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Spring Training enters week two as the Athletics take on the San Diego Padres at Peoria Stadium in Peoria, AZ today. The A’s have started the spring with an unattractive 2-6 start, but the Friars are not much better coming into today’s matchup with a 4-6 record.

Both teams will be starting many of their regulars, a sight that will increase the further we get into spring training games and once any World Baseball Classic (WBC) players finish their national commitments. WBC games start later this week at various stadiums across the globe.

Right-hander Mason Barnett will get the start for the A’s today. He made five starts for the Athletics in 2025 logging 22+ innings. Righty Miachael King will get the nod for the Padres this afternoon. After an injury-plagued season he went 5-3 in fifteen starts for San Diego last year, finishing up with a 3.44 ERA.

King will face this lineup for the A’s today:

Barnett will get his work in against this lineup for the Padres:

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We have finished the first three weeks of the 2026 college baseball season as we sit here on March 2nd and considering the Atlanta Braves have three very high picks in the 2026 MLB Draft, now is a good time to check in on the stock of some of the college players that are going to be candidates for the picks.

This isn’t meant to be a scouting report for these players, as much as it is to see where their stock is at in this current point in time. There is still plenty of time for these players to move themselves up or down, but this should give you a better idea of who may or may not be available when the Braves make their picks.

Note all stats are through Saturday, February 28th.

Myles Bailey, 1B, Florida State

FSU’s slugging sophomore first baseman had a monster freshman year with 19 HR, and through the end of February is on pace to potentially eclipse that. More importantly he has been walking more and striking out less. It’s a little early to make the call until he consistently faces better competition, but he could end up making himself a candidate for the Braves second round pick.

Brady Ballinger, 1B, Kansas

Ballinger came into the year as a candidate to go with the #26 pick, but he hasn’t yet shown the power that made him a 16 homer guy with a 1.164 OPS. Through Saturday he is hitting just .326/.392/.395 – all down from a year ago, with three doubles as his only extra base hits, and a slightly elevated strikeout percentage.

Eric Becker, SS, Virginia

Becker came into the season as a candidate to go Top 10, and through his first nine games he has been putting up numbers similar to what we saw from him last year. He hasn’t really moved the needle much in either direction to date.

Tyler Bell, SS, Kentucky

Bell also came in as a potential Top 10 pick as a sophomore-eligible player, but unfortunately he injured himself in the first game of the season. He is presently out indefinitely with a shoulder injury, and while he hasn’t done anything directly to knock himself down the boards, his injury clouds his draft status a bit at the moment.

Jake Brown, OF, LSU

One of the bigger stars of the first month of the season, Brown was a candidate to go in the Top 100 picks coming into the season. However he is hitting .408/.473/.735 with four homers and just five strikeouts to open the year for the defending champs. He will need to continue producing at a high level, but he could potentially push himself into the mix for the later part of the first round.

Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech

After hitting 44 homers in his first two seasons, Burress came in as a candidate to go Top 5-10 despite being a bit undersized. He hasn’t done anything to change that opinion, as he is off to an excellent start to his season, posting a 1.263 OPS – however the most notable part of his stat line may be that he has struck out just four times through his first 56 plate appearances.

Cole Carlon, LHP, Arizona State

Carlon came into the year in the mix for the top college lefty in this class – a class lacking an elite prospect, but has only helped his case through his first three starts. Carlon is currently pitching to a 2.87 ERA and 0.77 WHIP with 19 strikeouts to five walks over 15.2 innings. It is worth noting that he left his most recent start early with a lower body injury, which will be something to monitor going forward. He could push his way into the conversation for the 26th pick as his four pitch mix has a fastball up to 98, a swing and miss slider, and two other solid pitches.

Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA

The #1 prospect in the draft has had an absurd start to his season and has further locked himself into that #1 spot. He came into Sunday with six homers and a 1.452 OPS, and hit a game tying seventh homer in the ninth against Mississippi State.

