Stock Report: Updated 2026 Rankings
September 5, 2024
The summer circuit runs through Prep Baseball, and it's ignited at June's National Program Invitational at LakePoint, where our summer assessment of this Class of 2026 began in earnest. The NPI hoisted us to the 16U National Championships, which is also held at LakePoint, and eventually to our State Games series held nationwide, culminating in the prestigious Prep Baseball Future Games at the end of July, which more or less signals the beginning of the end of yet another rigorous summer of baseball.
Over 400 college coaches attended the Future Games, where this classโ recruiting cycle was on display prior to Aug. 1. This is officially a group of players no longer underclassmen inside their high school halls, they're juniors now. And all of a sudden the 2026 MLB Draft is less than two years out, and Prep Baseball is beginning to outline the shape this '26 class is taking.
+ VIEW THE TOP-500 HERE
Below is the end-of-summer stock watch on the top arms and position players generating their own momentum headed into the highly competitive fall.
ARMS RACE ๐ช
Pitching will always maintain its monumental value within the sport of baseball, so the feverish rush to find as much talent on the scouting trail becomes paramount. With an ever-changing landscape for developmental curves, that process can be difficult and inconsistent. However, Prep Baseballโs historical data is clear in assessing the fact that the summer immediately preceding a playerโs junior year is a key indicator of future prospect status. Seen as a bedrock for college recruiting, this particular summer also witnesses players graduate from budding intrigue to true prospect status. This means that the attention from MLB clubs is likely to pick up in hopes of adding longer track records in aiding future draft decisions.
However, draft day for this group is still more than 20 months away, and while a great many of these impact arms will set (and raise) the standard for this class, there are still more that are likely to rise. In fact, that same Prep Baseball historical data that places these elite arms at the top of the current rankings assures that the developmental curve will provide a smattering of other impact arms over the next two years as the old adage holds true: Development is not linear. For this, Prep Baseball always remains committed to following, updating and reporting on all advancements. As always, let player development reign.
โ26 Carson Bolemon (SC) looking the part of a premier arm.
โ Shooter Hunt (@ShooterHunt) June 6, 2024
FB: 88-91
CB: 74-77
CH: 82-83
Creates steep angle w/ rise&run providing IZMs & tunnels big breaker.
6โ4โ 210 workhorse frame@WakeBaseball #NPI24 || @PBR_SC pic.twitter.com/HVHi8T53bn
Carson Bolemon (June 2024)
Top-25 Pitching Prospects:
1. LHP Gio Rojas (Stoneman Douglas HS, FL)
2. LHP Carson Bolemon (Southside Christian HS, SC)
3. RHP Coleman Borthwick (South Walton HS, FL)
4. RHP Kaden Waechter (Jesuit HS, FL)
5. RHP Eli Herst (Garfield HS, WA)
6. LHP Bo Holloway (Nolensville HS, TN)
7. RHP Ethan Wheeler (Trinity Christian Academy, FL)
8. LHP Chandler Hart (Allen HS, TX)
9. RHP Wilson Andersen (Jesuit HS, FL)
10. RHP Savion Sims (Edmond Santa Fe HS, OK)
11. LHP Sean Duncan (Langley Blaze, BC)
12. RHP Kevin Roberts Jr. (Jackson Prep, MS)
13. RHP Matthew Sharman (Etowah HS, GA)
14. RHP Jake Carbaugh (Plant City HS, FL)
15. RHP Gary Morse (Orange Lutheran HS, CA)
16. LHP Parker Granse (Pensacola Catholic HS, FL)
17. LHP Brody Bumila (Bishop Feehan HS, MA)
18. RHP Parker Van Engelenhoven (Olentangy Liberty HS, OH)
19. RHP Cade Allen (South Gibson HS, TN)
20. RHP Trey Rangel (The Colony HS, TX)
21. LHP Beckett Doane (Noblesville HS, IN)
22. RHP Easton Webb (Charles Page HS, OK)
23. RHP Hudson Devaughn (Mooresville HS, IN)
24. LHP Connor Langdon (Westfield, GA)
25. RHP Cooper Harris (Flower Mound HS, TX)
Buy Stock Now ๐
โ26 Keller Bradley (PA)
โ Shooter Hunt (@ShooterHunt) August 7, 2024
FB: 89-91
SL: 78-79 (2500+)
Some sizzle down on the fastball w/ deceptive crossbody step. Ball jumps out of the hand. Highest upside. ๐#BackAtBlair || @PrepBaseballPA https://t.co/WmMkIhyrsM pic.twitter.com/gId5WWjZ7L
Keller Bradley (August 2024)
- RHP Keller Bradley (Pennsbury HS, PA)
- RHP David Hinojosa (Poly Prep HS, NY)
- RHP McCoy Silicz (Bakersfield Christian HS, CA)
- RHP Cameron Tarkenton (Cardinal Gibbons HS, NC)
- RHP Landon Brown (Iowa Colony, TX)
Position Player Outlook ๐
Whereas the early buzz around the โ25 group is that there are some strong up-the-middle prospects, this group of 2026 players might be even more impressive. There are dynamic talents all over the field including shutdown shortstops, true center fielders, and sturdy backstops who swing it. Perhaps even more intriguingly is the plethora of โfreakishโ athletes whose loud tools are inherently enticing albeit unpolished. Between the potential breakout upside of those uber-talented, versatile players, and another subset of bat-first impact sticks, this class is shaping up to be fairly prominent in the professional scouting community.
