While the position player list wasn't as deep as recent years, featuring zero recruits inside the top 70 draft prospects and just eight in the top 150, the pitchers list is much deeper. It includes the #1 overall prospect to reach campus, the unsigned Angel Cervantes who was very nearly a Pirate after going in the second round, the first of three arms who all ranked ahead of top position player prospect Brock Sell. UCLA bookends the top ten with #1 and #10, the only school to put two players on the list (including the five honorable mentions) as they look to be returning with a vengeance out on the West Coast. This is not nearly as SEC-centric a list as the position player counterpart, with just three of the top ten joining SEC schools and the ACC actually matching them with three of their own. New Mississippi State head coach Brian O'Connor finds his name mentioned all over this list after causing three flips in the top eight prospects – #3 Jack Bauer will follow him from UVA to Mississippi State, #6 Jayden Stroman will follow his replacement, Chris Pollard, from Duke to UVA, and #8 Aiden Stillman flipped his commitment from UVA to Vanderbilt after O'Connor left.
1. RHP Angel Cervantes, UCLA (my rank: #39)
Drafted – Pirates, 2nd round (#50 overall). Eligible again in 2028.
UCLA baseball is back in a big way. One of college baseball's most storied programs from Jackie Robinson to Gerrit Cole, the Bruins missed the playoffs two years in a row in 2023 and 2024 including a dreadful season in the latter while they lost names to bigger schools in the transfer portal. However, they turned it around in a huge way with a 2025 College World Series appearance led by potential 2026 #1 overall pick Roch Cholowsky, then heading into 2026 they lose just one player to the draft, bring back home a major transfer talent in Will Gasparino, and unexpectedly pulled Angel Cervantes from the teeth of the Pittsburgh Pirates. With the current setup of the draft, it is very rare to see players drafted in the top ten rounds go unsigned, but Pittsburgh could not come to a deal with Cervantes and he will stay home in Southern California. The top overall prospect to reach campus, he combines present ability and upside that should make him a force in the Big Ten. His fastball sits in the low 90's and reached as high as 97 this spring, with running action and the ability to sink it when he needs to. He shows a nice sweeping slider that gets nice action across the plate, though it's not always late action, while his curveball has truer 12-6 break that he doesn't always get down enough in the zone. The two can run together at times and get slurvy but it's nice feel for spin overall. Cervantes' changeup is his best pitch, diving late as he pulls the string just before the plate in a manner that should have Big Ten hitters already taking notice. The 6'2" righty is a great mover on the mound with a loose, athletic delivery that does not require much effort, getting nice extension down the mound as well. Combine that with his size, and he could easily add a tick or two of velocity during his time in Westwood and sit closer to the mid 90's. Meanwhile, that easy delivery helps him fill up the strike zone with above average command, giving him every chance to become a horse for UCLA over the next three years. The Bruins return nearly their entire pitching staff from a year ago, including each of their top four arms by innings pitched and games started, but I don't think that will be an obstacle for Cervantes who should be able to bump one of them out pretty much immediately. He is also very young for an incoming freshman and will pitch his entire freshman season at 18 years old.
Drafted – Pirates, 2nd round (#50 overall). Eligible again in 2028.
UCLA baseball is back in a big way. One of college baseball's most storied programs from Jackie Robinson to Gerrit Cole, the Bruins missed the playoffs two years in a row in 2023 and 2024 including a dreadful season in the latter while they lost names to bigger schools in the transfer portal. However, they turned it around in a huge way with a 2025 College World Series appearance led by potential 2026 #1 overall pick Roch Cholowsky, then heading into 2026 they lose just one player to the draft, bring back home a major transfer talent in Will Gasparino, and unexpectedly pulled Angel Cervantes from the teeth of the Pittsburgh Pirates. With the current setup of the draft, it is very rare to see players drafted in the top ten rounds go unsigned, but Pittsburgh could not come to a deal with Cervantes and he will stay home in Southern California. The top overall prospect to reach campus, he combines present ability and upside that should make him a force in the Big Ten. His fastball sits in the low 90's and reached as high as 97 this spring, with running action and the ability to sink it when he needs to. He shows a nice sweeping slider that gets nice action across the plate, though it's not always late action, while his curveball has truer 12-6 break that he doesn't always get down enough in the zone. The two can run together at times and get slurvy but it's nice feel for spin overall. Cervantes' changeup is his best pitch, diving late as he pulls the string just before the plate in a manner that should have Big Ten hitters already taking notice. The 6'2" righty is a great mover on the mound with a loose, athletic delivery that does not require much effort, getting nice extension down the mound as well. Combine that with his size, and he could easily add a tick or two of velocity during his time in Westwood and sit closer to the mid 90's. Meanwhile, that easy delivery helps him fill up the strike zone with above average command, giving him every chance to become a horse for UCLA over the next three years. The Bruins return nearly their entire pitching staff from a year ago, including each of their top four arms by innings pitched and games started, but I don't think that will be an obstacle for Cervantes who should be able to bump one of them out pretty much immediately. He is also very young for an incoming freshman and will pitch his entire freshman season at 18 years old.