Derek Curiel, OF, LSU

Curiel had a big freshman season last year slashing .345/.470/.519 with seven homers, making him a candidate to go in the Top 10 this season as a sophomore with a strong year. Unfortunately he hasn’t lived up to his 2025 campaign, as he is hitting just .318/.400/.386, as he hasn’t really shown much power this year to date. He still has time to turn things around, but right now he is looking more like a candidate for #26 than he is for #9.

Daniel Cuvet, 3B, Miami

Cuvet is a bit of a polarizing prospect due to questions about his defensive home and amount of swing and miss, though he is posting what would be his third straight 1.000+ OPS season for the Canes. Despite his already six homers, he hasn’t seen his stock move much, as the same questions remain. He could end up being a candidate in the second round.

Jason DeCaro, RHP, North Carolina

DeCaro has been a strong starter for the past three years for the Heels, but seems to be enjoying a potential breakout season in 2026. Not only are his ERA and WHIP both set to be new career best’s, but his 9.5 K/9 is nearly two better than his previous high of 7.8. If DeCaro keeps missing bats in ACC play, he could lock himself into the first round, after being a borderline first rounder coming into the season.

Jackson Flora, RHP, UC Santa Barbara

Jackson Flora came into the season as a candidate to be picked ninth, but through two starts he has looked like someone who may not even be there when the Braves get on the clock. Not only have Flora’s numbers been dominant, but his stuff also looks the part of a Top 10 selection.

Cameron Flukey, RHP, Coastal Carolina

Flukey came in as a candidate for the #9 pick and turned in a strong first start. Unfortunately he went down with injury and is expected to be sidelined for at least the next eight weeks. The injury and layoff will cloud his present draft status a bit, and in a class as strong as this one could potentially help push him down to the mid to later part of the first round if he doesn’t quite look the same when he returns.

Gabe Gaeckle, RHP, Arkansas

Gaeckle came into this season as a candidate for the #26 pick, but also as a guy needing to answer questions as he is an undersized righty who has never spent a full season as a starter. After a dominant effort in the opener he looked like he could push his way to somewhere above the Braves second selection. However he has merely looked good since then. If he can continue to hold up in his starting role, the stuff which earned comps to Spencer Strider and Gage Wood, could get him drafted around #26 – but his stock is volatile as he could move up or down quite a bit in the next couple of months.

Will Gasparino, OF, UCLA

After two quality years with Texas, Gasparino came to UCLA for this year and has been out of his mind. He is hitting .382/.512/1.265, and on Sunday he hit his 10th homer of the season – in just 11 games. While expecting anyone to keep hitting at that rate is unrealistic, he is moving himself up draft boards significantly. Gasparino came in as a guy who could go between rounds 3-5, but could push himself into the first or second rounds – depending on where he settles in after this hot streak.

AJ Gracia, OF, Virginia

AJ Gracia came into the year as a candidate for #9, that was if he was even still available at that point. Unfortunately for the Braves Gracia seems to have taken the next step after transferring to Virginia. So far he is hitting .412/.571/.941 with five homers and 11 walks to just three strikeouts over 49 plate appearances. At this point it would be fair to assume he figures to be gone before the Braves even pick.

Gavin Grahovac, 3B, Texas A&M

Grahovac went into last year expecting to be a high pick this year, but his season was limited to just six games because of injury. He seems to be on track to be a first rounder again this year, as he is hitting .316/.426/.500 with one homer – though that isn’t quite the power he showed as a freshman, when he hit 23 homers. Most importantly his strikeout rate is down in a big way, dropping from 29% as a freshman to 10.6% in his first 47 plate appearances. Grahovac could be a candidate at #26, but watching his power and strikeout totals will really help determine where he ends up going.

Chris Hacopian, SS, Texas A&M

Hacopian came into the year as a candidate to be taken #9, but he has struggled to stay on the field so far in his first year as an Aggie. A back injury kept him out for two weeks, only to flare up again this weekend in his first game back. Back injuries are injuries that give teams reason for concern, and with his lingering his status is very much in question at the moment until teams get a chance to look closer.

