Alright, so lemme tell you about this little project I tackled – a 2026 MLB mock draft. Sounds kinda crazy, right? Predicting stuff that far out, but hey, that’s half the fun.
It all started with me just messing around on some baseball stat sites. I’m a huge baseball fan, and I always enjoy looking at prospects. I was like, “I wonder who’s gonna be hot in a few years?” So, I figured, why not try to put together a mock draft?
First thing I did was start digging into the high school classes. You gotta look at who’s gonna be draft-eligible in 2026, which means checking out the current sophomores and freshmen in high school. It’s a total crapshoot, I know, because these kids are still growing and developing like crazy. But that’s where the scouting reports come in.
I spent a good chunk of time reading up on these young players. Sites like Perfect Game and some of the paywalled scouting services are your best friends here. You’re looking for a combination of talent, projection (how good could they be?), and the ever-important “buzz.” Who are the scouts talking about? Who’s getting the early attention?
Next, I made a big, messy spreadsheet. I listed all the guys who seemed to have some potential, along with their positions, schools, and any standout stats or skills mentioned in the scouting reports. I tried to rank them based on my gut feeling, which is, let’s be honest, not super scientific. But hey, it’s a mock draft!
Then comes the fun part: trying to figure out team needs. This is where it gets really speculative. You gotta look at the current MLB teams, their farm systems, and their contracts. Which teams are likely to be rebuilding in 2026? Which ones will need pitching? Which ones will be desperate for a power-hitting outfielder? It’s a puzzle, and you’re missing half the pieces.
- I looked at team age: Are their key players getting old?
- I looked at prospect rankings: Are they loaded at one position?
- I looked at contracts: Who’s gonna be a free agent?
After that, I started slotting players to teams. This is where the draft actually takes shape. You try to match the best available player with a team that needs that position. You also gotta consider things like signability – some players are known to be more interested in going to college than signing a pro contract. That can affect where they get drafted.
I iterated, a lot. I kept going back and forth, tweaking my rankings, shuffling players around. One day, I’d be convinced a certain guy was a top-five pick, the next day I’d have him falling to the middle of the first round. It’s all guesswork, really.
Finally, I had a finished mock draft. Did I nail it? Probably not. Will any of these kids even pan out? Who knows! But it was a fun exercise in scouting, team building, and pure baseball speculation.
The key takeaways for me were:
- Early scouting is HARD. These kids are still developing so much.
- Team needs change constantly. You gotta stay flexible.
- It’s all about projection. Can they become stars?
Would I do it again? Absolutely. It’s a great way to learn more about baseball, follow prospects, and get excited about the future of the game.
So there you have it, my super-early 2026 MLB mock draft adventure. Don’t bet the house on my picks, but maybe keep an eye on some of these names. You never know!