2. LHP Cameron Appenzeller, Tennessee (my rank: #54)
Drafted – Mariners, 19th round (#572 overall). Eligible again 2028.
Tennessee landed Trent Grindlinger, #6 on the top unsigned high school position player list, as a late flip from Mississippi State in May, then pulled him through the draft. Cameron Appenzeller may be an even bigger prize after they flipped him from Louisville last November then got him to campus as well, where he'll drop into a development program that could get the very best out of him. Appenzeller oozes projection as a 6'6" lefty with room to grow just about everywhere and a great athletic base as a former high school basketball player. Heading into the season, he had buzz as high as the middle of the first round as a guy who could grow into a front of the rotation force. That potential is still there, but it may not be as close as previously thought. Appenzeller got a late start to his senior season after playing basketball through the early spring, only making his first start on April 23rd, and when he did come out his stuff wasn't always as crisp as the past. The fastball mostly sat upper 80's with flat plane and his choice of four or two seam movement, at times dipping into the mid 80's later in games. In the past, he has sat low 90's in short stints and reached as high as 94. He has confidence in his sweeping two-plane slider that also shows nice depth, while his changeup gets nice fade in the other direction to effectively conquer left and right handed batters. The southern Illinois native has a an easy, athletic delivery with a low three quarters arm slot that enables him to fill up the zone nicely, and he maintains his stuff without exerting himself. Then next step will be to add strength and therefore power, and a lot of it. He'll need quite a few ticks of velocity to compete in the SEC and in pro ball, both on his fastball and on his breaking ball. Given the size, projection, athleticism, and easy delivery, adding that power is about as much of a slam dunk as you can get. He may never be the triple digit flamethrower that Vols fans are accustomed to seeing take the mound at Lindsey Nelson, but pitching coach Frank Anderson knows how to get guys reaching back and throwing hard like few other in the sport. He'll get Appenzeller where he needs to be, and if he comes out in three years sitting a comfortable 92-94 with a pair of above average secondaries and consistent command, he'll push his way towards the first round as a potential #2 or #3 big league starter. We'll see how quickly he can get those innings because the Tennessee pitching staff is always among the deepest in the country.
Drafted – Mariners, 19th round (#572 overall). Eligible again 2028.
Tennessee landed Trent Grindlinger, #6 on the top unsigned high school position player list, as a late flip from Mississippi State in May, then pulled him through the draft. Cameron Appenzeller may be an even bigger prize after they flipped him from Louisville last November then got him to campus as well, where he'll drop into a development program that could get the very best out of him. Appenzeller oozes projection as a 6'6" lefty with room to grow just about everywhere and a great athletic base as a former high school basketball player. Heading into the season, he had buzz as high as the middle of the first round as a guy who could grow into a front of the rotation force. That potential is still there, but it may not be as close as previously thought. Appenzeller got a late start to his senior season after playing basketball through the early spring, only making his first start on April 23rd, and when he did come out his stuff wasn't always as crisp as the past. The fastball mostly sat upper 80's with flat plane and his choice of four or two seam movement, at times dipping into the mid 80's later in games. In the past, he has sat low 90's in short stints and reached as high as 94. He has confidence in his sweeping two-plane slider that also shows nice depth, while his changeup gets nice fade in the other direction to effectively conquer left and right handed batters. The southern Illinois native has a an easy, athletic delivery with a low three quarters arm slot that enables him to fill up the zone nicely, and he maintains his stuff without exerting himself. Then next step will be to add strength and therefore power, and a lot of it. He'll need quite a few ticks of velocity to compete in the SEC and in pro ball, both on his fastball and on his breaking ball. Given the size, projection, athleticism, and easy delivery, adding that power is about as much of a slam dunk as you can get. He may never be the triple digit flamethrower that Vols fans are accustomed to seeing take the mound at Lindsey Nelson, but pitching coach Frank Anderson knows how to get guys reaching back and throwing hard like few other in the sport. He'll get Appenzeller where he needs to be, and if he comes out in three years sitting a comfortable 92-94 with a pair of above average secondaries and consistent command, he'll push his way towards the first round as a potential #2 or #3 big league starter. We'll see how quickly he can get those innings because the Tennessee pitching staff is always among the deepest in the country.
