Cardinals lead 2026 MLB Draft with most top-100 selections
The St. Louis Cardinals secured six players ranked in the Top 100 of MLB Pipeline's Draft Top 250, the most of any club, after holding five picks in the first two rounds of the 2026 draft.
St. Louis entered the 2026 MLB Draft with five selections in the first two rounds and emerged with the highest number of top-100 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline’s Draft Top 250 rankings. Six of the Cardinals’ picks appear among the top-100 players, a tally unmatched by any other team.
The Cardinals used two of their top three choices on high-school talent: outfielder Trevor Condon in the first round, noted for a blend of hitting ability and speed, and shortstop Rocco Maniscalco in the second round, praised for defensive skills. Supplemental first-rounder Tegan Kuhns, a right-hander from Tennessee, was highlighted for his command and strike-throwing, while supplemental second-rounder Dawson Montesa of West Virginia was described as an upside prospect. Additional selections included right-handers Cal Randall (UCLA) and Andrew Williamson (Central Florida), outfielder Caden Ferraro (Texas Tech) and shortstop Dee Kennedy (Kansas State), all of whom have demonstrated strong college performance.
The Chicago White Sox, holding the No. 1 overall pick and a large bonus pool, selected UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky in the first round and added high-school infielders Landon Thome and Cole Prosek in supplemental and second rounds. Their draft also featured three college right-handers—Joey Volchko, Cal Scolari and Eric Segura—and a mix of outfielders and pitchers through the later rounds.
The Tampa Bay Rays, with the No. 2 pick, chose top-rated prep shortstop Grady Emerson and added another high-school shortstop, Taj Marchand, before selecting seven pitchers ranked in the Top 250, including Ben Blair and Gavin Giese.
Other teams highlighted include the Cleveland Guardians, who traded a supplemental first-rounder for Patrick Bailey and focused on high-upside arms such as Liam Peterson and Logan Schmidt, as well as power-hitting position players. The Colorado Rockies secured a trio of highly ranked players—Tyler Bell, Daniel Jackson and Logan Reddemann—while the Los Angeles Angels shifted strategy toward high-school talent, selecting two-way prospect Jared Grindlinger and several college hitters.
These selections reflect each club’s approach to balancing immediate major-league potential with long-term development as the 2026 draft class begins its professional journey.