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LOS ANGELES, CALIF. - With the chaotic summer circuit portion of the baseball calendar in the state of California completed, our staff was able to get eyes on players through Prep Baseball California events, the tournament circuit, and several other opportunities. One of the busiest periods of the year allowed our staff to observe the continued improvement/development of players in the 2026 class. With all of that visibility provided to our staff for opportunities to evaluate players over the last couple of months, we present our updated Class of 2026 Player Rankings.

With the continued exposure provided this spring for our staff to the 2026 class we saw quite a bit of change across the rankings.  From movement within the Top 10 players in the class, players moving into the Prep Baseball National Rankings and others making their Top 100 debuts (movement up the board or newcomers to the rankings) through their summer performances.

Beyond the Top 100, we have seen several players continue their rise up the rankings and several players coming into the rankings for the first time after this summer. This entire class is now prepping for their final fall of travel baseball/high school scrimmage baseball games with their senior high school baseball season rapidly approaching.

The recruiting process for this class is entering the final push over the coming months so we anticipate the uncommitted players across these rankings begin to announce their college destinations. Also, this class is now directly in the focal point for MLB scouts having gone through the summer circuit and over the next 10 months until the 2026 MLB draft arrives.

Below you'll find the Top 10, Top 10 Uncommitted Players, along with notes on Rankings Risers and Ranking Newcomers. 

+ CLICK HERE FOR FULL RANKINGS LIST

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CLASS OF 2026, TOP TEN

***As we conclude the 2025 fall season and shift towards the rapidly approaching 2026 high school season for the class of 2026 here are the the Top 10 ranked uncommitted players in California.

Rank	Player	POS	School
73	Ian Brooke	C/OF	Patrick Henry
90	Wylan Rottschafer	SS/3B	Costa Mesa
96	Brady Strachan	OF	Rancho Bernardo
99	Jesiah Andrade	C	Corona
110	Osvaldo Nunez	RHP	Bishop Alemany
111	Jose Ortega	RHP/1B	Calexico
116	Justin Lopez	SS/2B	Villa Park
120	Camden Goetz	OF	Canyon
121	Rock Akahi	INF/OF	Orange Lutheran
122	Aidan Young	OF	Villa Park

+ CLICK HERE FOR FULL RANKINGS LIST

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CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: RISERS

TOP-10 RISERS:

+ OF Blake Bowen - JSerra - (Oregon State Commit): Previous: 6 Now: 3

The toolshed OF from the Orange County based and Trinity League JSerra program has put together a loud close to his 2025 calendar year. His strong fall followed up what was a torrid summer for Bowen who has always possessed some of the loudest tools in the class, but now is tapping into those tools on a consistent basis. Hitting the ball with authority for the past five plus months while looking like a long term impact OF defender has produced plenty of first round MLB draft buzz for Bowen amongst those in the scouting world. VP of Scouting Shooter Hunt and State Director Les Lukach have heard countless positive reviews on Bowen. THe RH hitter will be a primary focus for high level decision makers in the fall as he pushes up three spots back into the Top 5 in the state.

+ RHP Gary Morse - Orange Lutheran - (Tennessee Commit): Previous: 11 Now: 9

Morse has bounced in an out of the Top 10 over the past year plus of rankings always hovering right around the top portion of the 2026 class. He moves back into the Top 10 ahead of his SR. season at Orange Lutheran where he is anticipated to be the ace for the program as they look to compete for a Trinity League title and make a run in the CIF-SS playoffs come the end of the year. Armed with a FB that is now reaching above the 95+ MPH range with reports of his frame continuing to add strength the sky is the ceiling for a 6'8 righthander and the MLB scouting world will be paying close attention to his spring season.

+ RHP Cooper Sides - Orange Lutheran - (LSU Commit): Previous: 12 Now: 10

Sides made the move South from Red Bluff in NorCal to join the vaunted Orange Lutheran program for his SR. season to aide their title hopes. This coincides with the steady rise the power armed righthander has made up our rankings board over the years. Standing 6'5 and 210 lbs. he is the prototype power pitcher who throws in the low to mid 90's with his FB and has room for more in the future while backing it up with high quality offspeed offerings. Slated to be a prominent piece of the the OLU staff in the spring there will be plenty of eyes in to see Sides who now debuts in the Top 10.

