The Big West rarely produces headline names, but it keeps sending players into pro ball. Just last summer, UC San Diego’s Anthony Potestio went in the 11th round and UC Santa Barbara’s Cole Tryba went in the seventh. The former is off to one of the best starts of any prospect from the 2026 draft. This is a conference where the data often runs ahead of the box score, and that’s exactly where sleepers live. It's our comfort zone.
Here are 11 names to know: a 6-foot-6 first baseman with a 111.5 mph 90th percentile exit velocity, a lefty whose sweeper spins north of 2,800 rpm, a second baseman who chased just 13% of the time, and an outfielder who’ll still be 20 on draft day. Some need a breakout to get noticed, but every one has a trait worth tracking.
Jake Downing, 2B — Cal Poly
• 2026 (Cal …