Owen Kramkowski, RHP, Arizona

Kramkowski came into the year as a candidate to go somewhere between #26 and the Braves second round pick. However the disaster season that the Wildcats are having has affected Kramkowski too, and he is currently pitching to a 8.49 ERA and 2.06 WHIP through his first three starts. He will still have time to right the ship, but he doesn’t look like a guy who belongs with any of the Braves top few picks.

Tegan Kuhns, RHP, Tennessee

I wrote about Tennessee sophomore Kuhns being a candidate for the #26 pick leading up to the season, and he has more than backed that up. Kuhns has a 2.45 ERA and 0.71 WHIP with 22 strikeouts in 18.1 innings, but also his stuff has been electric. Kuhns only threw 36 innings last year, so we will need to see how he holds up with a full season workload – but he could be pitching himself towards a spot where he wouldn’t be around for #26.

Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech

Coming into the season Lackey was in the mix for the top catcher in the draft and a potential first round pick. With his performance so far (.514/.647/.892, four homers), Lackey has locked up that top catcher spot, and could be pushing himself into that Top 10, as this once glove-first catcher is starting to see the bat and power catch up to the rest of his game.

Tommy LaPour, RHP, TCU

Tommy LaPour came in as a candidate for the Braves second round pick, but after one solid start has been out with elbow soreness. LaPour’s stock is on hold at the moment as any pitcher with an elbow problem would be.

Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama

Lebron came in as a favorite to go in the Top 3 and has backed that up by hitting .325/.491/825 through Sunday with his six homers matching his six strikeouts. Similar to Cholowsky, Braves fans can forget about seeing Lebron in Atlanta in July.

Ethan Norby, LHP, East Carolina

Norby is the other lefty competing with Carlon for the top college lefty in the class. His overall numbers have just been decent thus far, but his stuff has looked great and he is striking out 13.5 per nine. Norby would likely be a candidate for the Braves second round pick right now.

Liam Peterson, RHP, Florida

Liam Peterson has been an interesting pitcher his entire career. He’s always had the pure stuff to be the first pitcher off the board in this draft, but the results have never quite been what you’d want to see for that type of arm. However this year the results have started to match up to the stuff a little better, as he has career best totals in ERA (3.77), WHIP (1.26), and K/9 (14.4). Peterson came in as a guy who the Braves would need to take at #9 to even have a chance at, and while that remains true for him, there seems to be a bit more room for a Flora to overtake him and actually have him available at #9.

Chris Rembert, 2B, Auburn

Rembert is another sophomore eligible player in this draft. Unfortunately injuries have limited him to just four games thus far, and a very small sample size. Right now his stock is pretty even from where it came in at – which would be a potential candidate for #26.

Ace Reese, 3B, Mississippi State

Ace Reese came into the year as a guy fairly locked in on the first round, but seeming to be ticketed to somewhere between the Braves two first round picks as a player who isn’t likely to stick at third base. This season though, he’s seen his stock rise with a hot start, and he could even be a candidate for #9. Right now he is hitting .444/.490/.889 with eight doubles and four homers, hitting well for both contact and average.

Caden Sorrell, OF, Texas A&M

Sorrell has a similar story to his teammate Grahovac, a strong freshman year that had him looking like a first rounder this year, a huge chunk of his sophomore year lost due to injury, and a good start to 2026. Right now Sorrell is hitting .412/.459/.882 with five homers, though with three walks and 12 strikeouts in just 37 plate appearances. He will be a first rounder it seems like, but the elevated strikeout totals could push him down a bit. He feels a little too risky for the #9 pick because of the strikeouts, but probably not around for the #26 pick either.

Sawyer Strosnider, OF, TCU

Strosnider is another sophomore eligible player, though one who has some differing opinions thanks to his swing and miss. On the optimistic side he could be a candidate for #9 coming into the year, but others would see him more as a candidate for #26. So far this year his slash line is slightly better than last year, with a fairly similar strikeout rate- though he has seen his walk rate spike. After walking every 8.0% of his plate appearances last year, he is at 31.1% this year, with his 14 total walks just six behind last season’s total in just 45 plate appearances so far. With this added element to his game, the Braves could need to draft him at #9, as he doesn’t seem likely to be there for #26.

