2026 Draft - Top 200 College Prospects

In a very deep prep shortstop class in 2023, Cholowsky stood out as having some of the highest projectability in the class with supremely impressive talent on the defensive end. His continued physical development hasn't cost him a step and it's elevated almost every part of his game.

A blue-collar worker who leads by example, Cholowsky gets high marks from coaches, his teammates and those who operate in his proximity. The leadership qualities are top of the scale. After taking his talent and god-given abilities for granted a bit in high school, Cholowsky's mentality changed at UCLA. He began placing a greater emphasis on nutrition and the weight room. He's put on 20 pounds of muscle since arriving to campus, skyrocketing his physical and athletic traits in every area of his game.

Cholowsky is an average runner with fantastic first-step quickness on the dirt. His lateral range is among the best in the class and he's got the ability to make every throw from every angle with plus arm strength and athleticism to burn. Cholowsky is no stranger to the highlight reel play, converting outs in ways other are not capable. Cholowsky has all the traits of a future plus defender at the shortstop position. His frame is just about at peak physical state and likely shouldn't carry much more strength if he's to hang onto his premium athleticism.

Cholowsky's physical transformation at UCLA has helped kick his offensive tools into an entirely new gear. What was once hitterish in the box is now far more impactful with more on the way. Cholowsky's exit velocities have peaked north of 112 mph and his barrel rate towers over most of his middle-infield peers. Cholowsky's plus raw power projection has the chance to output 25-homer campaigns as a professional. There are very few holes in this swing. That said, there are a few things to clean up to reach his eventual ceiling. At times, Cholowsky will feature a more pronounced barrel tip to compliment what can be a bigger leg kick. It can result in Cholowsky struggling to get the barrel to premium elevated velocity, especially on the inner-third. Velocity above the zone is just about the only area Cholowsky has shown a willingness to chase outside of the zone. Scouts would prefer to see his swing and quiet a bit as July approaches to ease any hit tool concerns at the next level. As his game continues to evolve and his understanding of how pitchers are trying to attack him continues to mature, Cholowsky has a chance to age into a complete hitter.

Cholowsky grew up in a baseball family. His dad has been a scout for most of his life and it's made assimilating to the game and it's demands comfortable for Cholowsky. There's a case to be made that Cholowsky is the most complete draft-eligible college shortstop prospect since Dansby Swanson in 2015.

Lackey is one of the most well-rounded prospects in the 2026 class. A catcher by trade, he's got the flexibility, athleticism and arm strength to play the position as a professional. Lackey is a fairly average with regards to pitch framing; better stealing the north and south strikes than he is pulling the ball back into the zone when a pitcher misses arm-side or glove-side. Certainly a trait he can develop with further reps behind the dish. He's exceptional at blocking the ball in the dirt and is above-average throwing would-be base stealers out at second base. Lackey gets up and out of the crouch with impressive burst and flashes pop times that point toward an above average defender long-term.

It's hard to poke many holes in Lackey's offensive game too. He's well-above average from a bat-to-ball perspective and his peak batted-ball events have resulted in exit velocities north of 112 mph. There are components and traits here that suggest a plus hitter at the next level with the ability to perhaps run into 20 homers per year. He'll need to pull the ball with more frequency, and get the ball in the air more often if he's to realize his impact potential with the stick, but he's shown the raw strength and feel to get there when he chooses. Better still, Lackey has the athletic frame scouts like to see from a catcher who still has some strength gains on the horizon.

As if the defensive ability and hit tool upside weren't enough, Lackey is also a rare-breed catcher who has plus speed on the bases. He'll steal bases in buckets when the legs are fresh.

Lackey has all the same traits that a player like Harry Ford showcased in the 2021 Draft that made him a top 15 selection. However, Lackey is doing it in the ACC against far more superior competition. This is top-ten pick upside.

Lebron has a few legs up on the other college shortstops in this class. He's got an elite frame with more projection left in a hyper-athletic package. He's a whippy, lanky, lean middle infielder with a ton of filling out to do in his future, and present tools in every part of his game. He's an electric defender and as technically savvy as they come. Lebron fields the ball out in front of his body, showcasing plus arm strength across the diamond. He's proven capable of making every throw from every angle. Jump throws around the second base bag, submarine flips to first on balls he has to charge, back-hand pivot to side-arm tosses back to second base -- he's got every trick in the bag. Lebron has exceptionally quick hands and uses his momentum well when fielding his position. Better still, Lebron is a plus runner who flashes exceptional lateral mobility too. This is the easiest 'plus' grade on a glove in the class, and when all is said and done Lebron may end up one of the best defensive shortstops in Major League Baseball. Ironically, it's the routine play and/or Lebron chasing flair that can cause the few errors he's posted to this point in his career. Surely, most scouts will feel that can be cleaned up with reps.

The aforementioned speed also plays in a big way on the bases. Lebron will be a threat to steal bases at the next level and could flirt with some 25/25 seasons if the hit tool continues to grow.

Lebron has quick hands at the plate and he's shown marked improvement in terms of exit velocities over the past twelve months. What was once well-below average power is now looking more like the potential for plus raw power projection. Lebron peaked north of 110 mph and continues to add strength to his wiry frame. His build and feel for the barrel suggest he could grow into a bit more juice as he continues to physically mature.

