Virginia OF Gracia selected by Braves at No. 9 overall

ATLANTA -- 1991 will always be a special year for Braves fans. So, there may be reason to be excited about the fact that Atlanta drafted a collegiate outfielder in the first round for the first time in 35 years.

The Braves took AJ Gracia with the first of their two first-round selections (ninth overall) in the 2026 MLB Draft on Saturday afternoon. The University of Virginia outfielder was MLB Pipeline’s No. 19 Draft prospect.

“That was really cool,” Gracia said. “I didn’t really know what was going to happen until about three minutes before the pick. It was definitely a last minute thing. But I’m super excited and super happy to be a Brave.”

Gracia is the first collegiate outfielder the Braves have taken in the first round since Arizona State outfielder Mike Kelly was nabbed with the second overall selection in 1991. Atlanta won the first of 14 consecutive division titles that year and earned the first of the five NL pennants it captured during the 1990s.

“He's been one of the best college performers for three years,” Braves vice president of amateur scouting Ronit Shah said. “Team USA guy, Cape Cod. He hit everywhere he's gone. This time a year ago, our scouts were telling me, ‘this should be our guy next year.’”

Gracia has been known for his superb consistency throughout three years in college. Gracia, 21, posted an OPS over 1.000 each season, peaking at 1.121 this past spring. He also hit 43 homers (14, 15 and 14 again) and 39 doubles on a .317 average over his career.

“He's always shown such an advanced ability to control the zone,” Shah said. “He knows what pitches to swing at. He knows what pitches he can hit, or hit for power.”

Starting his career at Duke, Gracia burst onto the scene with Freshman All-American honors after he set Blue Devils rookie records in homers and RBIs. He experimented with a swing change his sophomore year that may have contributed to a slow start, but the numbers stabilized right back after he ditched that change. Gracia then followed head coach Chris Pollard from Duke to Virginia for the 2026 campaign, when he and the Cavaliers made it to an NCAA Regional.

“My freshman Fall [season] I hit like .080 and I was like ‘Man, I’ve got to switch something up,” Gracia said. “That's kind of when I started making some changes and stuff like that. Nothing too crazy in terms of my swing itself. It was more so just a setup [change] I started standing pretty tall, like how I am now, and for whatever reason, something kind of clicked, and I just ran with it. It's kind of been history since then.”

Gracia fully solidified his prospect status with an excellent junior campaign. He earned second-team, third-team or honorable mention All-American honors from various outlets, as well as second-team All-ACC.

The New Jersey native owns a sweet lefty swing from an upright stance, which he compared in an MLB Network interview to former NL MVP and current Yankee Cody Bellinger’s stroke. He stands 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds with a projectable frame that could add more strength in the professional ranks.

“There are two guys I love to watch,” Gracia said. "One is Cody Bellinger. He's got a lofty swing. I see a lot of myself in him. I think we have some similarities. I also love watching Juan Soto hit. I mean, he's just a really competitive guy. He never gives an at-bat away.”

Gracia earns strong 55 grades for both his hit tool and raw power, while an advanced approach at the plate -- 152 walks to 129 strikeouts in his career -- aid his overall offering.

He also earns above-average marks with 50 fielding. Evaluators believe he may stick in center field because of strong instincts and efficient routes, though if he moves to a corner, his 45-grade arm may play better in left field.

Gracia has already played at Truist Park. He was among the players who competed there during the 2022 Hank Aaron Invitational, which featured some of the top undergraduate players from the United States. The game is part of MLB Develops, an initiative by Major League Baseball and USA Baseball dedicated to growing the sport, cultivating diversity and providing elite training for amateur players.

“It’s a really good way to grow the game for sure,” Gracia said. “There’s a lot of good exposure for everyone. There’s a ton of good competition. You play against them in high school and then run into them throughout college. You build a lot of friendships along the way. MLB Develops and that event was amazing. One of my favorite baseball experiences for sure.”