Joey Volchko, RHP, Georgia

After two years at Stanford with first round stuff but late round pick results, Volchko transferred into Georgia for this year. So far so good as he has a 3.00 ERA and 1.20 WHIP with 18 strikeouts to five walks in his first 15 innings. The stuff remains high end and his command has improved dramatically, which is only helping his stock. SEC play will help determine where he goes, but the first round is a real possibility if he keeps this up.

Well folks, we did it. And well ahead of schedule, I might add! With the election last week of left-handed hitting infielder Jean Carlos Sio, we have once again completed the annual Willie McCovey Memorial Community Prospect List. As a community, we came together to jointly decide on the top 44 prospects in the San Francisco Giants organization.

It is, in my opinion, the strongest and most exciting CPL in the six years that I’ve been at the reins. And perhaps relatedly, it’s the most turnover I can recall having year-over-year in the CPL.

So with that said, let’s take a look at the final rankings. The number in parenthesis after each prospect is where they ranked on the list a year ago. Players with a “UN” next to their name were unranked last year, while players with a “N/A” were not yet in the system.

The top 44 prospects in the Giants system

1. Bryce Eldridge — 1B(1)
2. Josuar González — SS(5)
3. Jhonny Level — SS(6)
4. Bo Davidson — CF(11)
5. Dakota Jordan — CF(8)
6. Luis Hernández — SS(N/A)
7. Gavin Kilen — SS(N/A)
8. Carson Whisenhunt — LHP(2)
9. Blade Tidwell — RHP(N/A)
10. Keyner Martinez — RHP(UN)
11. Jacob Bresnahan — LHP(31)
12. Trevor McDonald — RHP(15)
13. Argenis Cayama — RHP(28)
14. Luis De La Torre — LHP(UN)
15. Trevor Cohen — OF(N/A)
16. Jesús Rodríguez — C(N/A)
17. Parks Harber — 3B/OF(N/A)
18. Carlos Gutierrez — OF(UN)
19. Drew Cavanaugh — C(UN)
20. Daniel Susac — C(N/A)
21. Gerelmi Maldonado — RHP(36)
22. Josh Bostick — RHP(27)
23. Lorenzo Meola — SS/2B(N/A)
24. Will Bednar — RHP(42)
25. Yunior Marte — RHP(N/A)
26. Joe Whitman — LHP(9)
27. Joel Peguero — RHP(UN)
28. Alberto Laroche — RHP(UN)
29. Trent Harris — RHP(20)
30. Carlos De La Rosa — LHP(N/A)
31. Diego Velasquez — 2B(16)
32. Lisbel Diaz — OF(17)
33. Maui Ahuna — SS(23)
34. Cam Maldonado — OF(N/A)
35. Victor Bericoto — OF/1B(24)
36. Reid Worley — RHP(N/A)
37. Jack Choate — LHP(29)
38. Rayner Arias — OF(4)
39. Nate Furman — 2B(UN)
40. Jakob Christian — OF(30)
41. Juan Sánchez — LHP(33)
42. Jancel Villarroel — C(N/A)
43. Sabin Ceballos — 3B(18)
44. Jean Carlos Sio — 2B/SS(UN)

Note: Clicking on the above names will link to the CPL where they were voted onto the list.

I hopefully speak for everyone when I say that list is pretty fun to look at, and that it’s missing a few key names as well! Let’s dive a little deeper into it.

Who is off the list, and where did they go?

We came oh-so-close to having a full half of the list be new names. As it is, it’s still a huge number: 21 of the 44 prospects on the CPL weren’t on last year’s list. That’s more turnover than usual: last year it was 19, and the year before it was 17.

Those with a degree in mathematics might know that 21 new names on the list means 21 players on last year’s list are no longer on this one. It’s a bit of a double-edged sword: having 21 prospects either elevate their play or enter the system is exciting, but seeing 21 players disappear is less fun. So where did those players go?