3. LHP Jack Bauer, Mississippi State (my rank: #60)
Undrafted. Eligible again in 2028.
The signing of new head coach Brian O'Connor brought in five big transfers from UVA, but perhaps the biggest win of all comes in a UVA -> MSU recruiting flip in Jack Bauer. Bauer is the hardest throwing high school left handed pitcher that has ever lived, and now he'll bring his Aroldis Chapman-like profile to Starkville. The fastball sits consistently in the mid to upper 90's early in games, already elite territory for a lefty, and has grabbed as high as 102 and even 103 on high school fields, which is quite literally unheard of. There is a lot of work to do on the rest of his game, but right there, you have a unique talent to say the absolute least. He drops in a high spin slider that drops in with sweep and bite, looking like an above average pitch, while his changeup is a bit more rudimentary and hasn't been as consistent as the slider. While he has indeed touched 103, he does not hold that velocity and often dips into the mid 90's after a couple innings and then down to the low 90's towards the end of his starts, which already aren't typically too deep into games. Mississippi State lost six pitchers to the draft, including their top three starters, but it is doubtful that Bauer can take one of those rotation spots just yet. He'll likely begin his college career in the bullpen, working to get stronger and stretch himself deeper into games. He has already been making progress on that front dating back to his senior year at Lincoln Way-East High School outside Chicago, where he has smoothed out his delivery and improved his command from below average to simply fringy. He'll need to keep on the same path and cut back the effort in that delivery while bringing along his secondary stuff if he wants to start. If he remains in the bullpen, which may be his ultimate destination in pro ball, his fastball could sit near triple digits while he leans on the slider as his primary secondary offering. It's an electric arm to say the least and I'm sure Bulldog fans would love to get something the mold of a Landon Sims/Ben Joyce hybrid.
Undrafted. Eligible again in 2028.
The signing of new head coach Brian O'Connor brought in five big transfers from UVA, but perhaps the biggest win of all comes in a UVA -> MSU recruiting flip in Jack Bauer. Bauer is the hardest throwing high school left handed pitcher that has ever lived, and now he'll bring his Aroldis Chapman-like profile to Starkville. The fastball sits consistently in the mid to upper 90's early in games, already elite territory for a lefty, and has grabbed as high as 102 and even 103 on high school fields, which is quite literally unheard of. There is a lot of work to do on the rest of his game, but right there, you have a unique talent to say the absolute least. He drops in a high spin slider that drops in with sweep and bite, looking like an above average pitch, while his changeup is a bit more rudimentary and hasn't been as consistent as the slider. While he has indeed touched 103, he does not hold that velocity and often dips into the mid 90's after a couple innings and then down to the low 90's towards the end of his starts, which already aren't typically too deep into games. Mississippi State lost six pitchers to the draft, including their top three starters, but it is doubtful that Bauer can take one of those rotation spots just yet. He'll likely begin his college career in the bullpen, working to get stronger and stretch himself deeper into games. He has already been making progress on that front dating back to his senior year at Lincoln Way-East High School outside Chicago, where he has smoothed out his delivery and improved his command from below average to simply fringy. He'll need to keep on the same path and cut back the effort in that delivery while bringing along his secondary stuff if he wants to start. If he remains in the bullpen, which may be his ultimate destination in pro ball, his fastball could sit near triple digits while he leans on the slider as his primary secondary offering. It's an electric arm to say the least and I'm sure Bulldog fans would love to get something the mold of a Landon Sims/Ben Joyce hybrid.
