2026 MLB Draft: Bleacher Report releases mock 2.0 ahead of college opening day

College baseball is finally here. On Friday, the season will kick off around the country. Before then, though, Bleacher Report has released its mock draft 2.0 for the 2026 MLB Draft.

In the mock draft, Bleacher Report covered the first 40 picks: first-round picks, prospect promotion incentive picks, and Competitive Balance Round A. The Chicago White Sox hold the top overall selection after winning the draft lottery.

At least in Bleacher Report’s projections, the 2026 MLB Draft is shaping up to be college-heavy at the top. Of the 40 selections, 26 came from the college ranks, with eight pitchers and 18 bats. From high school, six pitchers went alongside eight bats.

The 2026 MLB Draft will be held from July 12-13 in Philadelphia. Plenty will change as the college and MLB seasons begin, but here’s an early look at how the class could look.

1. Chicago White Sox: UCLA SS Roch Cholowsky

In the eyes of many, Roch Cholowsky is the runaway favorite to be taken first overall on draft day. The UCLA shortstop is a Golden Spikes frontrunner after breaking out in 2025.

As a sophomore, Cholowsky hit .353 with 23 home runs, 74 RBI and a 1.190 OPS. He drew 45 walks with just 30 strikeouts, and is the most sure thing among hitting prospects in this draft class.

2. Tampa Bay Rays: Fort Worth Christian School (TX) SS Grady Emerson (Texas commit)

There are a few solid prep shortstops that could go high in the draft, but Grady Emerson sits among them in this mock. He’s viewed as a five-tool prospect at shortstop, and he has even more room to grow as he develops further.

While Cholowsky seems to be like a sure thing at No. 1 overall, Emerson isn’t all that far behind. He’s committed to play at Texas.

3. Minnesota Twins: Alabama SS Justin Lebron

While Cholowsky took control of the top spot in most draft rankings, Justin Lebron has been in the conversation before, too. While he’s prone to swing and miss and will need to cut that down, Lebron is full of potential.

After hitting .338 with 12 homers in 2024 as a freshman at Alabama, Lebron hit .316 with 18 homers, 72 RBI and a 1.058 OPS in 2025. He also stole 17 bases, while striking out 68 times with 35 walks.

4. San Francisco Giants: Georgia Tech OF Drew Burress

Drew Burress took college baseball by storm as a freshman in 2024 when he hit nine home runs in his first eight career games. In that monster season, he hit .381 with 25 homers.

In 2025, he hit .333 with 19 home runs, 62 RBI and a 1.162 OPS. He’s walked 111 times compared to 79 strikeouts in his college career so far, and another strong year in 2026 will solidify him as a top prospect in the 2026 MLB Draft.

5. Pittsburgh Pirates: LSU OF Derek Curiel

Derek Curiel is a draft-eligible sophomore, and if 2026 goes anything like 2025 did, he’ll be a lock to be taken this high. He played mostly left field last year, but is poised for more run in center as a sophomore at LSU.

In 2025, Curiel hit .345 with seven home runs and 55 RBI as part of LSU’s national championship team. He has room to grow in the power department, but the potential is there to be an elite all-around player.

6. Kansas City Royals: Gulliver Prep HS (FL) SS Jacob Lombard (Miami commit)

Just behind Emerson in the prep shortstop ranks, Jacob Lombard is an impressive prospect himself. The younger brother of top Yankees prospect George Lombard Jr., Jacob is viewed as one of the top high schoolers in this class.

He brings impressive power to the plate, with more room to grow in that department as well. He’s committed to play at Miami.

7. Baltimore Orioles: Coastal Carolina RHP Cameron Flukey

Cameron Flukey burst onto the scene in 2025, helping lead Coastal Carolina to be runners-up in the College World Series. In the dominant campaign, Flukey emerged as a top arm in the 2026 MLB Draft with a 3.19 ERA and 1.003 WHIP in 101.2 innings with 118 strikeouts to just 24 walks.

