First round picks get the headliners. Hell, even second and third round picks are talked about ad naseum these days. But organizations aren't built on big-bonus bluchips. The best farm systems and championship teams are built with a foundation of strong depth and contributions from down-board players that never get the fanfare until they arrive.

That stops today.

Here are a number of players that could one day play a relatively important part in the success and longevity of their organization's competitive windows.


LA Tech SS/2B Colton Coates | Red Sox: Round 16 (484)

Coates entered the portal after the 2025 season, but after little interest elsewhere despite playing on the Cape, he stayed at Louisiana Tech for 2026. His OPS jumped over 200 points in his draft-eligible season to .936.