Below, a positional breakdown heading into the fall.
Shortstops:
โ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐. ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ฃ๐.
โ Shooter Hunt (@ShooterHunt) August 6, 2024
๐ฃ๐ฃ๐ฃ๐ฃ
The dynamic talent eviscerates this one for a 1๏ธโฃ0๏ธโฃ6๏ธโฃ exit that rifles over the RF wall for a leadoff home run.
Thunderous barrel w/ โก๏ธโก๏ธ bat speed.
Also has looked the part at short w/ clean g2g. ๐๐#BackAtBlair || @PrepBaseballNV pic.twitter.com/pkbrPgPqJX
Rookie Shepard (August 2024)
1. Jacob Lombard (Gulliver Prep, FL)
2. Grady Emerson (Argyle HS, TX)
3. Rookie Shepard (Faith Lutheran HS, NV)
4. Keon Johnson (First Presbyterian HS, GA)
5. Matt Ponatoski (Archbishop Moeller HS, OH)
6. Tyler Spangler (De La Salle HS, CA)
7. CJ Weinstein (Huntington Beach HS, CA)
8. Alex Harrington (Cathedral Catholic HS, CA)
9. Steele Hall (Daphne HS, AL)
10. Dylan Bowen (Hanover Central HS, IN)
Corners:
โ26 AJ Curry (KY) with one of the sweeter strokes at the event.
โ Shooter Hunt (@ShooterHunt) July 26, 2024
Effortless bat lag with easy flick & movement.
Moves the barrel around the zone. Relaxed.
๐๐ || #PBFG24@PrepbaseballKY pic.twitter.com/RMQznqV5N5
AJ Curry (July 2024)
1. Beau Peterson (Mill Valley HS, KS)
2. AJ Curry (University City HS, CA)
3. Anthony Del Angel (Rio Rancho HS, NM)
4. Deion Cole (Etowah HS, GA)
5. Meridian Leffew (Gaston Christian HS, NC)
6. Archer Horn (St. Ignatius HS, CA)
7. CJ Sampson (Tomball HS, TX)
8. Cy Chrisman (Maple Mountain HS, UT)
9. Guy Lynam (Gloucester Catholic HS, NJ)
10. Ayden Deome (West Park HS, CA)
Versatile Profiles:
โ26 SS/CF Ethan Bass (IL) has been spectacular at short tonight & goes down & gets this one for 1B up the middle before scooting up to 2nd.
โ Shooter Hunt (@ShooterHunt) June 9, 2024
Dynamic athlete w/ versatility all over the field. Plays hard. ๐@IlliniBaseball #NPI24 || @PrepBaseballIL pic.twitter.com/kEoFdhhlgV
Ethan Bass (June 2024)
1. SS/CF James Tronstein (Harvard Westlake HS, CA)
2. SS/CF Kevin Roberts Jr. (Jackson Prep HS, MS)
3. SS/CF Ethan Bass (Glenbrook North HS, IL)
4. CF/C Jorvorskie Lane (OD Wyatt HS, TX)
5. SS/CF Cole Koeninger (Keller HS, TX)
Outfielders:
Impressive look at physical โ26 3B Blake Bowen (CA) for @JSerraLionsBB
โ Shooter Hunt (@ShooterHunt) March 12, 2024
Imposing 6โ3โ 205 frame with power to match. Made park look small throughout. Quality mover with big power potential. Tight turn/heavy barrel. @BeaverBaseball recruit@PrepBaseballCA pic.twitter.com/zmRDXPbGiS
Blake Bowen (March 2024)
1. Brady Harris (Trinity Christian Academy, FL)
2. Noah Wilson (McCallie School, TN)
3. Anthony Murphy (Corona HS, CA)
4. Blake Bowen (JSerra Catholic HS, CA)
5. Nathaneal Davis (Bishop Moore HS, FL)
6. EJ Booth (Oak Grove HS, MS)
7. Rob Czarniecki (Chesterton HS, IN)
8. Jaxon Matthews (Hough HS, NC)
9. Dylan Minnatee (Franklin HS, CA)
10. Malachi Washington (Parkview HS, GA)
Catchers:
โ26 Josiah Morris (CA) with some sneaky thunder in the barrel.
โ Shooter Hunt (@ShooterHunt) August 6, 2024
Blasts this 2K pitch 350 feet for a double that hops over the wall.
Twitchy athlete who has also looked the part behind the dish. #BackAtBlair || @PrepBaseballCA pic.twitter.com/1qGCegxC5O
Josiah Morris (August 2024)
1. John Stowers (St. Paulโs Episcopal HS, AL)
2. Sean Dunlap (Crown Point HS, IN)
3. Dillon Moss (IMG Academy, FL)
4. Alain Gudino Gomez (Saguaro HS, AZ)
5. Brady Murrieta (Orange Lutheran HS, FL)
6. Andrew Costello (Cathedral Prep, PA)
7. Carson Sheffer (Oaks Christian HS, CA)
8. Josiah Morris (Clayton Valley HS, CA)
9. Braeden Lipoff (Kingsway HS, NJ)
10. Mason Belding (Del Oro HS, CA)
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