2026 MLB draft rankings 1.0: Top NCAA, high school prospects - ESPN

Now that we've seen college players in action over the first week of the season, it's time for our first look at who could be high on MLB draft boards in July.

This class is seen as above average at this point, in large part because of the first five players, and more specifically the top two. At this point last year, there were two players for me in the 50 FV tier, no one else higher, and both of those players (Jace LaViolette and Jamie Arnold) regressed a bit in the spring. The top of the board and the rest of the first round are strong with college position players. The collegiate pitching is more solid than spectacular, notwithstanding Jackson Flora's blistering opening day start. The high school position players are also strong, with a chance to take another step forward if a couple high variance players make the leap this spring.

These players were ranked using the FV (future value) system that I applied for pro prospects. You can check out my offseason MLB prospect rankings to see where these players would rank if they turned pro now, though the grades will change (generally improve as we gain more information and certainty) as the spring progresses. The number in parentheses is the player's age on draft day, a key number in every team's draft model; in short, younger players allow for more projection.

1. Roch Cholowsky (21.3), SS, UCLA

Cholowsky was a late first- to early second-round prospect in the 2023 draft, but a high price tag pushed him to UCLA; that has obviously worked out well. He had a huge 2024, belting 23 homers with a 1.190 OPS, and he is off to a hot start this season with three homers (one of them was 111 mph off the bat, just short of a career-best exit velo) and three doubles through four games.