4. RHP/SS Mason Pike, Oregon State (my rank: #75)
Drafted – 19th round, Nationals (#561 overall). Eligible again in 2028.
When Oregon State lost out on conference realignment musical chairs, many thought the Beavers' two decade run of college baseball excellence might finally hit a speed bump. When they landed superstar and eventual #7 overall pick Aiva Arquette (now a Marlin) from the transfer portal and went on to reach the College World Series again in 2025, it was clear they wouldn't fall off so easy. Heading into 2026, they're still recruiting at a high clip and bring in the best unsigned high schooler from the Pacific Northwest in two-way star Mason Pike. Pike impressed a lot of scouts up in the Tacoma area this spring, showing a low to mid 90's fastball that reached 97 at peak with sizzle through the zone. Both his slider and curveball took steps forward and could both be above average in time, while he is learning to sink his albeit firm changeup. Built solid at 5'11", 205 pounds, he moves explosively on the mound while his impressive athleticism helps him repeat his explosive delivery for fringe-average command, likely to improve to at least average in Corvallis. It's a really nice baseline profile that could take another step forward in Rich Dorman's pitching development program. The Beavers didn't lose much firepower on the mound with just two draftees and a couple of transfer portal losses in the bullpen, returning five of their top six arms by innings pitched. Still, Pike is plenty talented enough to push for important innings right away. Additionally, he is a talented infielder as well who could earn regular reps in the lineup as well, especially with more significant Beaver losses on that side of the ball including most notably Arquette. He's a switch hitter who can really whip the barrel through the zone, especially from the left side. That left handed swing can get a little steep at times though, and his right handed swing is more geared towards line drives. There is some chase in his game as well so he'll need to iron a few pieces out to hit every day for Oregon State, but the upside is certainly there. He's excellent with the glove and his arm is unsurprisingly plus, giving him a shot to take over Arquette's shortstop role right away if he hits enough. He could also take Trent Caraway's vacated third base role, where his fringy speed may fit better. He's probably a third baseman in the long run due to that lack of quickness.
Drafted – 19th round, Nationals (#561 overall). Eligible again in 2028.
When Oregon State lost out on conference realignment musical chairs, many thought the Beavers' two decade run of college baseball excellence might finally hit a speed bump. When they landed superstar and eventual #7 overall pick Aiva Arquette (now a Marlin) from the transfer portal and went on to reach the College World Series again in 2025, it was clear they wouldn't fall off so easy. Heading into 2026, they're still recruiting at a high clip and bring in the best unsigned high schooler from the Pacific Northwest in two-way star Mason Pike. Pike impressed a lot of scouts up in the Tacoma area this spring, showing a low to mid 90's fastball that reached 97 at peak with sizzle through the zone. Both his slider and curveball took steps forward and could both be above average in time, while he is learning to sink his albeit firm changeup. Built solid at 5'11", 205 pounds, he moves explosively on the mound while his impressive athleticism helps him repeat his explosive delivery for fringe-average command, likely to improve to at least average in Corvallis. It's a really nice baseline profile that could take another step forward in Rich Dorman's pitching development program. The Beavers didn't lose much firepower on the mound with just two draftees and a couple of transfer portal losses in the bullpen, returning five of their top six arms by innings pitched. Still, Pike is plenty talented enough to push for important innings right away. Additionally, he is a talented infielder as well who could earn regular reps in the lineup as well, especially with more significant Beaver losses on that side of the ball including most notably Arquette. He's a switch hitter who can really whip the barrel through the zone, especially from the left side. That left handed swing can get a little steep at times though, and his right handed swing is more geared towards line drives. There is some chase in his game as well so he'll need to iron a few pieces out to hit every day for Oregon State, but the upside is certainly there. He's excellent with the glove and his arm is unsurprisingly plus, giving him a shot to take over Arquette's shortstop role right away if he hits enough. He could also take Trent Caraway's vacated third base role, where his fringy speed may fit better. He's probably a third baseman in the long run due to that lack of quickness.
5. LHP Uli Fernsler, Texas Christian (my rank: #80)
Undrafted. Eligible again in 2028.