Interestingly, only two of those 21 players left the list due to graduation. That’s a very low number, especially given how much turnover there is this year. Last year, for instance, when there were 19 new players on the CPL, they replaced a whopping 10 graduates. But it’s just a pair this year, and even that undersells it: the only player who it really feels like graduated from last year’s CPL is right-handed pitcher Carson Seymour, who was No. 21 a year ago. The other graduate is righty Mason Black (No. 7), who only made one appearance for the Giants (but that was enough to get him to the threshold) and, even if he hadn’t, wouldn’t have been eligible this year because he was designated for assignment and traded early in the offseason.

In addition to Black, seven more of the players on last year’s list have not only departed the CPL, but departed the organization entirely. The highest profile is outfielder James Tibbs III (No. 3) who, along with right-handed pitcher Jose Bello (No. 44), was traded during the season to the Boston Red Sox as part of the Rafael Devers deal (Tibbs has since been sent to the Los Angeles Dodgers). Outfielder Wade Meckler (No. 13), who had a disappointing year, was designated for assignment during the offseason, while righty Carson Ragsdale (No. 19) was DFA’d during the year (he caught on with two MLB teams, and is now playing in Japan).

Righty reliever Cole Waites (No. 32) and outfielder Hunter Bishop (No. 34) elected Minor League free agency at the end of the year. Waites has since signed with the Detroit Tigers, while Bishop remains unsigned. And finally, outfielder Jairo Pomares (No. 41) was waived during the Minor League season.

That leaves a very sizable group: a dozen prospects who simply fell off of the list for one reason or another. The good news is, most of those players occupied the back half of the 2025 CPL.

Lefty reliever Reggie Crawford (No. 10) is the third first-round pick to fall off the list (joining Tibbs and Bishop), and that was entirely due to the fact that he lost all of 2025 to a shoulder injury, then suffered a setback that required another surgery that will likely keep him out for all of 2026, too. Shortstop Aeverson Arteaga (No. 12) returned from an injury of his own and had arguably the worst offensive season in the system, while Walker Martin (No. 14) made only modest improvements to his struggling offense, while also getting moved off of shortstop (and not looking great at third base).

Outfielder Jose Ortiz (No. 22) spent most of the year injured, while third baseman Robert Hipwell (No. 25) spent his entire age-22 season in Low-A with a high strikeout rate. Outfielder Jonah Cox (No. 26) was unable to take notable strides on offense, while utility player Ryan Reckley (No. 35) did little to reverse the downward trajectory of his prospectdom. Catchers Onil Perez (No. 37) and Adrián Sugastey (No. 38) had fine but fairly nondescript seasons, while other catchers rose (and appeared) around and ahead of them. Outfielder Oliver Tejada (No. 39) and catcher Yohendry Sanchez (No. 40) had fairly mediocre offensive years, while third baseman Charlie Szykowny (No. 43) was squeezed off the list by younger players at more advanced levels.

How were the players acquired?

Buster Posey has certainly put his fingerprints on the farm system. Despite being president of baseball operations for less than a year and a half — and only overseeing one draft during that time — a full 15 of the 44 players were acquired during Posey’s tenure. That said, the two highest-ranking prospects from that pool — shortstops Josuar González (No. 2) and Luis Hernández (No. 6) — were international free agents who reached agreements with the organization before Posey took over.

Thanks to the inclusion of outfielder Victor Bericoto (No. 35) and lefty Juan Sánchez (No. 41), the prospect list spans three regimes. Those two were acquired when Bobby Evans was at the helm, with the remaining 27 prospects coming to the organization under the oversight of Farhan Zaidi.

The Giants have used all sorts of different ways to acquire talent. They have a nearly even split between drafted players and prospects who were signed in international free agency: 17 of the former and 15 of the latter. What’s perhaps most surprising — relative to recent years — is that eight of prospects on the list are players the Giants traded for. That number is even more notable when you account for the fact that just one of those eight — lefty Jacob Bresnahan (No. 11) — was on last year’s CPL. Turnover abounds!

