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NJCAA DI Opening Day: Top Prospects in Action This Weekend

January 20, 2026
By Josh Fields & Kyle Rodriguez
JUCO Wire

And just like that, baseball is back.

And in fitting fashion, it's the grinders belonging to the JUCO ranks who will ignite the 2026 baseball season, bringing us live baseball from now until next winter, really. Today, in a first of several JUCO-related pieces we'll be rolling out this week at Prep Baseball's JUCO Wire, sponsored by Netting Pros, we're going to spend some time highlighting the best players in the junior college system who will be in action this weekend.

Kickoff events are taking place where it's actually warm, like in Florida, Nevada, and Texas, which is naturally where you can find many of the best of the best talent, too.

Here's a glimpse at the top matchups of the upcoming weekend, starting with Friday's official opening day of action.

FRIDAY, JAN. 23

+ Polk State (FL) vs. Chipola (FL)
+ Central Florida vs. South Florida State
+ Gulf Coast State (FL) vs. Santa Fe (FL)
+ Salt Lake (UT) vs. South Mountain (AZ)
+ Southern Idaho vs. Pima (AZ)
+ Pasco-Hernando (FL) vs. Northwest Florida State

SATURDAY, JAN. 24

+ Chipola (FL) vs. Central Florida
+ Tallahassee State (FL) vs. Andrew (GA)
+ Pasco-Hernando (FL) vs. State College of Florida

SUNDAY, JAN. 25

+ Lake Land (IL) vs. Seminole State (OK)
+ Midland (TX) vs. Alvin (TX)
+ Florida SouthWestern vs. Lake Land (IL)
+ Tyler (TX) vs. Galveston (TX)
+ Grayson (TX) vs. Wabash Valley (IL)
+ Grayson (TX) vs. Wharton County (TX)

AT THE TOP OF THE LIST

Below, we've taken the time to highlight some of the top-ranked players in action this weekend at the NJCAA DI level. We compiled this information through the feedback from JUCO head coaches themselves in addition to Prep Baseball scout staff positioned across the country. In early December, we published our official JUCO Wire Top-100 Prospects list, so you can check that out for yourself to prep in advance of this weekend as well.

Easton Davies RHP / Salt Lake CC / Soph.

JUCO Rank: No. 3; Oklahoma commit

Davis (Orem HS, UT, 2024) is a returning power arm for the Bruins, the reigning national champs. He's a physical right-hander that K'd 47 batters across 45.2 IP as a freshman, showing an improved arsenal with a fastball that can get into the upper-90s and a slider that can generate ugly swings in and out of the zone at an above-average rate or better.

Andrew McLaughlin RHP / Florida SouthWestern CC / Soph.

JUCO Rank: No. 14; Uncommitted

McLaughlin (Ashley Ridge HS, SC, 2024) is a returning starter for the Bucs who struck out 47 batters across 40.1 IP, with only 18 walks, en route to a 5-3 record and 3.12 ERA. Showing improved stuff since stepping back on campus this semester, the uncommitted right-hander should have a number of eyes on him, both four-year and professionally, as the spring progresses. He's the exact kind of prospect who can boom up a list like this with an excellent outing in the first weekend of action.

Bishop Quarles OF / Florida SouthWestern CC / Soph.

JUCO Rank: No. 15; Uncommitted

A 2025 JUCO All-American, Quarles (Goodpasture Christian HS, TN, 2024) enters 2026 with a new squad, Florida SouthWestern, after hitting .409 with 16 home runs and 31 stolen bases at Bryant & Stratton CC (VA). He's an athletic left-handed bat who can really run, paired with a history of quality or better defense in center field. Quarles is certainly one of the top uncommitted bats to watch this spring, and especially right out of the gates, for the Bucs.

+ No. 20-ranked SO. RHP Jordan Martinez (Gulf Coast State); Florida State commit: Martinez is local to Gulf Coast State and he's doing immense work for the Commodores, returning as a First Team selection to both the Panhandle Conference as well as All-State, Region 8. He went 10-1 last year with a 4.14 ERA and 77 Ks in 71.2 IP, using a low-90s heater effectively next to a swing-and-miss change, one of the country's best at the level. Martinez mixes in two other solid breaking balls to give him a four- or five-pitch mix, an arsenal that's helped vault him into the status of one of the top JUCO righties in the nation.

+ No. 24 SO. RHP Lance Hartley (Central Florida); South Carolina: Power arm that can pick up swings and misses and Ks in bunches, there’s a shot to start if he proves capable of living in the zone over extended outings. Makings of a quality arsenal with a power fastball that has reached the upper-90s and a firm splitter.

+ No. 29 R-FR. OF Jake Richardson (Eastern Florida State); uncommitted: Twitchy athlete with tools and ability to stick in center long-term, there’s explosive bat speed from the right-side to pair. The South Florida transfer is a bat to follow throughout the spring.

+ No. 31 SO. UTL Landry Stamps (Tyler); South Carolina: Strong left-handed hitter that really performed in one of the toughest regions in the nation as a freshman, slashing .321/.432/.491 over 52 games last spring. Will look to make an impact in the middle of the order, potential impact bat next year.

+ No. 35 SO. RHP Nolan Tillitt (Salt Lake); uncommitted: LMU transfer, looks to impact for right away inside the staff this spring. The fastball can creep into the upper-90s at times, with multiple secondaries. Could impact the staff in a number of roles this spring, also a high-end uncommitted arm to know.