In Uli Fernsler, TCU picks up a fairly similar arm to Cameron Appenzeller over at Tennessee. He'll have to work hard to push into the Horned Frogs' plans on the mound as the team brings back all but one starting pitcher and most of its bullpen, but he has a chance to develop into a horse. The fastball has modest velocity around 90 and tops out around 93 with running action, but promises more in the tank. His big slider dives across the plate and could be above average or plus in time with more power, and he can turn the pitch over into a fringier curveball as well when he needs it. There's a solid changeup here as well, giving him four pitches right away with which to attack Big 12 hitters. Fernsler is a unique arm in that he delivers from a low three quarters slot to put flat plane on the ball, run on his fastball, and lateral movement on his slider. His slow, methodical delivery almost makes it look like he's aiming the ball, something you never want pitchers to do, but it works for him with some of the best left handed command in the prep class. Additionally, the 6'4" lefty is already very physical, has more projection remaining, and is very young for a college freshman set to pitch his whole freshman year at 18 years old. It's a slam dunk starting pitching profile, especially at the college level, where in years two and three he could develop into a Friday night guy for the Horned Frogs. To get there, he'll want to (and should be able to) add a tick of velocity to his fastball and breaking balls, and if he adds more than a tick while maintaining his above average command, he could pitch himself into the first round. The Detroit-area product probably figures in as more of a long reliever in 2026 as he gets his feet wet in college ball before taking off in 2027 and 2028.
Undrafted. Eligible again in 2028.
In Uli Fernsler, TCU picks up a fairly similar arm to Cameron Appenzeller over at Tennessee. He'll have to work hard to push into the Horned Frogs' plans on the mound as the team brings back all but one starting pitcher and most of its bullpen, but he has a chance to develop into a horse. The fastball has modest velocity around 90 and tops out around 93 with running action, but promises more in the tank. His big slider dives across the plate and could be above average or plus in time with more power, and he can turn the pitch over into a fringier curveball as well when he needs it. There's a solid changeup here as well, giving him four pitches right away with which to attack Big 12 hitters. Fernsler is a unique arm in that he delivers from a low three quarters slot to put flat plane on the ball, run on his fastball, and lateral movement on his slider. His slow, methodical delivery almost makes it look like he's aiming the ball, something you never want pitchers to do, but it works for him with some of the best left handed command in the prep class. Additionally, the 6'4" lefty is already very physical, has more projection remaining, and is very young for a college freshman set to pitch his whole freshman year at 18 years old. It's a slam dunk starting pitching profile, especially at the college level, where in years two and three he could develop into a Friday night guy for the Horned Frogs. To get there, he'll want to (and should be able to) add a tick of velocity to his fastball and breaking balls, and if he adds more than a tick while maintaining his above average command, he could pitch himself into the first round. The Detroit-area product probably figures in as more of a long reliever in 2026 as he gets his feet wet in college ball before taking off in 2027 and 2028.
6. RHP Jayden Stroman, Virginia (my rank: #93)
Undrafted. Eligible again in 2028.
Mississippi State took a lot from Virginia along with Brian O'Connor, including the five transfers mentioned above and #3 pitching recruit Jack Bauer above, but the Cavaliers were able to turn around and take a bit of a haul from Duke alongside head coach Chris Pollard in the form of seven transfers headlined by potential first round pick AJ Gracia. Additionally, they flipped a big name recruit themselves in Jayden Stroman, who will keep his commitment with Pollard rather than with Duke. The younger brother of Marcus Stroman, Jayden is already taller and throws harder than his big league brother. He's relatively new to pitching and shot up boards during his senior season, with the chance to continue climbing under Pollard in Charlottesville. His fastball now sits in the low to mid 90's and touched as high as 98 in the spring, showing nice carry to play up. He has tightened up a hard slider that is showing above average bite and could become a plus pitch in time, giving him two pitches to take to the ACC right now. He's still working on polishing up the rest of his arsenal, which remains better suited for side bullpens than game action, but that's what you go to a program like UVA for. Stroman is a good athlete with a smooth, easy delivery that generates velocity naturally, helping him achieve average command even with a lack of experience on the mound. The 6' righty has the ingredients to start if he can add a changeup to his shallow arsenal. He'll get a shot to do so as UVA is completely overhauling its pitching staff, having lost its top six arms by innings representing 48 of the teams 50 games started on the mound. Pollard will lean heavily on transfers to fill that rotation back in but don't count out the freshman Stroman for whom everything seems to be going right lately.