His 5.73 ERA might not wow you as a freshman in 2024, but he still fanned 83 hitters with just 27 walks. He has elite stuff and is the first pitcher off the board in Bleacher Report’s mock.

8. Athletics: UC Santa Barbara RHP Jackson Flora

Jackson Flora’s UC Santa Barbara teammate, Tyler Bremner, went second overall in last year’s draft. They have a serious shot at going back-to-back years with top ten picks.

Flora was great in 2025, pitching to a 3.60 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP with 86 strikeouts in 75 innings. He normally touches triple digits with his elite fastball, and he’s in contention to be the first pitcher off the board in July.

9. Atlanta Braves: Southside Christian HS (SC) LHP Carson Bolemon (Wake Forest commit)

In his junior season, Carson Bolemon struck out 135 with just 8 walks across 55.1 innings. Oh, and he also didn’t allow an earned run. That’s pretty impressive, no matter where you’re pitching.

Viewed as the top high school arm in the class, Bolemon has four good pitches. He’s committed to play at Wake Forest if he makes it to school.

10. Colorado Rockies: Georgia Tech C Vahn Lackey

Most view Vahn lackey as the top catching prospect in the class, and it’s easy to see why. He really broke out in 2025, hitting .347 with 21 extra-base hits as a sophomore at Georgia Tech.

he strugged in 2024 as a freshman, hitting .214. But in addition to his step forward offensively, he also has the tools to be a good defensive catcher at the next level.

2026 MLB Mock Draft: Picks 11-40

11. Washington Nationals: Florida RHP Liam Peterson
12. Los Angeles Angels: Virginia OF AJ Gracia
13. St. Louis Cardinals: TCU OF Sawyer Strosnider
14. Miami Marlins: Texas A&M SS Chris Hacopian
15. Arizona Diamondbacks: De La Salle HS (CA) SS Tyler Spangler (Stanford commit)
16. Texas Rangers: Stoneman Douglas HS (FL) LHP Gio Rojas (Miami commit)
17. Houston Astros: Mississippi State 3B Ace Reese
18. Cincinnati Reds: Virginia SS Eric Becker
19. Cleveland Guardians: Kentucky SS Tyler Bell
20. Boston Red Sox: Auburn 2B Chris Rembert
21. San Diego Padres: Ganesha HS (CA) LHP Logan Schmidt (LSU commit)
22. Detroit Tigers: Texas A&M OF Caden Sorrell
23. Chicago Cubs: Arkansas RHP Gabe Gaeckle
24. Seattle Mariners: Tennessee RHP Tegan Kuhns
25. Milwaukee Brewers: Oak Grove HS (MS) OF Eric Booth Jr. (Vanderbilt commit)
26. Atlanta Braves: Georgia RHP Joey Volchko
27. New York Mets: Arkansas C Ryder Helfrick
28. Houston Astros: JSerra Catholic HS (CA) OF Blake Bowen (Oregon State commit)
29. Cleveland Guardians: Texas A&M 3B Gavin Grahovac
30. Kansas City Royals: Texas OF Aiden Robbins
31. Arizona Diamondbacks: Oregon SS Maddox Molony
32. St. Louis Cardinals: Jackson Prep HS (MS) OF Kevin Roberts Jr. (Florida commit)
33. Tampa Bay Rays: TCU RHP Tommy LaPour
34. Pittsburgh Pirates: South Walton HS (FL) RHP Coleman Borthwick (Auburn commit)
35. New York Yankees: The Stony Brook School HS (NY) SS Aiden Ruiz (Vanderbilt commit)
36. Philadelphia Phillies: Kingsburg HS (CA) RHP Jensen Hirschkorn (LSU commit)
37. Colorado Rockies: Louisville OF Zion Rose
38. Colorado Rockies: North Carolina RHP Ryan Lynch
39. Toronto Blue Jays: Etowah HS (GA) OF Trevor Condon (Tennessee commit)
40. Los Angeles Dodgers: Blessed Trinity Catholic HS (GA) RHP Joseph Contreras (Vanderbilt commit)