2026 MLB Mock Draft: Leading Off

"Uncommitted. Lombard continued to impress as the most polished player in the class with graceful athleticism on both sides of the ball. His 6-foot-3, 185-pound frame stands out and should see a considerable amount of strength added while maintaining its nimble agility. The swing and impact potential of the bat is what will ultimately be the key to how high he can rise in the class from his highest of floors. There is a professional approach from the right side with acute intent to keep the barrel on the ball with a two-handed, emphasized stroke. Featuring a slightly uphill approach, Lombard rarely got cheated in getting off aggressive, controlled swings with some torque. There was some swing-and-miss throughout the event, namely to the top of the zone with fastballs, but he tracked effortlessly, even getting off big swings on adjusted breaking balls. Any attention paid to the whiff% should also be paid to the OBP as Lombard has routinely worked deep into counts with advanced strike zone awareness and even when not going at his best, still manages to get on base where his speed and instincts are another weapon." – Shooter Hunt, Team USA 18U Trials (July 2025)

"Cholowsky was D1 Baseball’s Player of the Year in 2025 after leading the Bruins to the CWS. Including the postseason, he batted .353 with 19 doubles, 23 home runs and 74 RBIs. After again batting .353, to go along with a home run and four RBIs in five games during the Trials, he struggled across the Pacific, hitting just .059 (1-for-17) with nine strikeouts against Japan. The mass strikeouts were highly uncharacteristic as Cholowsky only struck out in 9.3% of his plate appearances during the 2025 spring season. Maker of the routine, as well as the spectacular play on defense, Cholowsky is the top college shortstop to come along in several years. He consistently shows plus range in all directions, especially up the middle, to go along with athletic actions and excellent body control. His arm is plus and plays up further with his ability to make accurate throws from any angle. He committed seven errors in 314 chances (.978) for UCLA this spring and one error in 37 chances for the CNT. He’s a lock to remain in the spot at the professional level." – David Seifert, USA Baseball CNT Trials (July 2025)

"Miami recruit. Long, athletic 6-foot-2ish frame with loose arm stroke that pumps out of a low ¾ slot. Polished, athletic delivery with silky-smooth movement patterns. Effortless velocity (93-95 mph) with more on the way and ability to pound the bottom of the zone. The slider takes more tight, sweeping shape. Chance for more teeth down the road. Right now it features more of an average to above look, but the plus-potential is real, and it is likely to be one of the better pitches in the class. Changeup was less effective in this look with the hand dropping and slot forcing it to sail arm side. Rojas will enter the spring as the top pitching prospect in the class and his upside is aided by the same athleticism that boosted Seth Hernandez into two-way status (Rojas would definitely be an everyday player for the Hurricanes should he make it to campus)." – Shooter Hunt, Team USA 18U Trials (July 2025)

"Impressed defensively throughout the summer tour, Lebron is a natural defender with good instincts, quick hands and plus arm strength. He makes it look easy at shortstop and in all likelihood will remain there over the long term. At the plate he has a longer swing with fair bat speed. He also did not see the ball well during the trials or tour as the right handed hitter was late on numerous fastballs, but he did barrel a hanging curveball for a triple the opposite way. Lebron has top-30 overall pick potential, but without showing above average to plus raw power, it becomes a tough profile for that pick range." – David Seifert, USA Baseball CNT Trials (July 2024)

Since last summer, Lebron traded some more swing and miss for a more impactful batted-ball profile that allowed him to generate more power in 2025 for the Tide. Ultimately, he upped his slugging% from .546 to .636 as a sophomore with 16 more extra-base hits, including six more home runs.

"Stanford recruit. Spangler continued to build his case for being the top prospect in the class with this look in Cary. Less results driven, the 6-foot-3 shortstop had great takes and got off dangerous swings in all counts against any and all pitches. More upright with a Seager-esq look, the left-handed hitter loads onto the back leg with hanging stride before using considerable torque to get off a dynamic stroke that works flat through the zone with impressive bat speed. Tracked with ease and slowing things down in the box, Spangler just missed a handful of pitches that fouled straight back, and he is likely to deliver some marquee moments the rest of the summer. There is a late, almost abrupt rigidity to the hands load that might be smoothed out in a hurry to provide a more consistent path, but the profile currently screams hit/power, and his impact potential outpaces the rest of the class. Defensively, his clean glove work and strong arm stood out along with crisp actions and athleticism that presented the look of a long-term shortstop although he moved admirably in the outfield and at third base." – Shooter Hunt, Team USA 18U Trials (July 2025)