+ No. 38 SO. RHP Asher Goss (Florence-Darlington Tech); uncommitted: Returning power arm with a big fastball that has touched 97 mph. One of the top right-handers on the market and a MLB Draft follow with improved feel to locate in the zone and miss bats.

(Asher Goss; 10/2/25)

+ No. 41 SO. RHP Brody Kelly (Eastern Florida State); Miami: Quick armed right-hander with feel for three pitches included two advanced secondaries with a low-90s sinking fastball with seemingly more to come from a velo perspective.

+ No. 45 SO. LHP Elijah Sanders (Florence-Darlington Tech); NC State: An athletic lefty with an easy arm action and a potential wipeout changeup. The velocity is continuing to come as he works towards the mid-90s, ability to impact a staff in multiple roles.

(Elijah Sanders; 10/2/25)

+ No. 47 FR. OF Michal Sindelka (Chipola); uncommitted: A Czech Republic native who tore up the MLB Draft League this summer, slashing .275/.405/.341, with a max EV of 109.1 mph, and a 31.5% hard-hit%. The makings are there to be an impact bat at the next level, with a bat that works quick and powerful through the zone.

+ No. 49 R-SO. RHP Reese Marcum (Gulf Coast State); uncommitted: A South Carolina native, Marcum slowly adjusted to the Commodores staff in 2025 before finishing the season as its lights-out closer which has the Gulf Coast staff optimistic about his contributions to the squad in 2026. Marcum was effective on the Cape in the summer, too, which has him penciled into the starting rotation this year, where he'll bring some of this staff's best pure stuff. He's 92-93 mph, touching mid-90s at times, with two different breaking balls, but his spin feel is the separator, as he can rip off the breakers at 3,000-plus rpm.

+ No. 53 SO. 1B Cade Culbreath (Tallahassee State); South Alabama: Taking home All-American honors as a freshman after slashing .307/.406/.586, with 10 home runs, nine doubles and 43 RBIs; a physical left-handed bat with impact power to all fields.

+ No. 54 SO. 1B/LF Brody Dalton (St. Johns River); uncommitted: Earning Second Team All-American Honors and taking home POY in Florida, Dalton looks to continue this momentum into his sophomore year. Working off a year where he slashed .333/.435/.682 with 18 home runs, 15 doubles, and 55 RBIs. The powerful left-handed bat is one of the top uncommitted names to know this spring.

+ No. 73 SO. C Evan Taveras (Florida SouthWestern); USF: A transfer in from Miami, Taveras saw limited time with the bat, where he recorded eight extra-base hits, including three home runs. It's an athletic righty set-up with present bat speed from a compact swing.

+ No. 75 SO. SS Eric Fernandez (Tallahassee State); Louisiana-Lafayette: Fernandez is a bat that has shown jumps all around the board this fall compared to his freshman year. While manning shortstop this fall, the lefty bat slashed .401/.566/.571. An athletic defender with quick and smooth hands, as the power with the bat continues to tick up.

+ No. 96 SO. LHP Elijah Coston (Florida SouthWestern); uncommitted: An incoming VCU transfer who, in his first year, tossed 25.1 innings to a 4.26 ERA, striking out 24. An athletic and projectable left-handed frame running it up to 93 mph with the fastball. This lefty sits in the lower-90s, mixing in a low-spin splitter in the mid-80s that falls off the table.

PICK TO CLICK 💫

Tyler West OF / Salt Lake CC / R-FR.

Texas A&M commit

A former BYU wideout, West (Crimson Cliffs HS, UT, 2024) has now returned home to the diamond at his home state's heavyweight JUCO program, placing himself into the conversation as one of the most explosive players at the level. This fall, the 5-foot-10, 175-pound frame has shown his ability to take over the field as a 6.25 runner, with a power lefty bat, swiping 23 bags and hitting over .450 this fall.

OTHER TOP-100-RANKED JUCO PROSPECTS IN ACTION

+ No. 18 SO. RHP Preston Allen (Walters State); Georgia commit
+ No. 19 SO. RHP Major Osbolt (Walters State); LSU
+ No. 39 FR. OF Nathan Nance (Northwest Florida State); uncommitted
+ No. 40 FR. SS Orlando Fernandez (Northwest Florida State); uncommitted
+ No. 44 SO. RHP Aidan Ray (State College of Florida); Miami
+ No. 48 SO. INF Anthony Quigley (Northwest Florida State); uncommitted
+ No. 60 SO. C Xander Forsell (Cisco); Purdue
+ No. 66 SO. RHP Luke Holt (Cisco); Dallas Baptist
+ No. 70 SO. RHP Talon Monnell (Gaston); Virginia Tech
+ No. 72 SO. SS Kole Fenton (Walters State); North Carolina
+ No. 74 FR. C/INF Marvin Montenegro (Polk State); uncommitted
+ No. 79 SO. 1B Reece Van Devander (Eastern Arizona); Grand Canyon
+ No. 80 FR. RHP Brooks Mueller (Northwest Florida State); uncommitted
+ No. 81 FR. RHP Bryson Maynard (Polk State); uncommitted
+ No. 85 FR. RHP Lane Sharp (Walters State); uncommitted
+ No. 87 SO. RHP Keller Lindeman (Midland); BYU
+ No. 88 RHP Brayden Hill (Gaston); Charlotte

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