The updated and expanded MLB Draft Top 150 was announced on May 1, with UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky holding the number one spot, while other positions in the ranking saw notable movement. With just over two months before the 2026 Draft in Philadelphia, teams are still evaluating players and adjusting their boards.
The new rankings reflect current industry opinions and will be updated further as more information becomes available. The list is considered a snapshot of where things stand at this point in the scouting process.
Cholowsky continues to lead the list, followed by Texas high school shortstop Grady Emerson at number two. “There are a few names that wouldn’t shock me to be in the top three to five picks, but after that it’s way more jumbled up,” one American League scouting director said. This view highlights a lack of clear separation among prospects after the top selections.
National League and American League scouting directors both commented on how this year’s draft class lacks consensus at the very top compared to previous years. “It’s not like, say, the 2023 Draft with [Paul] Skenes, [Dylan] Crews, [Wyatt] Langford, [Walker] Jenkins and [Max] Clark [the clear top five],” an NL scouting director said.
College hitters make up half of the top ten prospects but do not display dominant statistics typically expected from first-rounders. The AL director said: “I think there are some talented players, but not as many warm and fuzzy types in the first round.” High school pitching remains risky for many teams; however, depth increases lower down in the rankings. According to an AL director: “I’d be surprised if the industry didn’t consider this a strength… It goes well beyond the arms you would put in the top five or 10.”
College pitchers have struggled to rise into first-round consideration outside of Jackson Flora at number four. As evaluations continue through July’s draft date approaches, uncertainty remains high among scouts regarding final selections. The NL director summarized: “The first round looks wide open at this point… Nothing is off the table or would be surprising in my mind at this point.”
