MIAMI — Two South Florida high school players are projected among the top 10 selections in the 2026 MLB Draft, with Gulliver Prep shortstop Jacob Lombard slotted at No. 4 to the San Francisco Giants and Stoneman Douglas left-hander Gio Rojas at No. 9 to the Atlanta Braves in MLB Pipeline’s latest mock draft, published with the draft 23 days away.
Lombard, ranked the No. 4 overall prospect, is considered the top talent in the draft’s second tier behind consensus top-three picks Roch Cholowsky, Grady Emerson and Vahn Lackey. Some teams believe Lombard “may have the highest ceiling in the Draft while others worry about his hitting ability,” according to the projection. The Pittsburgh Pirates, picking fifth, reportedly “may not be as high on Lombard as other clubs,” which could affect whether the Miami native slides past No. 4.
Rojas, the top-ranked high school pitcher in the class, is projected to Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School product at No. 9. The Braves “could play this two ways: grab the best high school pitcher in Rojas and save some money to spend on the No. 26 choice, or pay full freight for college bats,” according to the analysis. The Royals, picking sixth, also have ties to Rojas.
The Miami Marlins, selecting 14th overall, are projected to take Mississippi State third baseman Ace Reese, ranked No. 21 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 200 Prospects list. The Marlins appear to be targeting college bats and “could opt for Curiel, Reese, Gracia, Lebron or Texas Christian outfielder Sawyer Strosnider,” with Coastal Carolina right-hander Cameron Flukey and Tennessee right-hander Tegan Kuhns as potential pitching targets. Two-way prep catcher Jared Grindlinger also “intrigues them.”
University of Florida right-hander Liam Peterson, ranked No. 14 on the prospect list, is projected to go 12th to the Los Angeles Angels. Peterson is also linked to the Arizona Diamondbacks at No. 15, the Cardinals at No. 13 and the Angels, who “in every Draft this decade” have spent their first-round pick on a collegian capable of advancing quickly.
The draft landscape remains unusually unsettled. One scouting director who picks in the bottom half of the first round said, “We usually have a pocket of three-four players to focus on by now, but this year it’s more like 15.” UCLA right-hander Logan Reddemann, who was pushing to become the second college pitcher drafted, missed his final six starts with what was described as a flexor strain before returning for a live batting-practice session at UCLA. He is scheduled to pitch again at the MLB Draft Combine next Wednesday.
The Combine is set for June 23-26 at Chase Field in Phoenix, where teams will conduct interviews and medical evaluations expected to sharpen draft boards. Five clubs — the Mets, Phillies, Yankees, Blue Jays and Dodgers — had their first-round picks dropped 10 places as a penalty for exceeding the second surcharge threshold of the competitive-balance tax in 2025. The draft begins July 11.