The 2027 class continues to separate itself as one of the most talented groups in recent memory, with the strength of the class beginning up the middle of the diamond. More than 20 shortstops are featured within the top-100, a remarkable representation of depth at premium positions that rivals the heralded 2025 class in both overall talent and impact potential. Athleticism, defensive versatility, twitch, and offensive polish define this group, with the combination of tools and projection creating an unusually deep collection of players capable of remaining at premium positions.

And the depth does not stop there. Physical power bats, legitimate two-way talents, and an athletic wave of outfielders continue to push the ceiling of the class, with first-round-type talent extending well beyond the top of the rankings.

As with every Prep Baseball ranking, the foundation of these evaluations is built by the boots-on-the-ground staff immersed in the game at the regional and state levels. Prep Baseball's scouting staff is constantly in the trenches, seeing players in game settings, workouts, showcases, tournaments, and the biggest events of the summer. Our expansive network of plugged-in evaluators spanning the country makes it so we're able to provide the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive evaluation of the 2027 class possible.

Here are our findings...

***VIEW THE TOP-500 HERE***

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AT THE TOP 👑

It is no secret that this class is headlined by a slew of remarkable young shortstops, and this update to the 2027 Overall Rankings mirrors that sentiment as the top five are all part of that position group. The sizable shift of industry focus towards the premium position has been noticeable, especially in recent years, and that emphasis is impossible to ignore when considering this particular class. The group should have more than 20 prospects up for Day 1 consideration when the dust settles on the spring season, club private workouts, and MLB Draft Combine. These talented ballplayers are simply that good…and their potential value that high.

Leading the way, once again, is No. 1 SS Dylan Seward (Norco HS, CA). The five-tool switch-hitter continued checking all the boxes at each stop on the summer circuit including this major takeaway from Cary at the USA 18U Trials:

"Stacking days and performances, any director or scout that was getting a first introduction to the Seward Show did not leave disappointed. Commanding the attention of the #1 prospect in the class, Seward hardly shied away from the spotlight and continued to display his five-tool status and collected a multitude of hits in game play including a loud home run from the right side. Having set the tools at peak status, the scouting of Seward has moved far beyond the raw data. He displayed a comfort in being heralded, but a killer instinct that allowed him to hover above the rest of the players in attendance, including many that will follow on this list as future first round picks. The most memorable moment of the event came in a left-handed at-bat against his current high school teammate, RHP Jordan Ayala, who was pumping in fastballs at 95-97 with a vicious slider in the upper 80s. Seward worked the count full before nearly taking Ayala's head off with a line drive single. He then proceeded to straight steal home as it felt that the entire field, including the coaching staffs, were left with gaping mouths as to the excitement that the SoCal native brings to the diamond. In short, Seward was not in attendance to compete with the best in the class, he was there to cement his alpha-status, and that is exactly what he did."

Dylan Seward (7/19/26)

Inevitably, the chatter aimed at devaluing his status as the likely 1:1 selection will surface, but any noise entering the amateur baseball realm should be viewed for what it is: smoke from picks Nos. 2-5. Seward's pure tools, athleticism, and competitive drive separate him from the field, and those traits warrant the ink his name deserves at the top of the 2027 Draft.

While Seward continues to separate himself in the top spot, there is still significant Top 10 value coming behind. No. 2 SS Malachi Butler (McEachern HS, GA), No. 3 SS Graham Houston (Venice HS, FL), No. 4 SS Sebastian Castillo (Byron Nelson HS, TX), and No. 5 SS Lubin Rincon (The Bennett School, TX) each presented strong first round cases throughout the summer, each in their own way. Butler's hit-tool and impact potential as a left-handed hitter with considerable power upside might have the loudest case to potentially challenge Seward in July. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound shortstop with 70-grade arm moves well on the left side, but it is a keen zone awareness with advanced swing decisions that will propel his stock behind closed doors. One of the youngest players in the class, the Atlanta native has a chance to capture significant helium in the spring.

