The 2026 MLB Draft is here.
The first round gets underway at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, and the Pirates are poised to add another impact player to their organization when they’re on the clock with the fifth pick.
Since Ben Cherington took over as general manager, the Pirates have not shied away from any demographic with their top selections. They’ve taken college hitters (Nick Gonzales, Henry Davis), a college pitcher (Paul Skenes), high school hitters (Termarr Johnson, Konnor Griffin) and a high school pitcher (Seth Hernandez).
Assistant general manager Kevan Graves recently discussed the team’s draft strategy, and while they could explore creative ways to maximize their spending capacity, the overall philosophy is simple.
“When you talk about your top picks, it’s really all about adding the best player.”
Here are my 10 best players in this year’s draft.
1. Grady Emerson, SS, Texas (High School)
I was tempted to put Emerson at the top of my initial big board but held off. After doing more research, he lands at No. 1 in my final rankings.
The Gatorade National Player of the Year slashed .532/.648/1.013 with nine doubles, four triples, seven home runs, 42 RBIs and 21 stolen bases in 28 games as a high school senior with Fort Worth Christian.
A left-handed batter, Emerson is a plus-hitter and should develop plus-power generated by his 6-3, 185-pound frame. He’s also a plus-defender with a strong arm and will stick at shortstop as a pro. Add in his speed and the 18-year-old possesses true five-tool potential. When it comes to the draft, upside is what teams hunt, and Emerson’s is the highest of anyone in this class.
2. Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA
Cholowsky is another legitimate shortstop prospect, and the player I had at No. 1 on my first big board. It’s not a knock on him that I slid him down a spot, more a reflection of Emerson’s upside.
Cholowsky, a two-time Big 10 Player of the Year, slashed .320/.452/.636 with 21 home runs and 60 RBIs as a junior with the Bruins.
His selling point is his bat, and should be a plus-hitter both with his contact skills and power. The 21-year-old should also stick at shortstop as a pro. There’s a lot to like, even if he doesn’t have the speed of Emerson or some others.
3. Jacob Lombard, SS, Florida (High School)
Jacob has baseball running through his veins. He’s the son of former big-leaguer George Lombard and the younger brother of top Yankees prospect George Lombard Jr.
The youngest Lombard slashed .477/.607/.864 with 42 hits, 10 home runs, 25 RBIs, 52 runs and 14 stolen bases in 29 games as a senior with Gulliver Prep.
An 18-year-old who bats right-handed, Lombard has some seriously-intriguing tools, most notably his speed/power combination. He’s also considered an above-average defender at shortstop.
4. Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech
There’s a lot to like with the well-rounded Lackey, who just turned 21 on Tuesday after an excellent season with the Yellow Jackets.
Lackey batted .397/.519/.772 with 16 doubles, three triples, 20 home runs, 78 RBIs and 15 stolen bases. The 2026 winner of the Johnny Bench Award (top collegiate catcher) also helped lead Georgia Tech to an ACC title.
Lackey is considered to be extremely athletic for a catcher with a strong offensive profile from the right-handed batter’s box. Scouts really like he defensive abilities, and they love his arm.
5. Jackson Flora, RHP, UC Santa Barbara
After a run on position players at the top, a pitcher finally makes an appearance, and Flora is the best of the best this year.
Flora took home plenty of hardware this season, including being named the College Baseball Hall of Fame National Pitcher of the Year and the Perfect Game College Pitcher of the Year. He went a perfect 12-0 with a 1.06 ERA with 133 strikeouts in 102 innings as a junior.
A 6-5 right-hander, the 21-year-old Flora has a power-fastball capable of touching triple digits and accompanies the pitch with a slider and changeup while featuring solid control.
6. Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech
Back to the position players, Burress joins teammate Vahn Lackey as one of the top prospects available in this year’s class. Not that he will necessarily be the selection, but he’s someone generating some buzz with the Pirates with the fifth pick.
Burress, who received All-American honors for Georgia Tech, slashed .358/.473/.657 with 22 doubles, three triples, 16 home runs, 60 RBIs and 10 steals in 61 games.
Although he’s only 5-9, Burress has pop and a strong offensive profile. He can field, throw and run, and is another player with five-tool potential, even if there are concerns about his frame.
7. Eric Booth Jr., OF, Mississippi (High School)
If you like tools than you’ll love Booth, who celebrated his 18th birthday on America’s 250th.
Booth batted .481/.669/.922 with 11 doubles, four triples, five home runs, 31 RBIs and 23 steals in 29 games as a high school senior with Oak Grove.
Speed is the name of the game with Booth, and there aren’t many — if any — faster runners in this year’s class. He’s a solid defender with offensive upside and a high ceiling.
8. Gio Rojas, LHP, Florida (High School)
By far the top prep pitcher available in the ’26 draft, Rojas is looking to become the next notable big-leaguer from Stoneman Douglas High School.
Rojas, who turned 19 at the end of last month, went 11-1 with a 0.58 ERA in 13 appearances as a senior. In 72.2 innings, he struck out 124 batters, only 17, and only yielded 31 hits.
Although he’s only a teenager, the left-hander possesses a solid 6-4, 195-pound frame. He has two plus-pitched with a fastball and a slider and also throws a changeup, which isn’t as advanced yet.
9. Tyler Bell, SS, Kentucky
Bell is a player who has been rising up my draft board for some time, and I’ve seen enough from him to includ him in my top 10. Only a sophomore, he’s eligible to be drafted after being selected with the 66th pick by the Rays in the 2024 draft (did not sign).
Bell was a first-team All-SEC selection this past season after batting .343/.510/.608 with nine doubles, one triple, nine home runs, 29 RBIs and 10 steals in 41 games for the Wildcats.
He has solid tools across the board and could turn into a plus-defender at a premium position at shortstop. I think there’s some real upside offensively thanks to his smooth left-handed swing.
10. Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama
Lebron would’ve been higher on this list at the start of the collegiate season. His junior year with the Crimson Tide wasn’t as strong as many were expecting, but there’s still a lot to like.
LeBron finished the year with a .277/.386/.534 batting line, 13 doubles, 16 home runs and 48 RBIs. He also stole 42 bases in 43 attempts, if that tells you anything about the type of athlete he is — and it should.
There’s some swing and miss concern, but all his other tools are off the charts. He can obviously run, but can also pick it at short, has a strong arm and real raw power.
Others Considered
- Hunter Dietz, LHP, Arkansas
- Derek Curiel, OF, LSU
- Cameron Flukey, RHP, Coastal Carolina
- Jared Grindlinger, LHP/OF, California (High School)
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