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There are few aspects of baseball that I love more than the college game, so I'm excited that the NCAA Division I season begins just three days from now. UCLA ranks as the preseason No. 1 team, led by the nation's best player (more on him in a moment), and defending College World Series champion Louisiana State, Mississippi State and Georgia Tech round out the rest of the consensus top four.
To get you ready for the college season, I've assembled my annual all-prospect team for the 2026 Draft. It includes seven of the best 12 players on MLB Pipeline's Draft Top 100, even if I had to jam Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron on there as a DH to make that happen.
Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech: Poised to become the fifth Yellow Jackets catcher to go in the first round, he's extremely athletic and continues to improve offensively and defensively.
Brady Ballinger, 1B, Kansas: Offers one of the best combinations of swing decisions, contact and exit velocities in the Draft.
*Chris Rembert, 2B, Auburn: Owns one of the quickest bats in college baseball and some evaluators believe he's the best pure hitter in the Draft.
Ace Reese, 3B, Mississippi State: His huge power translated into 21 homers in his first season with the Bulldogs after transferring from Houston.
Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA: The consensus national player of the year as a sophomore, he's the biggest lock to go No. 1 overall entering a season since Adley Rutschman in 2019 and the best all-around college shortstop since Troy Tulowitzki in 2005.
Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech: Smacked nine homers in his first eight college games and went deep 44 times in his first two seasons, and that power overshadows a package of at least solid tools across the board.
*Derek Curiel, OF, Louisiana State: The leading hitter (.345/.470/.519) on the Tigers' national championship team as a freshman, he earns some Christian Yelich comps.
*Sawyer Strosnider, OF, Texas Christian: One of the best all-around athletes in this class, he features double-plus raw power and plus speed.
Justin Lebron, DH, Alabama: A no-doubt shortstop, he has four plus tools and an overall game reminiscent of Willy Adames or Trevor Story.
Hunter Dietz, LHP, Arkansas: Elbow issues have limited him to 1 2/3 innings in two seasons, but he features a fastball that reaches 99 mph as well as a promising curveball and cutter.
Cameron Flukey, RHP, Coastal Carolina: Pitched the Chanticleers to the CWS finals -- where he lost 1-0 to No. 3 overall pick Kade Anderson -- with a mid-90s fastball and perhaps the best curve in the college game.
*Draft-eligible as a sophomore.