Malachi Butler (7/19/26)

Houston, another ultra-talented switch-hitter of which there are an astonishing number in the class, is somewhat less of an immediate standout because of a more wiry, still developing 5-foot-11, 175-pound frame. However, he utilized the summer circuit as a proving ground, and without any gaudy flash or theatrics, let his game speak for itself in eliciting the look of a young prospect set to stack days and develop at lightning fast pace. A consummate performer, his steady play on the dirt and especially several loud moments at the plate provided for a cemented look as a first-round talent.

Graham Houston (6/4/26)

Coming in at Nos. 4 and 5 are a pair of Texas shortstops that are sure to have the Dallas- and Houston-area scouts battling behind closed doors. Sebastian Castillo and Lubin Rincon captivated onlookers while collecting hit after hit after hit against premium arms. Castillo, whose right/right profile and stockier looking 6-foot, 195-pound frame is set to be the most polarizing follow of the spring amongst the upper-echelon prospects, built a strong case as a top-20 selection with the work he put in all summer. No matter the event, it was not a question as to who would have the most hits, but how many he'd collect. Featuring a semi-stockier look, his defensive prowess stands out at shortstop with innate glove-to-hand ability and a plus-arm that also shows well on the mound (low-90s heat with a wicked slider). However, it is the heaviest of barrels that he covers the plate with that ultimately carries the profile. A pure hit/power tool with an incessant motor, Castillo rarely swung and missed on the circuit, and combined with plus-makeup, he is likely to have both analytics departments and decision makers uniting in excitement.

In slight contrast, Rincon is the dreamable 6-foot-3, 185-pound left-handed hitter whose relaxed look in the box and gentle takes present the look of a 10-year big leaguer, and the ability to get off quality swings with a simple approach is alluring. At one point in the summer, Rincon had collected more home runs than strikeouts, and his ability to deliver dangerous swings with minimal effort is what will bring plenty of suitors in the first round. A sure-handed defender whose accurate arm was impossible to miss, the high ceiling will drive significant value, and should the power continue to evolve in a hurry, Rincon might ultimately move even higher.

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CHALLENGERS ⚔️

+ No. 14 SS Carter Hadnot (Aquinas HS, CA)
The loud tools and enticing switch-hitting profile are sure to drive Hadnot into top first-round consideration, and a quality showing on the summer circuit provided plenty of intrigue. The 6-foot, 165-pound, lean athlete moves with a quick first step and dynamic look on the defensive side, and his plus-speed is applied on the basepaths with near-weapon status. At the plate, the left-handed swing stands out as a tick ahead of the right, presently, though both get off with controlled aggression in the look. Beyond the raw tools that are sure to excite the industry, Hadnot's plate discipline and willingness to work deep into counts has been on display for well over a year including more than 3:1 BB:K rate throughout the spring as well as in the summer against premium national arms.

Carter Hadnot (4/11/26)

+ No. 17 SS Leo Nockley (Wyoming HS, PA)
While only 5-foot-8, 160-pounds, Nockley displayed sneaky power from the left side that saw balls drive well further than anticipated throughout the summer. The 6.5-runner trended up defensively throughout the summer with a strong chance to get sent out at shortstop, and his professional approach was noticeable at each stop. A clear Day 1 talent who has stacked a strong national presence across multiple years, there is a strong path to a Top 60 selection right now.

Leo Nockley (7/14/26)

+ No. 19 SS Juan Diaz (IMG Academy, FL)
While Diaz will likely spend much of the spring at second base next to Max Hemenway, quick looks throughout the summer provided ample reason to believe that he may start at the premium position at the next level. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound switch-hitter turned in plus-run times at every stop, and his tight turns and adjustability stood out next to advanced pitch tracking and swing decisions. Sneaky power from both sides was flashed and appears to be trending up which will only generate even more buzz throughout the spring.

