Get to know No. 5 Draft prospect Jackson Flora
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Jackson Flora is MLB Pipeline’s No. 5-ranked prospect for the 2026 Draft. Here is everything you need to know about Flora.
FAST FACTS
MLB Pipeline ranking: No. 5
Position: RHP
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 205 lbs.
Bats/throws: R/R
Age: 21 (Born May 25, 2005)
School: UC Santa Barbara
MLB PIPELINE SCOUTING GRADES (20-to-80 scale)
Fastball: 70
Slider: 55
Changeup: 55
Control: 55
Overall: 60
1. College Baseball’s pitcher of the year in 2026
Perhaps it’s not surprising that Flora was selected as the College Baseball Foundation’s National Pitcher of the Year. He is, after all, MLB Pipeline’s top pitching prospect after Flora posted a 1.06 ERA with 133 strikeouts -- a USCB school record -- across 102 innings. Still, it’s a testament to Flora’s development in 2026 that he ended up as the nation’s top pitcher and is in a position to become the first pitcher drafted this year.
2. He could be the next great UCSB pitcher in pro ball
A decade ago, it would’ve seemed unlikely that Santa Barbara would become a pitching powerhouse. That began to change around 2015, when Dillon Tate was selected fourth overall in the '15 Draft by the Rangers. A year later, Shane Bieber was selected in the fourth round by Cleveland, and became the best Gauchos pitcher in the Majors to date.
And last year, Tyler Bremner became the highest-drafted Gaucho, when he was selected second overall by the Angels. Now, Flora joins an excellent group of pitchers from UCSB, a college that is increasingly becoming a popular landing spot for talented arms.
3. Connection to a Giants legend
Flora graduated from Foothill High School in Pleasanton, Calif. -- located in the East Bay area near San Francisco -- in 2023. He’s far from the only notable baseball player to graduate from that high school.
Before his illustrious career with the Giants, Brandon Crawford was a three-sport athlete (baseball, football and basketball) at Foothill High School, where he graduated in 2005. Crawford, of course, was an integral part of the Giants’ dynasty in the 2010s (he won titles in 2012 and ‘14) and was a three-time All-Star.
Crawford is not the only Foothill High School alum to make it to the Majors. Cincinnati’s TJ Friedl graduated from there in 2013 and is in his sixth MLB season with the Reds. Brad Bergesen also graduated from Foothill High School and spent four seasons with the Orioles and D-backs from 2009-12.
4. Epic scoreless streak in ‘26
In a stretch from March 6 to April 10, Flora did not allow a single run across 38 1/3 innings. According to his UCSB player profile, that is the longest verified streak in program history. In a four-start stretch from March 13 to April 2, Flora didn’t allow a run across 28 1/3 innings -- he only allowed nine hits and struck out 37 batters. That included an April 2 shutout at Cal Poly, a 12-strikeout game against Hawaii and 11 strikeouts against UC Davis.
5. ‘26 Big West Pitcher of the Year and its history
Unsurprisingly, Flora also took home Big West Pitcher of the Year honors. Taking a deeper look at who has won the award and what their professional careers looked like presents an interesting group of pitchers.
There have been 13 pitchers that have won the award to make it to the Majors, with the most recent being Drew Thorpe (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo draftee in 2022). By far the most accomplished pitcher of this group is Jered Weaver, who won the award in 2003 and 2004 for Long Beach before going on to have an illustrious 12-year career, which included three All-Star selections and three top-five AL Cy Young Award finishes from 2010-12.