Longenhagen Projects Grady Emerson at No. 1 in 28-Pick 2026 MLB Mock Draft

Q: With a top catching prospect rising, why would the Rays use the second overall pick on another catcher?

Because the Rays would likely view the No. 2 pick as a chance to take the best long-term asset, not to fill an immediate hole. If Vahn Lackey is the top player left on their board, Tampa Bay’s history and the broader MLB draft model both support taking him even with Caden Bodine and Nathan Flewelling rising in the system. That is especially true at catcher, where development is slow and outcomes are volatile. Even strong prospects are years away, and many never become everyday major leaguers. Bodine is seen as a possible catcher of the future, but his ETA is still around 2028, while Flewelling is even younger. Drafting another elite catcher is a hedge against injury, stalled development, or the simple attrition that comes with the position. Lackey also offers a different kind of value. He is widely regarded as one of the three elite talents in this class and the best catching prospect in the draft, with a rare mix of power, contact skill, plate discipline, athleticism and potentially plus defense. A college catcher with that profile is generally considered a safer bet than a prep backstop and could move relatively quickly. For the Rays specifically, depth at a premium position can become flexibility. Tampa Bay has long operated by stockpiling value, then deciding later whether to keep, convert or trade from strength. If both Lackey and the current catching prospects hit, that is not a problem for the Rays; it is an asset.

1 articles · Updated · FanGraphs · Jul 8

Grady Emerson tops Eric Longenhagen’s first 2026 mock draft, with the White Sox projected to take the Texas high school shortstop ahead of a three-player top tier.
That tier is rounded out by Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey at No. 2 to Tampa Bay and UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky at No. 3 to Minnesota, reflecting industry expectations that those three go first.
San Francisco breaks from some outside expectations at No. 4 in the mock, landing UC Santa Barbara right-hander Jackson Flora as Longenhagen leans on the Giants’ recent preference for safer college talent.
The full 28-pick projection also slots Eric Booth Jr. to Pittsburgh at No. 5, Jacob Lombard to Kansas City at No. 6 and Tyler Bell to Baltimore at No. 7, while mixing college bats, prep hitters and a few under-slot scenarios.
Longenhagen said the mock is built from scout, executive and agent chatter plus team-tendency analysis, with an updated version possible before the draft.