The Giants also have two prospects on the CPL who they signed as undrafted free agents — center fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4) and righty reliever Trent Harris (No. 29). A third prospect, third baseman/outfielder Parks Harber (No. 17) also went undrafted, though he was signed by the New York Yankees and sent to the Giants in the Camilo Doval trade.

And finally, the Giants have one prospect on the list who was signed in Minor League free agency, as well as one prospect who was a Rule 5 selection: righty reliever Joel Peguero (No. 27) and catcher Daniel Susac (No. 20), respectively.

Who will we see this year?

Much of the excitement in the Giants farm system comes at the lowest levels. Between Josuar González (No. 2), Jhonny Level (No. 3), Luis Hernández (No. 6), and Gavin Kilen (No. 7), you could make a very compelling case that the Giants have the strongest collection of lower-Minors shortstops in all of baseball.

But there’s excitement at the upper levels, too. And if your favorite brand of prospect watching is “watch the prospects once they make the Majors,” then there are a lot of names on our list of 44 that should excite you.

The man at the very top of the list, first baseman Bryce Eldridge, ended the 2025 season in the Majors, and is currently in camp with an opportunity to earn an Opening Day role as the everyday designated hitter. Right-handers Blade Tidwell (No. 9) and Trevor McDonald (No. 12) have been among the most impressive players in camp for the Giants, and if the season were to start today, they might both be in the bullpen, while also serving as rotational depth.

Lefty Carson Whisenhunt (No. 8) has a less straightforward path to the Opening Day roster, but he made his MLB debut last year and will certainly be a factor in the Majors this season. Righty reliever Joel Peguero (No. 27) would have pole position for a spot in the bullpen were it not for an injury setback he’s currently dealing with.

Catcher Daniel Susac (No. 20) seems the betting favorite to win the Opening Day backup catcher role, but Jesús Rodríguez (No. 16) is also on the 40-man roster and battling for that role (Rodríguez has also been playing a bit of second base in Spring Training, so he may have multiple avenues to the bigs, and we’ll surely see him this year).

As for players that aren’t on the 40-man roster, relievers Will Bednar (No. 24), Trent Harris (No. 29), and Juan Sánchez (No. 41) are all in camp as non-roster invitees, and they’ve all shown some great signs. Bednar and Harris are almost certainly ticketed to start the year in AAA, while Sánchez probably is as well (but he has a better chance of making the Opening Day roster). Either way, I’d expect that we see at least two of those three at some point this year.

Outfielder Victor Bericoto (No. 35) has been the most impressive NRI in camp, and could absolutely work his way onto the roster over the summer. Center fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4), third baseman/outfielder Parks Harber (No. 17), and second baseman Nate Furman (No. 39) are also in Scottsdale as NRIs. They’re all a little further away (Davidson has played just 42 games in AA, Furman just 22, and Harber none), but each could find themselves in the big leagues late in the year if they have a very strong season.

And that’s our 2026 Community Prospect List! A huge thanks to everyone who voted, discussed, and argued, and a special shoutout to all the McCovey Chronicles writers of the past who have led this delightful time-honored tradition.

Now bring on the baseball!

Previous Winner

Dom Keegan, C
25 | R/R | 6’0” | 210
AAA | .241/.306/.429 (89 wRC+) 297 PA, 10 HR, 0 SB, 8.1% BB, 30.6% K

Keegan is at an inflection point in his minor league career, having joined the 40-man roster as the third catcher, and overall the jury is still out. Trusted more at first base than backstop at Vanderbilt, the Rays have kept him behind the dish but reports still have his defense below average, and 2025 was a wash after an elbow injury in the Spring sank his season, in particular his bat speed. While the lack of progress on the edges of his game has some evaluators calling into question his once-sure major league projection, he’ll get a long look in Spring Training, where his ability to punish mistakes in the zone may flourish.

Keegan will pick up MLB reps this year, in all likelihood, so now was the time for him to get some love on the list. We had lots of testers this poll, don’t hesitate to make your vote known there too, the biggest vote getter was the Canadian so we add him next.