"Wake Forest recruit. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound southpaw continued to assert himself as the potential best arm in the class with a full arsenal of above average-to-plus offerings and advanced pitchability. Comfortably working 91-93 with some steepness to the plane, he had 95 mph (T96) whenever he wanted it, and applied pressure on the hands to right-handed hitters. A bulldog on the mound with quiet toughness, a power arm stroke works to the ear before jumping out of the hand as he gathers on the back leg before driving strong down the mound. What is likely to propel Bolemon into top 15 pick talk is his feel for two distinct breaking balls, a curveball and slider, that each will ultimately grade out as plus. The curveball is tightly spun with more depth while the short slider might be one of the best secondary pitches in the class. Even the changeup, which was more unnecessary in this short stint, holds considerable upside as a likely above average offering. Ultimately, Bolemon checks all boxes and he would have been the best southpaw in the 2025 class, as well." – Shooter Hunt, Team USA 18U Trials (July 2025)

"Uncommitted. Jumping up a class prior to the summer, Schmidt immediately nestles himself into the upper echelon of southpaws of what is a topheavy, talented core group. At 6-foot-4, 215-pounds, he still has a frame that is developing and should see considerable growth. A medium-sized, more controlled, power arm stroke delivers to a high ¾ slot with some boring action. Almost lulling hitters to sleep, the fastball (91-95 mph) gets on the plate in a hurry with some feel for driving into right-handed hitters with some heaviness. The breaking ball flashed above average along with a near average changeup, but the sum of the parts raised the value, and the ease of the operation looked the part of a future starter. There are similar traits to Big League southpaw, Jordan Montgomery. Schmidt also features a quality left-handed stroke, so there is some sneaky athleticism, and his low-pulse demeanor should suit him well in a starting role." – Shooter Hunt, Team USA 18U Trials (July 2025)

"An unsigned second round pick of Tampa Bay in the 2024 draft and a draft-eligible sophomore for 2026, Bell chose the college route and did not disappoint during his freshman season at Kentucky. A switch-hitting shortstop with above average bat speed and the ability to manipulate the barrel and nearly identical splits from each side, he slashed .296/.385/.522 with 10 home runs and 17 doubles. From both sides of the plate he stays back and works the middle of the field with a line drive swing. After struggling in the batter’s box during the Trials (2-for-15), he singled twice in nine at-bats with five strikeouts against Japan. A well-rounded talent with a strong arm that has plenty of carry, sure hands and fluid actions, he committed only six errors in 214 chances (.972 fielding%) this spring. He also played error-free baseball in 27 chances this summer with the CNT as he rotated between second base, third base and shortstop. Bell is a first round prospect for next summer’s draft." – David Seifert, USA Baseball CNT Trials (July 2025)

"Strosnider, 6-foot-2, 200-pounder, had high expectations entering the season. He had a strong fall and the TCU coaching staff was thrilled about the impact he could make this spring. But as with most freshmen, there was at least somewhat of a learning curve...

The one thing that stands out about Strosnider is how tooled up and versatile he truly is as a freshman. His first home run was a two-run shot opposite field over the left field wall, off a 96 mph fastball and 90 mph off the bat, while the second home run was 100 mph off the bat. Outside of the double, I loved the fact that TCU hitting coach Bill Mosiello put on the bunt sign for him, and he brilliantly executed it with a great bunt and excellent speed.

He truly is the type of hitter who can do it all, and he’s got at least another year to go in Fort Worth." – Kendall Rogers, D1Baseball.com (March 2025)

In his true freshman season, Strosnider wound up slashing .350/.420/.650 after a slow start to his first taste of college baseball. He tallied 34 extra-base hits, including 11 homers, and his 10 triples led the country, actually.

"Texas recruit. While the production was not there in game play, Emerson’s smooth left-handed stroke maintained its high-level look, and he is still clearly one of the best pure hitters in the class. The balance and approach from the left side stood out from the first pitch of batting practice as the 6-foot-2, 180-pound, athlete showed effortless lag in the zone from a crouched stance that displayed a sturdy base. Using a minor knee-knock stride to separate the hands down and back to a power position, he exhibited a slightly uphill path while taking professional rounds in all workout looks. Tracking in his legs with ease, his strike zone awareness was obvious throughout the week. Defensively he moved with solid actions at each of the infield positions including quality glove-to-hand ability with a quick release. Though he exhibited less swing-and-miss, the look was similar to the way that 2025 IF Sean Gamble (Royals 1st round) looked a year ago at the same event. This small sample size was not a loud statement from Emerson, but likely means that there will be more of that in coming weeks given the smoothness of the stroke and ability to slow things down." – Shooter Hunt, Team USA 18U Trials (July 2025)