooled off at the plate. Since Feb. 27, Cholowsky is 6-for-27 with three home runs. His bomb against Ohio State last Friday still hasn't landed.

The Buckeyes walked Cholowsky six times, so he’s still disciplined enough to keep the line moving without chasing much. D1Baseball.com’s Burke Granger was in attendance and noted more whiffs from Cholowsky against fastballs. Watching the stream, I noticed Ohio State pitchers staying away. While they did a good job against Cholowsky, the Buckeyes still allowed 40 runs in three games.

In the grand scheme of things, it's nothing to be concerned about with Cholowsky. On Tuesday, Cholowsky smashed a three-run homer to help power a nine-run first inning for UCLA against UC-Irvine.

Other MLB Draft Notes

• After Coastal Carolina shared the concerning news last week about RHP Cameron Flukey, TCU RHP Tommy LaPour’s season is in jeopardy. First reported by Kendall Rogers of D1Baseball.com, LaPour could miss the next 10 weeks with a flexor strain.
• Good injury news out of Lexington and Louisville, Kentucky, as Tyler Bell and Zion Rose return from injuries. Rose will be making his season debut for the Cardinals, who have a tough home series this weekend against Notre Dame. Bell, Sox Machine’s preseason No. 14 draft prospect, hurt his shoulder on a diving defensive attempt last month. In his return last weekend against The Citadel, Bell was Kentucky’s DH, going 5-for-9 with a home run.
• The USC Trojans are catching people’s attention with their perfect start to 2026. Already 16-0, USC held Illinois to just three runs last weekend to start Big Ten conference play, and the Trojans' pitching staff has six shutouts. Opposing teams have a .458 OPS against and are averaging 1.81 runs per game. This weekend, the Trojans visit Evanston to face Northwestern.The pitcher to watch is LHP Mason Edwards. He uses a three-pitch mix: a four-seam fastball that sits at 93 mph, along with a good curveball and changeup. In four starts, Edwards has not allowed a run in 24 innings, with 42 strikeouts and 10 walks.Looking ahead, USC visits UCLA from April 3-5. This could be a matchup between the best-performing pitching staff and the best-performing offense.

NCBWA Top 25 Poll - Week of March 9, 2026

Games I’m Watching This Weekend

No. 9 LSU at Vanderbilt

• Friday, March 13: 6:00 PM CT - SEC+
• Saturday, March 14: 7:00 PM CT - SEC Network

Players To Watch

• LSU OF Derek Curiel
• LSU OF Jake Brown
• LSU RHP Casan Evans (2027 Draft)
• LSU RHP William Schmidt (2027 Draft)
• Vanderbilt OF Braden Holcomb
• Vanderbilt RHP Connor Fennell
• Vanderbilt RHP Austin Nye (2027 Draft)