With the college baseball season past the midway point and a month away from conference tournaments, it’s a good time to reevaluate how the 2026 MLB draft class stacks up. While shortstops Roch Cholowsky and Grady Emerson continue to run 1-2 on the Sox Machine draft board, behind them are new names entering the top-five conversation.

Right-handed pitcher Jackson Flora from UC-Santa Barbara is trying to follow his former teammate Tyler Bremner’s path of getting his name called in the first two picks. Preseason, it wouldn’t have been a surprise to see a player from Georgia Tech in the top five, but it’s catcher Vahn Lackey, not outfielder Drew Burress, who stakes that claim.

The prep class is better than I initially thought. Jacob Lombard and Eric Booth Jr. could both sneak into the top five, and there could be a run of prep pitchers in the first round with southpaws Gio Rojas and Carson Bolemon leading that charge. From a Chicago White Sox perspective, a bunch of their Area Code players will be available to them in the second round, along with a group of college players whose stock was impacted by performance or injury this 2026 season -- especially with the outfield position group, which has become an organizational sore spot.

Below is a breakdown of the top 10 prospects and the full Top 100 list. 

No. 1: Roch Cholowsky - Shortstop, UCLA

I’ve watched every inning of UCLA baseball this spring, much to the chagrin of my friends who want to discuss over drinks A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms or the new Star Wars animated show. It’s been a special season for the Bruins, who are the clear-cut best team in the country and should be heavy favorites to reach the College World Series. What’s impressive about this run is that UCLA hasn’t had to count on Roch Cholowsky to be Superman.

That’s a good thing, because Cholowsky has been rather pedestrian hitting against Big Ten pitching this spring.

This offense performance has opened the door for Grady Emerson to be considered more seriously by the White Sox. According to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, Chris Getz and White Sox scouts will be visiting Emerson soon.

I’m still ranking Cholowsky as the top prospect because I think there’s more power potential in his swing than Emerson. 

No. 2: Grady Emerson - Shortstop, Fort Worth Christian (TX)

Grady Emerson is a better baseball player at age 18 than Cholowsky was, but what MLB teams will have to gauge is how much better he will get over the next two to three years. We’ve recently seen impact prep bats fly through farm systems, Konnor Griffin and Kevin McGongile being the latest examples, so maybe Emerson isn’t that far away from the majors -- especially if he can maintain his profile of being a plus defender and contact shortstop.

The lingering question is about the power potential. Cholowsky made a significant adjustment between his freshman and sophomore seasons at UCLA. But if Emerson is able to accomplish that same feat, but from Low-A to High-A minor league ball, isn’t that more meaningful development? That’s going to be the ongoing debate until draft day.

No. 3: Jackson Flora - Right-handed pitcher, UC-Santa Barbara

A four-pitch mix that features a four-seam fastball with 60+ grade velocity (at times touching 100 mph), a slider, a sweeper and an impressive changeup will have every MLB team standing in line to have a shot of acquiring such an arm.

While Jackson Flora doesn’t have the track record of former teammate and 2025 second-overall pick Tyler Bremner, I think he has better overall stuff. With how expensive pitching is getting in baseball, Flora could be a future $200 million (or more) arm.

No. 4: Vahn Lackey - Catcher, Georgia Tech

Catcher U. is developing another great backstop with Vahn Lackey looking to follow the path of Jason Varitek, Matt Wieters, Joey Bart, and Kevin Parada as first-round picks. Hitting .386/.509/.765 this season with 12 homers and 45 RBIs in 36 games, Lackey has taken a big jump offensively this junior season while still demonstrating good defensive ability behind the plate.

No. 5: Jacob Lombard - Shortstop, Gulliver Prep (FL)

Last year, Jacob Lombard hit .306/.510/.750 against Miami-area high school pitching. In 2026, Lombard is hitting .507/.621/.925 with eight home runs. His ability to make contact was a big question from last summer’s showcase events, but if Lombard has made big strides in improving that aspect of his game, when it’s all said and done, he could be the best prospect in this draft.

No. 6: Eric Booth Jr. - Outfielder, Oak Grove HS (MS)

One of the fastest risers in this draft class is Eric Booth Jr. out of Mississippi. He ran a 6.27-second 60-yard dash at the Perfect Game showcase last summer, and Booth has plus-bat speed and raw power to dream on. I can imagine some White Sox fans reading about a left-handed power-hitting centerfield profile and wondering, “Why isn’t he in consideration to be selected first overall?”

An easy answer to that question is that teams don’t draft by need in MLB. But as one reads reports out of Mississippi about Booth, there are similarities with how Konnor Griffin was being scouted. It's difficult to gauge how good a player is against poor high school pitching when they are not being challenged and are being pitched around. That’s happening quite a bit with Booth this spring, but it’s an enticing profile and enough tools to help build a future star.

No. 7: AJ Gracia - Outfielder, Virginia 

A consistent performer in college, AJ Gracia transferred from Duke to Virginia this spring to follow coach Chris Pollard. In 38 games, Gracia is hitting .326/.473/.610 with 11 homers and 35 RBIs. Over the past two seasons, Gracia has posted a 12 percent strikeout rate, which is lower than his walk rate (17.4% this season). The profile feels safe for teams looking to mitigate as much risk as possible in the top 15.

No. 8: Justin Lebron - Shortstop, Alabama

Something about facing SEC pitching gives Justin Lebron fits, as his overall numbers take a hit for the second year in a row when conference play begins. While he’s cut down his strikeout rate from 24 percent to 19 percent this season, Lebron’s groundball rate has increased by 13 percent (44.6). It’s a big reason why he’s batting .230/.344/.410 against SEC opponents this season.

I’m not totally out on Lebron because he has the makings to be a plus defender at shortstop with very good base-stealing skills and surprising extra base pop. But any MLB team that drafts Lebron will need to help him refine his swing and approach.

No. 9: Liam Peterson - Right-handed Pitcher, Florida

Liam Peterson hasn’t been the consistent starter Florida has needed this season, and he's now starting Saturday games with Aidan King taking over Friday night duties. But Peterson has big stuff, with a five-pitch mix that features a four-seam fastball that sits 96-97 mph. The slider and cutter need refining, and Peterson has flashed a two-seamer and changeup in games.

When Peterson is in rhythm, he’s tough to hit. In four of his nine starts, Peterson has only allowed one hit, but at times, Peterson faces a tough inning when his mechanics break down, making him susceptible the big inning. Maybe he's not a future ace of a pitching staff, but Peterson has the makings of being a No. 3 starter in the majors.

10) Drew Burress - Outfielder, Georgia Tech

In 2024, Drew Burress was already seen as a potential top pick in the 2026 MLB Draft after he hit .381/.512/.821 his freshman season with 25 homers and 67 RBIs. Unless Burress suddenly goes scorched Earth against ACC pitching this second half, that’s going to be his best college season. Through 36 games, Burress is hitting .338/.475/.600 in his junior season, which is another drop in OPS from last year (1.162 in 2025). With just seven home runs, Burress is expected to see another decline from his power numbers.

It’s odd to see a player regress during a college career, but Burress is a good hitter. Maybe he's not fulfilling his projection of becoming elite from two years ago, but this is an outfield profile with the ability to cover center, even though his undersized frame may move him to a corner position.

Updated 2026 MLB Draft Top 100