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Oregon Rankings Update - Class of 2026's

March 9, 2026
Dylan Grenz
Assistant Scouting Director

As we enter the start of the high school season, Prep Baseball Oregon begins our latest series of player rankings updates. Over the next several days, we'll unveil our rankings for each of the high school classes, featuring some of the top high school talent Washington has to offer. Today, we'll start with the senior class, the 2026's.

This year's senior class features an increasingly deep pool of talent from all areas of the state, expanding to 135 prospects in our latest update. Many players have made commitments to play collegiately since our last look, while several other uncommitted prospects still remain on the board as well. Click here to view the full rankings list.

Below is a breakdown of the senior class, including names at the top, standout preseason performers, and POTY/All-State names to watch. Stay tuned this week for the rankings updates for the 2027-2029 classes.

Click Here to View the Full Rankings List

POTY Candidates At The Top

The Prep Baseball Oregon Player of the Year award will have a new winner for the first time since 2023 with the graduation of two-time winner and first round draft pick Kruz Schoolcraft. Standout 2026 Grady Saunders has as strong as a case as any player to secure POTY, and remains the number one ranked prospect in Oregon's senior class. The Thurston product has continued to get better as he works through his upperclass years, boasting a low to mid 90's fastball to go alongside a wipeout slider and strong changeup. The righthander was great at looks at Area Codes and PNW Scout Games last summer, mowing down top-end hitters at times, and we expect the high school circuit to be no different. Saunders' ability to produce offensively will affect his POTY candidacy this spring, but he's as sure a bet as any to contribute on the mound at the collegiate level next year. 

Elsewhere at the top, a pair of South Salem High School teammates lead the number one ranked side in our Preseason Power 25 Rankings. Catcher Teagan Scott holds strong at the number two spot in the 2026 state ranks. The Oregon State commit has been a longtime top prospect in the class, showcasing tremendous maturity and polish defensively to go alongside present power and hit-ability at the plate. Scott will be joined by the third ranked 2026 Sawyer Nelson, a standout player in his own right. Nelson had a massive 2025 offensively, hitting at every opportunity, and was rewarded with an appearance at Prep Baseball's Super 60 event this February, one of the top stops for preseason MLB Draft prospect looks. Both player will have a legitimate shot to win POTY with strong offensive seasons.

Sawyer Nelson - (02/05/2026)

The ability to produce both as a position player and pitcher has gone a long way in determining previous year's POTY winners, and several others near the top of the ranks have that ability. Tualatin's Trenton Hertzog surprised some with his productivity on the mound last spring and should be a key arm once again. The lefty stick will almost certainly be a position player by the time he gets to campus at the University of Oregon next year, but the two-way talent will be closely watched throughout this high school season.

West Linn's Ryan Hemsley is another two-way talent with upside. A middle infielder with a plus arm as a position player, Hemsley has long manned the dirt for the Lions and produced near the top of the batting order. Partner this with his fastball that has worked into the upper 80's, and it's easy to see a POTY case for the Portland commit.

Standout Arms this Preseason

Up and down the rankings list, players in the 2026 class were seen at preseason workouts, including events in Eugene, Corvallis and Centralia. La Salle Catholic's Tate Kullberg leads the way as one of many seniors that impressed this winter. The pitcher-only righthander worked through a three pitch mix at the Eugene Preseason ID, including a fastball 84-86 MPH that generated heavy horizontal break at times. Kullberg also mixed in a changeup with similar action at 77-78 MPH and a slider at 74-75 MPH that generated 2300 RPM on average. A lean-framed 6'0 arm, there may be more in the tank moving forward for the uncommitted senior.

Another impressive righthander, Clackamas senior Jackson Faris showed some nice strides since a previous look in the fall. A 6'4, durable build prospect, Faris worked through a steady paced wind into a fluid, continuous arm path with a high 3/4 to OTT slot release. The overall operation was polished and repeatable for all deliveries. The velocity ticked up in his latest look with a fastball 84-86 T86.5. Faris also threw two distinct breaking balls that both flashed plus in-game last fall, thrown in the mid-70's in Eugene with over 2600 RPM on average, respectively. The righty also worked in a CH to round out a 4-pitch, starter's type profile. Faris joins what may be the most loaded staff in Oregon HS baseball entering 2026.

Carson Doblie was another intriguing pitcher seen this winter, throwing at the Corvallis Preseason ID. The 6'4, 205 pound senior worked through a simple, repeatable wind to positive results. The fastball was run up to 84 MPH, mixing in a slider and changeup as well. Doblie may well see time on the mound for one of the best 6A programs in Oregon this spring.

Winter Bats That Impressed

It's difficult to narrow down to just a few bats that showed well this preseason. We'll start at our first event this winter, which took place at Oregon State University. Southridge outfielder Jonas Kiichle showcased some quality gains and development to his skillset, particularly offensively. A long-limed 6'0, 188 pound player, Kiichle generated bat speed north of 70 MPH to carry a whippier barrel through the zone, producing flush contact on a line and to the gaps. The righthander peaked with a 94.2 MPH exit velocity, averaging 86.6 MPH and driving balls up to 362 feet. Pairing this with 7.2 speed and a strong defensive showing in the outfield, and Kiichle looks to be a varsity contributor heading into the high school season.

Uncommitted outfielder Riley Teed stood out in Eugene as a potential power threat. The righty stays upright through his swing to generate leverage with strength through the zone, resulting in a peak exit velocity of 99.8 MPH. Teed was behind one of the most talented outfield groups in the state at Jesuit, but may see time as a senior as a potential breakout player.

Sprague's Lucas Allen was another standout in Eugene. The uncommitted senior flashed start to finish in his workout, showcasing ability in all facets of his game. The stocky-strong righty was able to punish baseballs in BP rounds when on time and in sync, resulting in an event-best 103.9 MPH peak exit velocity. The mostly flatter approach did drive a ball up to 362 feet. Allen also worked a fastball up to 82.7 MPH on the mound, with a 2400+ RPM slider flashing as his best secondary. Defensively, Allen is likely best suited for a corner spot with throws up to 81 MPH.

Lastly, Tualatin's Calen Simonelic appears to have taken a major step forward with a great set of BP rounds at PNW Preseason All-State. The Bushnell commit moves well from the left side, with an innate feel for the barrel that is easy to dream on when translating in-game. The gap-to-gap, line drive approach yielded exit velocities up to 99.5 MPH, posting an average of 91.9 MPH as well. Simonelic showed lateral quickness in the outfield defensive portion of the workout as well with throws up to 81 MPH. A senior with tools, Simonelic should be a regular in the Timberwolves lineup this spring.

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