Undrafted. Eligible again in 2028.
Mississippi State took a lot from Virginia along with Brian O'Connor, including the five transfers mentioned above and #3 pitching recruit Jack Bauer above, but the Cavaliers were able to turn around and take a bit of a haul from Duke alongside head coach Chris Pollard in the form of seven transfers headlined by potential first round pick AJ Gracia. Additionally, they flipped a big name recruit themselves in Jayden Stroman, who will keep his commitment with Pollard rather than with Duke. The younger brother of Marcus Stroman, Jayden is already taller and throws harder than his big league brother. He's relatively new to pitching and shot up boards during his senior season, with the chance to continue climbing under Pollard in Charlottesville. His fastball now sits in the low to mid 90's and touched as high as 98 in the spring, showing nice carry to play up. He has tightened up a hard slider that is showing above average bite and could become a plus pitch in time, giving him two pitches to take to the ACC right now. He's still working on polishing up the rest of his arsenal, which remains better suited for side bullpens than game action, but that's what you go to a program like UVA for. Stroman is a good athlete with a smooth, easy delivery that generates velocity naturally, helping him achieve average command even with a lack of experience on the mound. The 6' righty has the ingredients to start if he can add a changeup to his shallow arsenal. He'll get a shot to do so as UVA is completely overhauling its pitching staff, having lost its top six arms by innings representing 48 of the teams 50 games started on the mound. Pollard will lean heavily on transfers to fill that rotation back in but don't count out the freshman Stroman for whom everything seems to be going right lately.
7. RHP Marcelo Harsch, Wake Forest (my rank: #109)
Undrafted. Eligible again in 2028.
Wake Forest has been excellent about getting top young arms to campus, reeling in names like Chris Levonas, Duncan Marsten, and Josh Hartle past the draft in recent years. Marcelo Harsch is the next premium arm to hit Wake Forest, coming in with as much upside as anybody although he's more of a project. His fastball sits in the low 90's and touches 95 at peak, falling closer to 90 later in his starts, coming in with run and sink. He is still tinkering with his breaking ball, showing a slider with some depth that plays well off his fastball, while his changeup is a third pitch that needs more refinement. Projection is the name of the game here. The 6'4" righty could add thirty, forty, fifty pounds before all is said and done and see several ticks added to his fastball, while his offspeed stuff plays well out of his hand and well off his fastball. He has an easy, athletic delivery that will be an all-around boon in his development, facilitating both increased power and improved command as he gets stronger. This is the kind of profile that goes to Wake Forest and explodes in their pitching lab, where they'll optimize his offspeed stuff that really doesn't have an identity yet and use his athleticism to their advantage. He's also young, set to spend his entire freshman academic year at 18 years old, and all together just oozes upside. Harsch may have a long, long way between his floor and his ceiling but the ceiling is sky high if Wake can get him throwing a little harder and find his breaking stuff.
Undrafted. Eligible again in 2028.
Wake Forest has been excellent about getting top young arms to campus, reeling in names like Chris Levonas, Duncan Marsten, and Josh Hartle past the draft in recent years. Marcelo Harsch is the next premium arm to hit Wake Forest, coming in with as much upside as anybody although he's more of a project. His fastball sits in the low 90's and touches 95 at peak, falling closer to 90 later in his starts, coming in with run and sink. He is still tinkering with his breaking ball, showing a slider with some depth that plays well off his fastball, while his changeup is a third pitch that needs more refinement. Projection is the name of the game here. The 6'4" righty could add thirty, forty, fifty pounds before all is said and done and see several ticks added to his fastball, while his offspeed stuff plays well out of his hand and well off his fastball. He has an easy, athletic delivery that will be an all-around boon in his development, facilitating both increased power and improved command as he gets stronger. This is the kind of profile that goes to Wake Forest and explodes in their pitching lab, where they'll optimize his offspeed stuff that really doesn't have an identity yet and use his athleticism to their advantage. He's also young, set to spend his entire freshman academic year at 18 years old, and all together just oozes upside. Harsch may have a long, long way between his floor and his ceiling but the ceiling is sky high if Wake can get him throwing a little harder and find his breaking stuff.
