California 2026 Rankings Update: Newcomers
May 28, 2025
Last week, the Prep Baseball California staff updated the 2026 rankings for the first time since February, which resulted in a new No. 1 prospect in the class. There were plenty of other notable movers after a long few months of in-game looks at prospects all across the state this spring.
For those interested in reading about all of the prospects our scouting staff saw this spring, take a look at our Scout Blog, where over 600 prospects from California have been highlighted.
To see the full 2026 rankings in California, click HERE, or to look through the updated 2026 national rankings, click HERE. To read the story that was released with our 2026 rankings update, click HERE, and to read up on some of the risers within the Top-50, click HERE.
Today, we’re taking a look at prospects ranked within the top-200 that made their debut in this update:
NEWCOMERS
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Ian Brooke C / OF / Patrick Henry Highschool, CA / 2026From 4/21/25: “Ian Brooke has once again stood out. The junior catcher is in his first year on varsity and is taking the San Diego section by storm. He is in line as a top candidate for Western League player of the year and for section player of the year. The only knock on his candidacy for these awards, no fault of his own, is the fact that he doesn’t pitch. Brooke has been holding down the three spot for Patrick Henry and has done nothing but churn out offensive production. Brooke has shown the ability to hit anything thrown at him, facing a stable of strong arms so far this season. His stats stand at a .434/.537/.679 slash line with four doubles and three home runs. Brooke has now driven in 23 runs, adding five against St. Augustine on a 3/4 day at the plate. Brooke came in clutch on multiple occasions, down to two strikes for two of his hits, and knocking in two in his final at-bat with two outs. He grabbed all three of his hits on breaking balls, working each third of the field, first going down the third base line, then to RF, and finally up the middle. The profile as a whole continues to impress and trend up. The more myself and the rest of our staff in San Diego get eyes on Brooke, the more foolproof the profile becomes. The hitting speaks for itself, but Brooke has also been an anchor behind the plate, demonstrating strong blocking and catch-and-throw. He clocked three pop times in the range of 2.01-2.09 in between innings with relative ease. Brooke employs a flexible knee-down position, often straightening the other leg to get lower and work the bottom of the zone to steal strikes on low pitches. Athletically, he has demonstrated speed on the bases, clean and quick movements behind the plate, and the ability to control the body and barrel in the box. The 6’2 ~180 lbs frame has room to add mass and fill out. The output is undeniable, and the projections are encouraging as Brooke shows no signs of slowing down in his thus far dominant season.” |