TOP-100 RISERS:

+ C Carson Sheffer - Oaks Christian - (Oklahoma State Commit): Previous: 31 Now: 26

Sheffer made a small back slide in the rankings during the middle portion of the 2025 calendar year due to a minor medical issue which disrupted his summer circuit. The electric armed backstop took it upon himself to use the setback as a setup for a comeback and he has started to show off an improved overall profile during the fall circuit. With nearly 25 added pounds of strength back on his frame you are starting to see his athletic build fill out and improved athleticism/foot speed (clocked above average H-1B run times for Steven Hardesty Associate Director SoCal in fall with a now 6.7 60 time). Then mix in swing changes garnered during his time off which is giving him a more athletic and cleaner operation in the box where he is routinely hitting balls north of 100+ MPH in games while reaching peaks above 105 MPH in games. The upgraded offensive profile, the improved body, the upward trending athleticism combined with his dynamic defense push Sheffer up five spots heading into his SR. season.

+ OF Isaiah Hearn - Chaminade College Prep - (Oregon Commit): Previous: 44 Now: 38

Hearn is another toolshed OF from the SoCal region who is steadily showing his ability to turn those tools into in game performance. Armed with light-tower LH power which can drop jaws when he connects with a baseball the 6'6 powerful framed Hearn has showed off an upward trending hit tool during this fall campaign. With several reports coming into Hardesty on his improved hit tool to go with his already impressive power, athletic ability and physicality Hearn is on the cusp of what could be a loud spring in the Mission League to bring his profile up draft boards. He makes a six spot jump in this update, but if he keeps showing off the offensive profile during the spring season don't be surprised by another jump for Hearn ahead of the MLB draft in 2026.

+ OF/1B Eric Zdunek - Orange Lutheran - (Notre Dame Commit): Previous: 52 Now: 42

Zdunek overcame a down turn in his profile during the early part of 2025 where he didn't have the JR. season he had hoped for. But, come the summer circuit and fall circuit the offensive profile for the now Notre Dame commit returned with a loud presence. It can be a somewhat unorthodox operation in the box, but what you cannot discount is the performance of his operation in the box the past 5+ months. The RH hitter has hit, hit consistently and hit with authority over a variety of different platforms in that span and now makes the move into the Trinity League for his SR. season. Zdunek makes a strong 10 spot jump to back amongst the Top 50 players in California. 

+ OF Hamilton Friedberg - Orange Lutheran - (UCLA Commit): Previous: 53 Now: 47

Friedberg returns to the Top 50 players in the class for California ahead of his SR. season on the strength of what the RH hitter does when you put a bat in his hand. While he possesses high level athletic ability and a top of the scale throwing arm it was his performance hitting over the past 5+ months from the summer into the fall that moves Friedberg six spots up the rankings board. During the fall the OLU product flipped his commitment from a long standing Air Force commit to the West Coast power program in UCLA. 

+ 3B/RHP Wyatt Mohler - Los Osos - (St. Marys Commit): Previous: 89 Now: 82

Mohler has been the definition of a steady performer over the past year when he debuted just outside the Top 100 in the Fall update of 2024. From that point on with every live look at high school games, Prep Baseball California events, and videos posted on social Mohler has done nothing, but play at a very high level. The Los Osos program is a program on the rise in SoCal high school baseball and their standout two-way product continues his own personal rise by moving up another seven spots on the board.

+ RHP Taden Krogsgaard - Temecula Valley - (UCLA Commit): Previous: 144 Now: 87

Krogsgaard was a two-way member of the 2024 Team California squad at the Future Games and was previously committed to Cal State Fullerton. This past fall Krogsgaard made a flip in his commitment after showing improved stuff on the mound with his FB now regularly living in the low 90's with heavy life through the zone and an upward tick to his offspeed offerings. He was outstanding on the bump for the trio of Hardesty, Lukach and San Diego based scout Vinnie Alfino during the SoCal Scouts Association Fall League which culminates with a 57 spot move up the board and his debut inside the Top 100.

+ SS/3B Wylan Rottschafer - Costa Mesa - (Uncommitted): Previous: 93 Now: 90

Rottschafer is another steady performer whose has a collection of solid to strong tools across the board that all make up a Top 100 player in the state of California. His move up the board is a small one just three spots, but continues to solidfy his standing amongst the top players in this class. The RH hitting versatile INF defender was outstanding during his three days at the 2025 Prep Baseball West Coast Games held at LMU and Mira Costa High School. Wylan made impressive defensive plays at multiple positions while showing off the long term potential to man SS at the next level while adding in a high quality offensive profile that can add depth/impact to a next level lineup. Rottschafer is amongst the top uncommitted players in the state and will be high level land for a college program.

