Way-too-early mock: Predicting '26 Draft picks 1-10

Because the MLB Draft Lottery won't happen until this winter, we don't know the 2026 Draft order yet. But that doesn't mean we don't have an idea of what the top of the Draft might look like come next summer.

On the latest MLB Pipeline Podcast, Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo put their heads together to try figuring it out, in the form of a way-too-early mock 2026 draft. With the new '26 top 20 college and prep prospects rankings hot off the presses, they project how the first 10 picks might shake out by alternating selections, in knowing acknowledgement that the big night remains 10-odd months away.

With the caveat that it is still extremely early, this is how Callis and Mayo see Round 1 potentially going down in '26:

1. White Sox: Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA
Jim Callis: I think this is the easiest choice we're going to have. Not that things don't change, because they can certainly change between now and next July. But Cholowsky is pretty clearly the best prospect in the Draft right now. He could've been a first-round pick out of high school if he was signable, but he wasn't. He had a super sophomore year last year, hit .353/.480/.710 with 23 homers. He won four or five different awards as the national player of the year as a sophomore. I think he's probably the most well-rounded college shortstop in 20-something years.

2. Twins: Grady Emerson, SS, Argyle (Texas) HS
Jonathan Mayo: It isn't clear-cut after Cholowsky. I'm going to take Emerson, the high school shortstop that tops the '26 prep prospect list. It's a hit-over-power profile, though he showed real good raw power in the MLB High School Home Run Derby, where he was a surprise runner-up. I'm giving him the slight edge over the other choices, especially if he shows up in the spring a little stronger and is getting to the power more. He could even rise up in the conversation to 1-1.

3. Pirates: Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama
Callis: I remember running around Spring Training in early March and running into a couple of scouting directors. They were raving about Justin Lebron. If we were doing a '26 mock last March, Justin Lebron would've been the No. 1 guy. He wasn't as successful in SEC play, though he still wound up with an .857 OPS, 18 homers, 17 steals. I don't think he's as polished a hitter as Roch Cholowsky, but he is quicker and has similar power and defensive skills.

4. Orioles: Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep (Miami, Fla.)
Mayo: From a tools perspective, he's so athletic. He was a high-level soccer player and played second base for Team USA. He has a chance to hit for average and power. He can stick at short. He can run. He has the MLB bloodlines. All of those things point in the right direction for him to be somewhere in this part of the Draft.

5. Athletics: Gio Rojas, LHP, Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS (Parkland, Fla.)
Callis: Five is wide open. I like the outfielders that are coming up. But I'm not 100% sold that any of them is a definite center fielder. Do I really want to take a corner outfielder at five? So I'll take Gio Rojas. I saw him at the National High School All-America game in Los Angeles, and I was really impressed. He's a lefty, three-pitch guy. It's not raw stuff; it's a solid mid-90s fastball, a slider that misses bats and he knows how to throw a changeup. I like the delivery. He throws strikes.

6. Braves: Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech
Mayo: I understand the concerns. But he can really hit. You have to bet on the bat. There is bat speed. There is strength. He runs well, can play anywhere in the outfield and he can really, really hit. That's going to get him off the board really early.

7. Rays: A.J. Gracia, OF, Virginia
Callis: I heard a lot of good things about A.J. Gracia, who is the biggest transfer in college baseball this year. He's got power. He draws walks. He's an advanced hitter. He has good instincts in center. It's average speed, so I think he's probably more of a corner guy at the next level. But there are tools and skills there. I like that combination.

8. Cardinals: Tyler Spangler, SS, De La Salle HS (Concord, Calif.)
Mayo: He's a 6-foot-3, left-handed-hitting shortstop, so insert Corey Seager comp here. He's got good actions, good instincts, a strong enough arm. He finds the barrel a lot and there is more power to come.

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9. Marlins: Derek Curiel, OF, Louisiana State
Callis: The Marlins like advanced college hitters. He went into his senior year of high school with first-round buzz but had a disappointing year. So he goes to LSU as a freshman and last year he hits .345 with a .989 OPS. Consistent contact as a leadoff hitter, knows how to control the zone, and he wins all kinds of freshman awards. Now that first-round buzz is back.

10. Rockies: Logan Schmidt, LHP, Ganesha HS (Pomona, Calif.)
Mayo: Schmidt is the sixth-ranked prep prospect in the class. He'll still only be 17 at the time of the Draft, which will look good in a lot of team models. I think he has a big up arrow next to his name. He sits 93-94 and touches 97. He has a really good breaking ball and feel for a changeup. It's kind of a combination of stuff, feel for pitching and upside.

On the MLB Pipeline Podcast, Mayo and Callis are your tour guides through all the unfolding stories and breaking news of baseball's top prospects. Each week, you'll find out about the stars of tomorrow from the guys who know today. Download, subscribe and help others find the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes or your favorite platform.