8. LHP Aiden Stillman, Vanderbilt (my rank: #112)
Undrafted. Eligible again in 2028.
Aiden Stillman, like Jack Bauer, had been committed to Virginia to pitch for Brian O'Connor. He won't follow him to Starkville, though, instead joining Tim Corbin at Vanderbilt. Stillman is a pitchability lefty who has a chance to anchor the next generation of Vanderbilt arms, especially with a few key departures from the 2025 staff. He's the kind of arm that could be ready on day one to take extended innings and become a three year horse for the team. The fastball sits low 90's and touches 95 at peak with ride and downward plane from a high slot, not overwhelming velocity but enough to get the job done as a lefty. His best pitch is a hammer curveball that is above average for now and could be plus in time, while he can also work it into an average slider to give hitters a different look. Stillman adds a fringy changeup for his fourth pitch that should come along during his time in Nashville. The 6'3" lefty repeats his simple delivery well for average command and the chance to get to above average under Corbin. It's a true starting pitcher profile with a deep arsenal, easy mechanics, command, and some projection remaining to boot. He probably figures as more of a mid to back-end starter in pro ball but it's the kind that can really anchor a college rotation, even in the SEC, and if he adds a couple ticks to his fastball as he fills out he could project for more than that.
Undrafted. Eligible again in 2028.
Aiden Stillman, like Jack Bauer, had been committed to Virginia to pitch for Brian O'Connor. He won't follow him to Starkville, though, instead joining Tim Corbin at Vanderbilt. Stillman is a pitchability lefty who has a chance to anchor the next generation of Vanderbilt arms, especially with a few key departures from the 2025 staff. He's the kind of arm that could be ready on day one to take extended innings and become a three year horse for the team. The fastball sits low 90's and touches 95 at peak with ride and downward plane from a high slot, not overwhelming velocity but enough to get the job done as a lefty. His best pitch is a hammer curveball that is above average for now and could be plus in time, while he can also work it into an average slider to give hitters a different look. Stillman adds a fringy changeup for his fourth pitch that should come along during his time in Nashville. The 6'3" lefty repeats his simple delivery well for average command and the chance to get to above average under Corbin. It's a true starting pitcher profile with a deep arsenal, easy mechanics, command, and some projection remaining to boot. He probably figures as more of a mid to back-end starter in pro ball but it's the kind that can really anchor a college rotation, even in the SEC, and if he adds a couple ticks to his fastball as he fills out he could project for more than that.
9. RHP Brandon Shannon, Louisville (my rank: #119)
Undrafted. Eligible again in 2028.
Louisville lost three pitchers to the draft headlined by first rounder Patrick Forbes (Diamondbacks) but largely returns the meat of its staff for 2026. Though they lost prized recruit Cameron Appenzeller to a commitment flip to Tennessee, they'll still have a stud arm to build their class around in fellow Illinoisan Brandon Shannon. Shannon has a big arm and he's ready to contribute today, though some polish might be nice. The fastball sits in the low 90's but can hit 97 in short stints with angry run and sink, giving him an above average pitch to start off his arsenal. He gets nice depth on his slider and curveball, though their spin rates are fairly ordinary and he'll need to tighten them up to miss more bats in the ACC. His changeup is coming along as well, giving him a fourth potentially average pitch and an arsenal that works well off of itself. Shannon's delivery is a bit raw with a turn towards shortstop to generate power and some effort in the operation, often impacting command from his uptempo pace. Regardless, there is a ton of talent here. The 6'4" righty is extremely projectable with plenty of present arm strength and spring in his delivery, and as Louisville helps him get down the mound more smoothly and teaches him to use those long limbs to really drive through the baseball efficiently, he could be sitting in the mid 90's in time. If they can help him tighten up his breaking balls, he has front of the rotation potential in college and could be a mid-rotation starter at the big league level. This is the kind of freshman prospect you draw up as a pitching coach with all of the puzzle pieces of an impact arm. They'll just have to draw it out of him.
Undrafted. Eligible again in 2028.
