Way-too-early 2027 mock draft

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All 20 rounds, 613 picks in total, of the 2026 Draft wrapped up on Sunday. Let the work commence on the Class of 2027.

Truth be told, a lot of that work has already been going on this summer. Scouts have hit college circuits like the Cape Cod League, and there have already been high school summer showcase events. It’s the start of the very lengthy process of evaluating all players for next year’s Draft, so it’s the perfect time to take our annual look at what the top of the Draft could look like.

Last year’s version of this story featured 11 players who went in the first round (top 25 picks) of this year’s Draft, so even though there's so much unknown about what's to come, this is a good starting point to get to know next year’s prospects.

We used a randomizer to determine the Draft order below, which ultimately will be decided by the Draft Lottery in December, followed by reverse order of the standings at the end of the year. The Giants can't pick higher than 10th in next year's Draft, which is why they're at 10. The Pirates also can’t pick higher than that, so they come in at 17 based on their record.

1. Royals: Dylan Seward, SS, Norco HS (Calif.)
Seward is a dynamic switch-hitting shortstop committed to Tennessee. He’s a double-plus runner with outstanding bat-to-ball skills from both sides of the plate. He has more than enough range and instincts to play short for a long time. He might be only 5-foot-11, but there’s plenty of impact to come.

2. A’s: Brendan Lawson, SS, Florida
Lawson was a solid high school prospect in 2024, but his strong commitment to Florida led to him being drafted in the 19th round, so he headed to Gainesville. He’s hit well there, getting to his power a lot more as a sophomore (19 homers, .699 SLG). He plays short for the Gators but probably moves to third as a pro.

3. Rockies: Tomas Valincius, LHP, Mississippi State
Valincius spent his freshman year at Virginia, then followed coach Brian O’Connor to Mississippi State and was one of the best college arms in the country in 2026 (12.3 K/9, 1.8 BB/9). He does it with a very good three-pitch mix: a fastball that sits around 95 mph, a mid-80s slider with depth that missed bats at a 48-percent clip, according to Synergy, and an effective mid-80s changeup.

4. Mets: Landon Hairston, OF, Arizona State
A Golden Spikes Award finalist this year, the son of former big leaguer Scott Hairston could give the family a fourth-generation big leaguer. Hairston had one of the best seasons of any college hitter in the nation, finishing his sophomore year with a .400/.509/.860 line to go along with 28 homers, 11 steals and more walks than strikeouts.

5. Angels: Dax Whitney, RHP, Oregon State
Whitney might have topped this list as the best college arm in the class had it not been for a torn UCL that required a hybrid Tommy John/internal brace procedure. When he’s healthy, he comes at hitters with a fastball up to 101 mph and three excellent secondaries in his slider, curve and changeup. It seems unlikely that he’s going to pitch competitively in 2027, but he could be ready to throw bullpens for teams as the Draft approaches.

6. Orioles: Gavin Kelly, C/2B, West Virginia
Kelly is a big reason why West Virginia made it to Omaha this year, slashing .382/.477/.725. He’s caught and played second mostly for the Mountaineers, but he’s also played plenty of outfield, using his plus speed well on both sides. There’s plenty of power to tap into, as evidenced by his 19 homers this past season.

7. Reds: Chris Levonas, RHP, Wake Forest
The Brewers selected Levonas No. 67 overall in 2024, but he opted to head to Wake Forest instead of signing. He’ll be one of the top college arms to consider, especially if he builds off his 10-3, 2.82 ERA, 116/33 K/BB, .171 BAA sophomore season. His fastball sat at 97 mph this year, and he uses a curve and cutter-like-slider behind it.

8. Tigers: Tague Davis, 1B, Louisville
Do you like power? Then Davis might be the guy for you. He led all of Division 1 with 34 homers in 2026 while slashing .355/.443/.848 for Louisville. There’s some swing-and-miss he’ll have to work on, but he fits the corner infielder masher profile well.

9. Blue Jays: Connor Salerno, LHP, Sun Valley HS (NC)
We interrupt this run on college players for the top high school arm in the class. Committed to Mississippi State, Salerno features a mid-90s fastball, can spin a breaking ball and has good feel for a change, all while competing well in the strike zone consistently.

10. Giants: Chase Fuller, SS/RHP, Lincoln HS (Fla.)
Fuller’s father, Corey, was an NFL defensive back, and Chase offers similar athleticism and strength. He’s got a terrific right-handed swing and has produced well. Most seem to prefer him as a position player, but he’s up to the low 90s on the mound, too.

11. Astros: Carter Hadnot, SS, Aquinas HS (Calif.)
Hadnot is a switch-hitting shortstop with a short and quick swing from both sides and smooth infield actions. He should be able to stick at short and show at least gap power, if not more.

12. Red Sox: Kinon Bastian, OF, The First Academy (Fla.)
The Florida commit has performed everywhere he’s been, with a pretty right-handed swing and potential plus raw power. He's a terrific athlete with a compact build who can run well.

13. Nationals: Chase Fralick, C, Auburn
Fralick is coming off of a 20-homer season for Auburn, finishing with an OPS of 1.069, from the left side of the plate. He has plenty of arm strength behind the plate.

14. Twins: Grant Westphal, OF, Blue Valley HS (Kan.)
Westphal is a talented left-handed hitter who makes a ton of loud contact with high exit velocities. There are five potential tools here from the Texas recruit, and he should stick in center field.

15. Padres: Aidan King, RHP, Florida
King now has two years of excellent track record pitching meaningful innings for the Gators, coming off a season where he pitched to a 3.21 ERA, .218 BAA and a 4.84 K/BB rate. He runs his fastball up to 96 mph and complements it with a high-spin slider and effective 85-mph changeup.

16. D-backs: Teddy Tokheim, 3B/OF, Stanford
Tokheim hit .352 with 17 homers as a freshman at Stanford and will be one of the best Draft-eligible sophomores in the class next year. There’s terrific bat speed that points to plenty of power, and he has the chance to play third or an outfield corner.

17. Pirates: Lubin Rincon, SS, Shadow Creek HS (Tex.)
Rincon is a wiry 6-foot-3 left-handed-hitting shortstop who is committed to Texas. He has a great approach at the plate with excellent contact skills and more raw pop to his pull side than you’d expect.

18. Cardinals: Jacob Seamon, OF, Metrolina Christian Academy (NC)
Committed to LSU, Seamon is a tremendous 6-foot-5 athlete who has all the tools. There’s plenty of power to tap into, though it comes with some swing-and-miss concerns. He has the wheels to potentially stay in center field.

19. Mariners: Striker Pence, RHP, Santiago HS (Calif.)
The nephew of Hunter Pence, Striker recently reclassified to be a part of this Draft class. He’s athletic on the mound with a ton of arm strength -- he’s already throwing 100 mph -- with good feel to spin a breaking ball.

20. Guardians: Adrian Rodriguez, SS/3B/OF, Texas
Rodriguez has gotten bigger and stronger during his time at Texas, and he’s hit, coming off a .327/.417/.514 sophomore campaign to go along with 14 steals, all while playing through a hand injury. There’s more pop to come, and he’s seen time at a number of positions defensively.