No one has improved his draft stock more the first four weeks of the spring season than UCLA centerfielder Will Gasparino. At 6-foot-6, 220 pounds he is projectable and dynamic. He’s also tooled up with a 70-grade run tool giving him the speed to cover the big field gap-to-gap. His arm is at least plus, same with his defense and his raw power is at the top of the scale. The slugger’s transformation in the batter’s box with a load and better sync to his swing has been a much talked about development this spring. He’s currently batting .434 with an absurd 1.151 SLG and just a 14.3% strikeout rate. Advanced metrics further illustrate his spectacular season to date with improvements to both his chase and whiff rates. And, his greatest has been made against the fastball – last season he batted .246 against the heater, but this season is currently on a .619 clip over his first 70 trips to the plate. At this point in the 2026 draft process, a preseason late day one/early day two prospect (3rd-4th round) has rapidly risen into top 35-40 overall pick discussions.

Gasparino’s “replacement” in Austin is transfer Aiden Robbins. A bat-to-ball specialist in his first two seasons at Seton Hall, Robbins’ move to Texas was sure to put him front and center in the scouting world, and he has not disappointed. Already matching his career best for home runs (6) through just 16 games, his slugging percentage and hard-hit % has surged, thus far, in Austin. While SEC play will likely dictate the ceiling, the floor has already been built high as the 6-foot-2, 190-pounder has moved admirably in center field in pushing into earlier Day One consideration. Wiry-athletic with room to add even more strength, the right-handed hitter sets up in an open crouch with the hands held high before a leg-hanging stride works the hands to a power position with a direct, two-handed path through the zone. Robbins has demonstrated the ability to move an accurate barrel around the zone, and while he presently holds a 9:13 BB/SO, the increase in (early season) K% feels like a quality trade off given the power yields. His bat speed is above average and to date his metrics include a max EV of 111, 90th EV 106 mph and a 62% hard hit rate.

A third on-the-rise prospect is Georgia Tech’s Alex Hernandez. Like the two above he was already a highly-regarded prospect entering the season, but the sophomore-eligible has in short order risen to top two round discussions. After slashing .335/.415/.609 as a true freshman, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound righthanded hitter is cruising along with a .526 batting average through his first 16 games and 72 plate appearances. He’s also homered three times and walked (12) more than he’s struck out (11). With an open stance, great balance and hitterish vibes, his greatest strength at the plate is the ability to hit all types of pitches. Hernandez will occasionally chase the fastball out of the zone, but he’s currently batting at least .425 with an EV 90 of 100+ against every type of pitch. Defensively, Hernandez has floated between the corner outfield, first base and designated hitter. As a former pitcher he has plenty of arm strength and athleticism to profile to right field.

The scouting industry was already well-acquainted with Vahn Lackey after two seasons as Georgia Tech’s starting catcher, as well as a successful summer with the USA Collegiate National Team. Currently batting .467 with twice as many walks (18) as strikeouts (9), the 6-foot-2, 200-pound righthanded hitter has already exceeded his home run total from last spring with seven. His success in the batter’s box can be attributed to a low chase (10.2%, 91st percentile) and high Z-Contact 91.7%. When you don’t chase, have some power and make contact when you do swing, good things result. His max EV so far this season is 110.9 mph after a 112.7 max last spring. Lackey further separates himself from other catchers in that he would also be a high round prospect at a position other than behind the plate – he even recently played every position on the field except pitcher. His athleticism is obvious on the bases and behind the plate. After stealing 18 bags last spring, he’s already totaled seven in 2026. As a receiver his ability to frame the low pitch stands out. He consistently catches and presents the borderline pitch to steal strikes. With above average arm strength his POP times are consistently around 2.0 with 80 mph velocity. Once a second half of the first round prospect, Lackey has jumped into top 10-15 overall pick discussions.

Just northeast of Atlanta another 6-foot-2, 200-pound tooled-up athlete suits up behind the plate. An Aaron Fitt favorite from the Cape this past summer, Georgia’s Daniel Jackson has already belted 14 home runs this spring to lead the country. His max EV is currently 112.1 mph which is plus, but his EV 90 is 109.8 which is ridiculous. Somewhat of a free-swing, especially against the fastball and changeup, he’s currently batting .408. Much of his improvement is due to his developing ability to lay off chase breaking balls which in turn has lessened his whiff against this pitch. According to TrackMan, he has yet to strike out against a slider this season. He can also run and throw. Jackson stole 12 bases last season in 40 games and has already swiped ten in 18 games this spring. He also has a big arm. An 84 mph cannon (70-grade) with POP times in the 1.90s. Once a top five round type of athlete with a questionable bat, Jackson has quickly risen into day one territory. However, just like all of the others, he’ll need to continue his successes in league play which begins this weekend for the SEC.