OUTSIDE-TOP-100 RISERS:

+ 3B/RHP Mason Crang - San Marcos - (Fordham Commit): Previous: 128 Now: 119

Crang capped the summer with a strong showing at the 2025 Prep Baseball Senior Future Games where he played with Team West Coast which culminated in his commitment to Fordham University during this fall. A middle of the order power profile hitter Crang has continued to hammer the baseball this fall for Hardesty with 100+ MPH rockets a routine thing for him, but has also continued to show his upward trending athletic profile and defensive ability. Looking towards a potential standout spring for Crang on the Central Coast he moves another nine spots up our board.

+ OF Rock Akahi - Orange Lutheran - (Uncommitted): Previous: 125 Now: 121

Akahi has drawn rave reviews from State Director Les Lukach this fall both in terms of his live looks at him and the reports coming into him from others around the SoCal baseball scene. A LH hitter who possess strength in his offensive profile with extra base power from line to line and HR power to his pull side. Akahi likely is competing for playing time on a loaded Orange Lutheran program which boasts depth all over the positon player core, but his offensive ability is plenty good enough to make an impact for them and for a college program at the next level. He makes a small bump up our board four spots ahead of his SR. season.

+ RHP Gavin Giese - San Juan Hills - (USD Commit): Previous: 297 Now: 133

Giese had slid a bit off our radar here at Prep Baseball California, but this fall the USD commit righthander from Orange County reannounced his presence with authority. Just shortly after our previous update Giese threw an electric inning at the SoCal Scouts Associatioin Fall League in front of Hardesty at Pepperdine University for the Dodgers Scout team. His FB was in the low 90's with ease and he commanded it effectively while showing control of a strong offspeed arsenal. More pitcher than power at present the cleanness of his operation on the mound boasts potential for increased velocity in the future and power on his offspeed offerings. Giese makes a massive jump up the board to 133 rightly putting him amongst the higher level arms in SoCal.

+ INF/RHP Connor Clayton - West Ranch - (CSUN Commit): Previous: 151 Now: 143

Clayton was another member of Team West Coast at the 2025 Prep Baseball Senior Future Games who parlayed his standout performance in Georgia into a D1 opportunity with Cal State Northridge. The two-way product who is a versatile defender and high level switch hitter has not rested on his laurels, but has come out and shown improvements to his entire profile. Most notable amongst this upward trend is the power display that has come in the fall with him blasting multiple HRs from the LH side this fall to go with a strong hit tool. Clayton was solid throughout the SoCal Scouts Association Fall League playing for the Reds Scout team. 

+ OF London Anderson - Bakersfield Christian - (Uncommitted): Previous: 161 Now: 146

Anderson just continues to move up this board by not only being a dynamic athlete with a sneaky impressive power/speed potential profile while showing impact defense at premium spot. But, it's not just the tools for Anderson which first got him on our board after his summer showing at the Bakersfield Summer ID. It was his ability to turn those loud tools into performance at the 2025 West Coast Games where he made spectacular plays in CF look routine on the opening night of games. Flashed bat to ball on a consistent basis, but then tapped into his extra base profile by hammering the ball into the gaps/down the lines where his 6.4 run speed turned routine singles into doubles and pushed doubles into triples. Maybe slighlty off the radar for the baseball community being in Bakersfield, Anderson has made the case for college programs to be paying close attention to him as a high level uncommitted player for the 2026 class. He moves 15 more spot up our board.

+ RHP/1B Eli Stephens - Chaminade College Prep - (Trevecca Nazarene Commit): Previous: 163 Now: 151

Stephens slid backwards on our board during the spring of 2025 less due to performance and more to an unfortunate injury which kept him off the field. But, this summer he came out with an improved body, upward trending athleticism and cleaner overall operation to make a jump up the board after his showing at the 2025 California State Games. He came back out this fall and continued to shine with his showing on the mound during the SoCal Scouts Assocation Fall League where his upper 80's to low 90's FB velocity came with much less effort allowing him to command the K zone consistently. His sound offspeed offerings showed off improvements with his cleaned up frame/delivery. A power profile RH hitter he routinely hammers the ball upwards of 105+ MPH with impressive bat speed. Stephens picked up a Trevecca Nazarene commitment this fall and moves eight spots up the board.