Juan Diaz (3/11/26)

+ No. 20 SS Max Hemenway (IMG Academy, FL)
A nationally known name since stepping foot in high school, the Washington native and IMG attendee can easily be tossed into a moniker of “prospect fatigue” given his incessant performance in front of the professional community over the years down in Bradenton. Having said that, this look was one that served to cement Hemenway as a Day 1 prospect, and reinvigorated his exciting prospect status. While others rode a roller coaster of ups and downs, the lean, 6-foot, 175-pound left-handed hitter turned in a full array of professional at-bats, getting off excellent swings (and swing decisions) in all counts. Tracking with ease and exhibiting top-of-the-class bat-to-ball capabilities, Hemenway covers the plate with an athletic, quick-handed look, and while the frame is still craving strength, he has a foundational hit-tool and keen eye that will continue to win over the scouting community with each subsequent look. His defensive prowess was less on display in this look, but the advanced internal clock and glove-to-hand ability carry a higher floor than some other prospects in the class. More than anything, Hemenway has a relaxed confidence that is alluring on the diamond, and there is a natural ability to slow things down on both sides that will ultimately lift his status as a quiet favorite of many clubs.

Max Hemenway (3/11/26)

+ No. 24 SS Grady Grant (Center Grove HS, IN)
The biggest helium of the summer was captured by Grant as he displayed a loose left-handed stroke with alluring athleticism. The 6-foot, 180-pound shortstop routinely found the right spot on the glove before showing off a strong arm across the diamond in looking the part of a future left side defender. Able to adjust planes with ease while presenting advanced bat-to-ball ability, Grant carries a frame that should add strength in a hurry which will only serve to boost the power that lies beside a potential top-of-the-class hit-tool.

Grady Grant (6/20/26)

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STOCK UP 📈

#12 OF Drake Hawpe
#13 LHP Easton Sarmiento
#21 LHP Kade Luker
#23 LHP Brady Guzzie
#24 SS Grady Grant
#34 OF Teagan Leach
#36 RHP Traxton Roberts
#37 RHP Ethan Gustus
#42 RHP Andrew Carlson
#43 SS Jace Harrell
#45 RHP Calum Anderson
#46 OF Cooper Goff
#47 SS Isaiah Snavely
#49 C Joe Mendazona
#50 OF Jack Leeper
#54 OF Stephen Bobo
#55 C Quincy Pratt
#56 SS Trip Ostergard
#73 RHP Brennan Neal
#76 OF Jalen Bowman
#93 LHP Ryan Donahoe
#108 C Cooper Collins
#111 C Jacob Carrasco
#115 RHP Camden Boehm

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COMMITMENTS BY SCHOOL 🏫

1. Louisiana State (19)
2. Texas (18)
3. Arkansas (18)
4. Vanderbilt (16)
5. Texas A&M (16)
6. Virginia Tech (14)
7. Ole Miss (13)
8. Tennessee (12)
9. Florida (12)
10. Virginia (12)

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NEWCOMERS ✨

#123 OF Chayce Formosa (CA)
#129 OF/INF Joseph Rutledge (SC)
#141 C Roman Derichsweiler (TX)
#159 RHP David Cook (VA)
#160 1B Brayden Goldstein (CA)
#162 OF Jayden Cedeno (FL)
#163 OF Winston Andujar (FL)
#173 SS Will Newman (AZ)
#178 RHP Zayden Peltz (AZ)
#189 RHP/OF Liam Dougherty (TN)
#218 RHP Andrew Weber (CA)
#219 RHP Casen Reedy (TX)
#229 RHP Hunter Vitello (CO)
#239 OF Parker Lipp (CA)
#245 OF Taylor Dodd (AZ)
#262 RHP Jaxson Torres (NY)
#321 C Sammy Echeverry (FL)
#331 RHP Chase Colaianni (NJ)
#341 C Pete Browand (WA)
#345 SS Carson Trivellini (IL)
#350 SS Jonah Winton (TN)
#361 SS Jack Swanson (CT)
#364 OF Alex Michna (WI)
#368 RHP Keegan Schwarting (IL)
#374 3B Jacob Babcock (VA)
#381 SS/C Maddon DelaCruz (AZ)
#382 RHP Jude Carter (NC)
#393 OF Jake Shoemaker (TX)
#410 LHP Aden Baggett (IN)
#435 RHP Luke Daigle (TX)
#446 RHP Matt Zambriski (NY)
#454 LHP Cutler Chastain (IN)
#466 LHP Drew Stettbacher (WI)
#473 RHP Lucas Haas (IN)
#479 SS Cooper Sievert (WI)
#483 SS Max Simokatis (MO)

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