2026 MLB draft rankings: Top 85 prospects, mini-mock draft - ESPN

Midway through college and high school baseball seasons, the 2026 MLB draft picture is starting to come into focus.

We're getting to the part of the spring when players are falling into consensus tiers for evaluators, and when I see MLB crosscheckers and scouting directors, they ask me when my first mock is coming out. This year's class has a clear No. 1 player followed by a pretty clear next-best prospect and then the potential shuffling picks up at No. 3, with several college players and a few standout prep prospects all in the mix to go in the top 10 picks.

The players below were ranked using the FV (future value) system that I applied for pro prospects. Here are my preseason MLB prospect rankings to see where these players would rank if they turned pro now, though the grades will change (and generally improve as we gain more information and certainty) throughout the spring.

We've all waited long enough, so it's time for a fresh rankings update and a mini-mock draft of the first 13 picks.

Jump to: Mini-mock | Draft rankings

1. Chicago White Sox: Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA

This already seems to be down to Cholowsky and Grady Emerson. I think Cholowsky has a notable lead, but it isn't a slam dunk just yet.

Since almost everyone in baseball has the same report and outlook for Cholowsky, this pick then comes down to exactly what you think Emerson's potential is and if he's a quick mover. Some evaluators think Emerson has higher upside and if you think he'll also move quickly (Konnor Griffin debuted as a 19-year-old, Jackson Holliday at age 20, Kevin McGonigle at 21) then he could also look like a superior prospect in the minors within a year or so.

If he's both things and he comes at some bonus savings vs. Cholowsky, you