The hit tool has taken strides over the course of his Tuscaloosa career as well. Lebron sets up with a wide base and rocks and drifts back into a stacked back side. He folds his front knee and counter-rotates his front shoulder in his load, creating a move foward that, when on time and connected, is quite powerful. That front knee/front shoulder sequencing can at times result in Lebron opening up early with the front side, allowing him to get beat on spin off the plate. When he's right, Lebron hits behind a firm front side, rotating hard around his front hip pocket, creating awesome separation as he uncoils. Lebron absolutely hammers anything elevated in the zone and is particularly dangerous when he can get his hands extended on elevated velocity. Breaking balls and changeups at the bottom of the zone can still be a bugaboo for Lebron, however he showed more of a willingness to stay on those pitches as a freshman before regressing a bit in that area in 2025. Finding a happy medium between ambush hitting at the top of the zone and a more defensive approach in two-strike counts should help his offensive game blossom into a more complete package. For the time being, there's a bit too much chase and too many in-zone whiffs. Given his speed and feel for the barrel, it's unlikely he'll develop into less than an average hit tool guy at the next level, but there's work to do.

If a team is looking for pure upside and ceiling, Lebron may carry more than any other name in the country. This is a potential 70-grade defender with at least a plus run tool and the arm strength to become a Gold Glove winner at the 6. There are very few developmental checkpoints left for Lebron to check off on the defensive end. It's impressive. Lebron has a path toward four 60-grades on his scouting report, however the hit tool will need to catch up if he hopes to become the No. 1 pick in July.

Hacopian was an absolute star for the Maryland Terps before transferring for his draft-eligible 2026 campaign to College Station. The offensive profile features very, very little holes. He's a complete hitter in a lot of ways.

Hacopian has shown an exciting combination of elite bat-to-ball skills and plus raw power in his young collegiate career. He's among the most polished bats in the class at this early stage in the draft process thanks to a keen eye, a selective nature and terrific bat speed. He extends at-bats by spitting on pitchers' pitches and fouling off pitches on the black. He makes the opposition work. Hacopian is an adjustable hitter who rarely gives away an at-bat or a pitch for that matter. He's as tough an out as you'll find.

Perhaps the only thing missing from his shining offensive profile is a greater emphasis pulling the baseball in the air. His ground ball rates are the only thing holding him back from being a Golden Spikes nominee and a potential top five pick in the Draft. Turning the ringing singles through the hole into blistered balls over the left field fence would elevate his profile into a new tier. For the time being, it's plus bat-to-ball skills, it's plus raw power, and it's a plus approach. Hacopian has a chance to be a special hitter at the next level if he can unlock just one more gear.

The frame is mostly maxed in terms of physical projection, but he can handle third base at an average level with average arm strength. Hacopian played a great deal of shortstop at Maryland, but flipped to third base on the Cape leading into the 2026 season. He's a more natural fit at the hot corner. Hacopian has a tendency to throw across the diamond from a lower arm slot causing his throws to loop and tail back into the first baseman. It hasn't led to many throwing errors at this point, but it is a throwing style scouts generally scoff at at the amateur level. It's by no means a disqualifier of any kind. Guys like Nolan Arenado, Alex Rodriguez and Kyle Seager employed similar throwing styles for their entire careers. While Hacopian isn't a dynamic defender, he is deliberate with his technique and possesses a strong internal clock. He rarely rushes his throws and has strong feel for the game.

While the bat shines and the glove does its job, Hacopian isn't a burner. He's a below average runner who clocks 4.50+ times home-to-first base. He's not going to add much value in the stolen base department and he will likely struggle to take the extra base at times.

Hacopian has top-ten pick traits and tools. He's one of the better college hitters to come through over the course of the last couple of years. He'll need to continue to mash considering the limitations on the bases and with the glove. He's been one of the most consistent hitters in college baseball going back to his freshman year.

Flora is as exciting a right-handed pitching prospect as we've seen in recent years. He still brings projection and a 6-foot-5-inch righty with a limb-wielding delivery and an explosive burgeoning arsenal. Flora has an up-tempo delivery with a higher leg kick. He moves fast down the mound with conviction. The arm action is loose and whippy. Command for the fastball continues to be an emphasis in his development as too often at this stage his misses are to the arm-side, largely because he gets moving too fast at times. That's improved in a dramatic way in 2026, now showcasing above average command on most occassions.

His fastball has been as high as 102 on radar guns but generally floats 96-97 with carry through the zone and an athletic finish through release. His lower slot and command for the top of the zone forces barrel to haplessly swing under his heater on most nights. It's every bith a 70-grade heater, and plays as such when he's hitting his spots.

Flora possesses two breaking balls and they both flash plus upside. A more firm slider has good sweeping shape in the mid-80s with blossoming hand feel and command. Flora's willingness and confidence to back-door that pitch to left-handed hitters is a separator. He'll manipulate its shape at times, adding and subtracting depth depending on the situation. There's a big sweeper in the low-80s that exhibits huge shapes at times, too.

Flora added a kick-change in 2026 and it's taken his menu of offerings to the next level. He's become equally as difficult to hit for left-handed hitters now. It's got excellent depth and depection, diving off the fastball tunnel late. Flora deletes spin from the pitch and creates awesome velocity separation in the 86-89 mph range. While he's still polishing up the ability to consistently create the same shape on a pitch-by-pitch basis, it's clearly an above average weapon, trending toward plus.

Flora certainly operates like a starter and the strikes are improving. It's high-octane, MLB-ready stuff with the finer details and overall command being the last frontier of his development. If he performs at a high level throughout the 2026 season, Flora could blossom into an extremely high pick in 2026.