+ OF Owen Bone - Huntington Beach - (Cal Baptist Commit): Previous: 194 Now: 163

Bone has an all around intriguing profile with solid overall athleticism, interesting arm strength to profile on the corners defensively. He has the impact in his RH hitting profile to provide the offensive thump needed by a corner defender. Bone made a strong case to be a member of Team West Coast at the Senior Future Games with his workout at the Central California Future Games Tryout. While he didn't make the trip to Georgia it didn't stop Bone who showed off his power profile this fall on a variety of different platforms which helped him pick up a commitment to Cal Baptist. Headed into his SR. season for the powerhouse Huntington Beach program Bone moves 31 spots up the board.

+ C Luke Severns - Etiwanda - (Uncommitted): Previous: 185 Now: 176

Severns has been a favorite of our staff at Prep Baseball California for over a year now, but took a small backwards slide after his JR. season at Etiwanda. This fall though the LH hitting backstop from the Inland Empire reversed his course by showing off the hitting ability our staff has always viewed in him to go with solid to strong defense behind the plate. During the fall high school scrimmage circuit Severns has not only been hitting, but doing damage with his bat rocketing extra base hits consistently. He then came out to the Inland Empire Fall ID where his workout was amongst the best in attendance and moves him nine spots back up our board. A strong SR. season for Severns with Etiwanda could bring him further up the board in future updates.

+ INF Tate Hammond - Long Beach Poly - (UCLA Commit): Previous: 215 Now: 184

Hammond has always showna  strong offensive profile with the type of LH swing you can dream on adding increased impact as he keeps maturing. The Long Beach product capitalized on that type of projection by turning it into consistent performance in games during late summer and this fall. Playing for the Mets Scout team during the SoCal Scouts Association Fall League Hammond confirmed why he is headed to Westwood to play for UCLA after his high school culminates. His fall performance on the back of the strong summer showing brings Hammond up 31 spots back inside the Top 200 players in the state. 

+ LHP Kyle Casey - Simi Valley - (Uncommitted): Previous: 213 Now: 189

Casey may not post the pure stuff of other pitchers around the state, but the wiry built cross firing southpaw from Simi Valley doesn't lack for performance on the mound. With dynamic numbers over two years of varsity level pitching, standout pitching performances in the summer and continuing to post outs at a high rate, pick up Ks with his pitchability, induce soft contact and more Casey moves up our board 24 spots. Casey has been dominant in short stints this fall for Simi Valley high school where he has been their ace for two straight seasons and fronted a staff which won the Coastal Canyon League in 2025. 

+ OF Ryan Talley - Royal - (Uncommitted): Previous: 203 Now: 190

Talley is another late summer find who put on a spectacular workout at the Bakersfield Summer ID which showcased impressive tools across the board highlighted by his elite foot speed. This performance got him on our board and earned him an invite to the 2025 West Coast Games where tools translated into game performance. Talley looked comfortable playing CF/RF where his speed and arm strength both profile into a strong defensive profile. His swing is geared to spray the ball around the field with strong impact and his top of the scale foot speed creates chaos on the bases which was on display at West Coast Games. Looking to take over a prominent role for the Royal progam in the spring Talley jumps 13 spots with the potential for more in the future.

+ OF/1B Chad Rolison - Oaks Christian - (Uncommitted): Previous: 253 Now: 228

Rolison came on the board at the end of the 2025 high school season where he got significant playing time for a strong Oaks Christian program and flashed his ability. The LH hitter profiles around the corners of the OF or at 1B long term defensively, but his profile will be carried by what he can do in the batters box. This fall he showed off improved impact in the bat which already showed a solid hit profile, but during a live look this fall for Hardesty Rolison uncorked on a pair of loud drives to his pull side. Included in those drives was a massive homer that went well over 400' clearing the RCF netting (80-90' high) at 380' away and landing on the road outside the field. If Rolison can tap into that power on a consistent basis in his SR. season don't be surprised if this isn't his last move up our board.

+ INF Trevor Deack - Orange Lutheran - (Utah Tech Commit): Previous: 281 Now: 234

Deack was at the Central California Future Games Tryout where he made a strong case for Team West Coast at the Senior Future Games with a loud BP and strong defensive workout. While he didn't ultimately make the trip to Georgia Deack continued to show off the toolset that made it very difficult to not take him out there. The impact in his RH bat with defensive versatility earned him a commitment to Utah Tech while it should make him a versatile piece for the OLU program during his SR season. Trevor moves 47 spots up our board.

