The Big Ten isn’t just a cold-weather conference anymore. With Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington in the fold, the league stretches coast to coast, and its talent pool has deepened with it. A deeper pool means more names slip through the cracks, especially with the portal reshuffling rosters every summer. It doesn't help that area jobs in the Pacific Northwest continue to get shelved, too.
Here are 17 names to circle for the 2027 Draft. These are not household names, at least not yet. These are under-the-radar talents that need a closer look. There's portal additions hunting for bigger roles, summer-league breakouts, a near-submarine reliever and a 6-foot-5 first baseman who hit 19 homers and still went undrafted. Each has a trait worth tracking come July.
Jax Gimenez, OF — Oregon
• 2026 (Oregon): 53 G, .283/.472/.440, 45 H, 10 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 24 RBI, 43 R
• …