Candidates

Fabricio Blanco, SS
17 | S/R | 5’11” | 161

A bat-first middle infielder, the Venezuelan is an elite prospect within the context of the international signing process, with some believing he’s the best Rays signee this off-season, despite gathering only a $1 million bonus. He can barrel up from both sides of the plate, but may settle into a right handed swing in the long term, with quick hands. He has the ability and instincts to stick at short, with a high-IQ approach and gritty demeanor.

Cooper Flemming, SS
19 | L/R | 6’3” | 190

One of the best high school bats in the 2025 draft, Flemming surprisingly fell into the Rays laps in the second round. He has a too-quiet swing that lacks the load necessary to hit for power, but he’s historically compensated for that with a high contact rate that would have rated him as first round material if his defense projected to stick. The Rays were able to convince him to forgo an education at Vanderbilt by going above slot ($2.3m, Comp-A money).

Gary Gill Hill, RHP
21 | 6’2” | 160
A+ | 3.82 ERA, 4.37 FIP, 136.2 IP (25 GS), 18.8% K, 5.3% BB

A groundballer, Gill Hill was a feather in the cap for the Rays scouting department when snagged in the sixth round in 2022. He raised his armslot in 2024 to great success, but got off to a rocky start in 2025, which muddies the water on his statline. On the whole, GGH has the body and the look to be a major league starter, particularly thanks to a plus fastball in the upper 90’s and plus control, but needs to find a longterm solution for opposite handed hitting as he climbs the ladder. Accordingly, he projects as a reliever until his arsenal finds a plus third pitch.

Brailer Guerrero, OF
20 | L/R | 6’1” | 215
A | 249.338/.399 (119 wRC+) 222 PA, 6 HR, 9 SB, 11.3% BB, 29.3% K
AFL | 2 H, 0 HR, 2 SB, 3 BB, 16 K, 29 PA

Good news: the $3.7 million 2023 signee made the leap out of the complex league in his final teenage season. Bad News: He was injured yet again, with hamstring and knee injuries limiting him to 51 games for Charleston. The Rays tried to make up for lost time with an aggressive assignment to the AFL that resulted in only two hits in 29 plate appearances. He makes loud contact from a quick, quiet swing which he pre-loads by reaching back for even more power. He appears to make early decisions to swing, leading to a bit extra whiffs against anything off-speed, but that could easily clear up with some consistent playing time.

Victor Mesa Jr., OF
24 | L/L | 5’11” | 195
AAA (MIA) | .301/.368/.510 (136 wRC+) 171 PA, 7 HR, 4 SB, 9.9% BB, 16.4% K
MLB (MIA) | 6 H (1 HR), 5 BB, 5 K (81 wRC+) 38 PA

This Cuban power bat already made his major league debut with Miami last year after bouncing back from a spring hamstring injury, and was dealt to the Rays in February. He profiles as a fourth outfielder but has an option remaining, so the organization may send him down for regular playing time and one last chance for something more in development. If not, he’s a center field capable on defense, which goes a long way for a platoon bat. In the running for the nicest guy in baseball.

Austin Overn, OF
23 | L/R | 6’0” | 175
A+ (BAL) | .242/.367/.386 (127 wRC+) 341 PA, 8 HR, 43 SB, 15.5% BB, 28.2% K
AA (BAL) | .266/.326/.427 (112 wRC+) 136 PA, 5 HR, 21 SB, 6.6% BB, 25.0% K

Acquired in the Shane Baz trade, Overn was once a top draft prospect after committing to baseball over football at USC, but surprisingly struggled as a draft-eligible sophomore. That didn’t stop Baltimore from taking him in the third round (97th overall) in 2024. Now a professional, Overn overhauled his swing in the first half of 2025, and earned an early promotion to Double-A for his efforts, where he didn’t look overmatched. His biggest threat is his speed, which raises his floor and gives him an easy projection to a major league bench thanks to plus defensive instincts (BA gave 70’s to his run and field tools). His offensive profile is buoyed by his ability to work the count, but evaluators would like to see him punish fastballs more often for him to be considered a regular.