+ RHP/INF Malakye Matsumoto - Notre Dame - (Air Force Commit): Previous: 256 Now: 237

Matsumoto is a versatile two-way product who shows real tools as both a RH hitting INF and live armed righthander on the bump. He showed off flashes of success during his JR. season at Notre Dame in the Mission League. This fall he toed the rubber primarily for the Dodgers Scout team in the SoCal Scouts Assocation Fall League and with GBG to showcase his low 90's velocity with improved control. He spun a high 70's SLD which is knocking on the door of the low 80's in the future with life through the zone to collect whiffs. With an increased focus on pitching in front of his SR. season don't be surprised if this 19 spot jump is not his final one before he graduates high school.

+ SS/2B Hector Anaya - Quartz Hill - (Uncommitted): Previous: 258 Now: 241

Anaya was a strong performer during the high school season which brought him on the board for our rankings in the pre-summer update. A hitterish RH hitter with a wiry build and long term INF profile from the High Desert Anaya has continued to improve over the last 5+ months. His summer showing was very solid, but it was his impressive day at the High Desert Uncommitted Game this fall that pushes him up 17 spots where the trio of Lukach, Hardesty and Alfino got a good look at his bat to ball profile with an up the middle approach while showing sound consistent defensive actions. Anaya's workout carried into the game play portion where he posted multiple hits to the middle/opposite side of the field staying to his hit over power present profile. Increased strength and a strong SR. season could help push Anaya up the board again in the future before he graduates.

+ OF Tristan Bartlett - Elk Grove - (Fresno Pacific Commit): Previous: 264 Now: 258

Bartlett was a steady performer at the 2025 California State Games and earned him his debut on our rankings board. Then with a standout showing at the NorCal Uncommitted Games to kick start his fall that carried over a variety of platforms Bartlett just continued to hit and hit with authority. A LH hitter who is showing middle of the order potential while flashing three position OF Bartlett picked up a Fresno Pacific commitment to cap his 2025 calendar year. The upward momentum he is riding this fall brings him a 14 spot push up the rankings board to just outside the Top 250.

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CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: NEWCOMERS

OUTSIDE-TOP 100 NEWCOMERS:

+ OF/C Aidan Young - Villa Park - (Uncommitted): Now Ranked: 122

Aidan Young is one of two newcomers to our board this fall and to a man on our scouting staff here in SoCal will tell Young should have been on here much sooner. A RH hitting OF generally is a hard profile to capture eyes with unless you have the athleticism/ability to hit and impact in your bat to make people pay attention to you and Young very much boasts this type of skill set. He made a strong case in the summer of 2024 for a spot on the Team California roster at the Prep Baseball Future Games that summer. From there Young has hit the baseball with authority on a variety of different platforms while showing off sound corner defense in the OF with hints of the potential to handle CF. For good measure he has even flashed a sound defensive profile at catcher. Wherever Young winds up defensively one thing can be counted on that is he will hit and hit at a very high level for a lineup at the next level. He joins the board in the 122 slot and has the skills to move into the Top 100 before he graduates from high school.

+ 3B/1B Sean Downs - Rancho Christian - (Uncommitted): Now Ranked: 266

Downs has been a revelation this fall after a solid showing at the 2025 California State Games where his new and improved frame caught the eyes of our staff. Having attended events dating back to preseason of 2024 Downs has steadily gone to work on his frame to build a physical frame with strength across the board. The improvements to his frame came with an uptick to his baseball tools especially on the offensive side which stood out during his performance at the High Desert Uncommitted Games. Downs launched the ball with authority during batting practice getting there with relative ease which carried into the game play portion with multiple hits including a no-doubt opposite field homer. Sean makes his debut on our board just oustide the Top 250.

+ INF Noah Vasquez - Royal - (Uncommitted): Now Ranked: 303

Vasquez say playing time as JR. for a very strong Royal program and showed off flashes of his ability. But, during the summer and fall the RH hitter started to polish his offensive profile tapping into a sound hit tool that has line to line extra base potential with a primary middle of the order approach. He plays clean defense on the INF with reliable hands, solid arm accuracy and profiles at 2B/3B long term. Noah put together a strong showing at the High Desert Uncommitted Game this fall with a strong workout and sound in game showing ahead of a SR. season where he should play a prominent role for the Highlanders program.

+ CLICK HERE FOR FULL RANKINGS LIST

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