Louisville lost three pitchers to the draft headlined by first rounder Patrick Forbes (Diamondbacks) but largely returns the meat of its staff for 2026. Though they lost prized recruit Cameron Appenzeller to a commitment flip to Tennessee, they'll still have a stud arm to build their class around in fellow Illinoisan Brandon Shannon. Shannon has a big arm and he's ready to contribute today, though some polish might be nice. The fastball sits in the low 90's but can hit 97 in short stints with angry run and sink, giving him an above average pitch to start off his arsenal. He gets nice depth on his slider and curveball, though their spin rates are fairly ordinary and he'll need to tighten them up to miss more bats in the ACC. His changeup is coming along as well, giving him a fourth potentially average pitch and an arsenal that works well off of itself. Shannon's delivery is a bit raw with a turn towards shortstop to generate power and some effort in the operation, often impacting command from his uptempo pace. Regardless, there is a ton of talent here. The 6'4" righty is extremely projectable with plenty of present arm strength and spring in his delivery, and as Louisville helps him get down the mound more smoothly and teaches him to use those long limbs to really drive through the baseball efficiently, he could be sitting in the mid 90's in time. If they can help him tighten up his breaking balls, he has front of the rotation potential in college and could be a mid-rotation starter at the big league level. This is the kind of freshman prospect you draw up as a pitching coach with all of the puzzle pieces of an impact arm. They'll just have to draw it out of him.
10. RHP Zach Strickland, UCLA (my rank: #127)
Undrafted. Eligible again in 2027.
UCLA bookends the closing side of this top ten list with another freshman arm. As stated under Angel Cervantes, the Bruins are bringing back nearly their entire pitching staff and also have #1 overall recruit Cervantes stepping into the fold, so Zach Strickland may have a bit of an uphill battle for innings but there is plenty of upside. His fastball sits in the low 90's and touches 96 at peak, coming in with running action that gets it in on hitters quick, especially righties. He can work through the full range of motion between a cutter, slider, and curveball, ranging from more of a power east-west offering in the cutter to the loopier get-me-over curveball. His changeup has flashed real promise with plenty of running action, though he doesn't throw it as much at this point and it will be a point of development in Westwood. The 6'2" righty moves well on the mound with a loose, athletic delivery that is also conducive to his natural explosiveness off the rubber, helping him project for at least average command as he gets more comfortable pitching at the higher velocity bands. For now, his command is best when he's under control in the low 90's rather than when he's reaching back for the mid 90's. Like I said, UCLA is deep on the mound, but Strickland is the only pitcher on this list who will be eligible again in 2027 as his June birthday makes him very old for an incoming freshman. He'll want to work to establish himself quickly in blue and gold to prepare for that sophomore-eligible season.
Undrafted. Eligible again in 2027.
UCLA bookends the closing side of this top ten list with another freshman arm. As stated under Angel Cervantes, the Bruins are bringing back nearly their entire pitching staff and also have #1 overall recruit Cervantes stepping into the fold, so Zach Strickland may have a bit of an uphill battle for innings but there is plenty of upside. His fastball sits in the low 90's and touches 96 at peak, coming in with running action that gets it in on hitters quick, especially righties. He can work through the full range of motion between a cutter, slider, and curveball, ranging from more of a power east-west offering in the cutter to the loopier get-me-over curveball. His changeup has flashed real promise with plenty of running action, though he doesn't throw it as much at this point and it will be a point of development in Westwood. The 6'2" righty moves well on the mound with a loose, athletic delivery that is also conducive to his natural explosiveness off the rubber, helping him project for at least average command as he gets more comfortable pitching at the higher velocity bands. For now, his command is best when he's under control in the low 90's rather than when he's reaching back for the mid 90's. Like I said, UCLA is deep on the mound, but Strickland is the only pitcher on this list who will be eligible again in 2027 as his June birthday makes him very old for an incoming freshman. He'll want to work to establish himself quickly in blue and gold to prepare for that sophomore-eligible season.
Honorable mentions:
#133 RHP Marcos Paz, Louisiana State
#137 RHP Myles Upchurch, Alabama
#150 RHP Justice de Jong, Auburn
#157 RHP Ethan Grim, Virginia Tech
#159 RHP Charlie Willcox, Georgia Tech
#137 RHP Myles Upchurch, Alabama
#150 RHP Justice de Jong, Auburn
#157 RHP Ethan Grim, Virginia Tech
#159 RHP Charlie Willcox, Georgia Tech