Émilien Pitre, 2B
23 | L/R | 5’11” | 185
A+ | .268/.356/.393 (122 wRC+) 524 PA, 9 HR, 14 SB, 11.6% BB, 20.4% K

The Rays 58th overall pick in 2024, Pitre has risen on draft boards through a strong performance in the Cape Cod league in 2023, but the power was a real question mark on his profile. Now given a chance to develop as a professional, he wouldn’t be the first to add muscle. His run and hit tools are plus, with a well coiled swing and solid contact in and out of zone. He’s too old to return to High-A and it be viewed as positive. His power stroke will be the key to his success in 2026.

Adrian Santana, SS
20 | S/R | 5’11” | 155
A+ | .263/.324/.326 (94 wRC+) 409 PA, 2 HR, 47 SB, 8.6% BB, 12.0% K

Once a top-ten or so prospect in 2024, Santana fell off our site’s 2025 list after failing to clear as an honorable mention. Why? The switch-hitting slick fielding short stop was the Rays 31st overall pick in 2023 but has delivered sub-100 wRC+ each stop of his career, although that got closer than ever last season, his third as a professional and his third as a teenager in the Rays system. Could expectations be too high on his bat? He has plus athleticism, is learning to wheelhouse, and has “acrobatic” defense at the hardest position in the game, with 98 swiped bags over the last two seasons. What happens if he survives the test of Double-A breaking balls?

Brayden Taylor, 2B/3B
24 | L/R | 6’0” | 180
AA | .173/.289/.286 (77 wRC+) 437 PA, 8 HR, 17 SB, 14% BB, 27.7% K
AFL | .264/.400/.472 (.384 wOBA) 65 PA, 1 HR, 5 SB, 12 BB, 19 K

Taylor entered 2025 as a top-100 prospect after demolishing High-A (154 wRC+), and left 2025 as an afterthought on prospect lists, although he was selected as an Arizona Fall League “Fall Star” in between, where he worked to keep his chase rate low and his hard hit rate high. The juice must have been worth the squeeze, as the Rays have elected to invite Taylor to major league Spring Training this year.

Victor Valdez, SS
17 | R/R | 6’1” | 186

A pretty swing with a low whiff rate earned Valdez a big payday this winter — $3.5 million — with as good of a power projection as you can reasonably ask for from a a teenage bat, having been given a 25+ home run projection by Baseball America, who also praise his plus foot speed, bat speed, and control of the zone. Reports say he has ever improving lateral movements on defense, with smooth actions and a strong arm. If it all clicks, it’s a middle-of-the-order bat on the left side of the infield. At signing, the Rays gave him a comp to Francisco Lindor. It will be interesting to see if his first professional season can solidify the five tool profile.

PHOENIX — Even with longstanding traditions, it’s not a bad idea to change things up a little every so often.

This year’s League of Alternative Baseball Reality drafts were unique in that they were held in conjunction with the annual Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) Analytics Conference at Arizona State University.

So for the first time in its 33-year history, LABR paired with SABR. Pretty cool.

That could also describe the auction room, where – outside of Shohei Ohtani at $47 and Ronald Acuña Jr. at $40 – the bidders seemed intent on conserving their cash.

In contrast to the LABR AL auction the day before, the top NL players at several positions went for what felt like slight bargains.

Through early drafts this season, either the Braves’ Matt Olson or the Phillies’ Bryce Harper lead the way at first base. However, Rafael Devers of the Giants was the most expensive in this one, going for $30, which was $3 more than Harper, $4 more than the Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman and $5 more than Olson.

On the other corner, third basemen Manny Machado, Eugenio Suarez and Austin Riley barely cleared the $20 mark.

Bidders were a little more willing to spend on outfielders, but after a power trio of Juan Soto ($39), Kyle Tucker ($32) and Fernando Tatis Jr. ($31), just seven other flychasers made it into the $20s.

That reluctance to spend early on the most talented performers had serious repercussions later when demand outpaced supply on middle- and lower-tier players.

FULL DRAFT GRID: NL LABR dollar values, team rosters