Analyst Expands 2026 MLB Draft Rankings to 250, Puts Roch Cholowsky at No. 1
Updated
Updated · ESPN · Jul 8
Analyst Expands 2026 MLB Draft Rankings to 250, Puts Roch Cholowsky at No. 1
3 articles · Updated · ESPN · Jul 8
Summary
A draft-week update stretched the 2026 MLB prospect board from a shorter list to 250 players, with UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky taking the top spot.
Three position players separate themselves at the top: Cholowsky, Fort Worth Christian shortstop Grady Emerson at No. 2, and Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey at No. 3, with the analyst saying scouts are sharply split on their order.
UC Santa Barbara right-hander Jackson Flora ranks fourth as the top pitcher, while Oak Grove High outfielder Eric Booth Jr. rounds out the top five on upside despite swing-adjustment questions.
After Georgia Tech outfielder Drew Burress at No. 7, the analyst says consensus largely disappears, with Justin Lebron, Tyler Bell, Derek Curiel and Christopher Hacopian among the most common top-10 names.
The expanded board also flags late volatility before the draft, including rising interest in two-way prep player Jared Grindlinger and a slide for left-hander Brody Bumila amid possible elbow surgery concerns.