After a busy summer of events that afforded our staff to get an in-depth look at a growing number of players from the 2026 class, we release our updated and expanded player rankings. As is typical with a young class, there was a lot of movement as well as many new faces in these rankings. As with any freshman class, these rankings will continue to be fluid and will change significantly as we continue to see more players moving forward.

CLICK HERE to see the Fall 2023 update for the 2026 class.

Here is an in-depth look at who cracked the Top 5

Noah Spalding remains entrenched in the No. 1 spot. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Louisville commit has run his fastball up to 90 mph, but that's not all Spalding has in his game. Offensively, he possesses big power, and while it's highly likely he ends up on the mound at the college level (the arm is too good), he is a real threat at the plate until that time comes.

 

 

 

 

Kentucky commit Gary Gibson sits in the No. 2. Everything Gibson does is electric with a 90 mph fastball on the mound and big bat speed at the plate. Already spinning a high-70's slider in the 2400's, that pitch has wipeout potential moving forward, and he's really just scratching the surface of how good he will be.

 

 

 

 

Griffin Loy, a big 6-foot-5, 200-pound RHP, occupies the No. 3 spot. The Louisville commit runs his fastball into the upper-80's, and has really started to get his delivery synced up as evidenced by cutting down on his walks significantly in the spring. He features a power curveball to go along with an effective changeup, and Loy should see his velocity continue to uptick in the near future.

 

 

Evan Hampton, a Kentucky commit, checks in at No. 4. The 6-foot, 185-pound  SS features a rare combination of athleticism and power, and has been a force in the Owensboro HS lineup for two years already. Hampton's electric hand and bat speed immediately stand out, and he has the athleticism and arm strength to stick at SS at the next level. He's a SS with a middle-of-the-order bat that will continue to hit for power.

 

 

 

Checking in at No. 5 is Tennessee commit Cole McLean. The lefty features a mid-80's fastball to go along with a late-breaking slider that produces a lot of swing and miss. The projectable 6-foot-1, 160 pounder's ability to pitch is what landed him with a commitment to Tennessee, and the ceiling is high for McLean as he continues to physically mature.

 

 

the top 10

Rank	Name	State	School	Class	Pos	Commitment
1	Noah Spalding	KY	Marion County	2026	RHP	Louisville
2	Gary Gibson II	KY	Sayre	2026	RHP	Kentucky
3	Griffin Loy	KY	Somerset	2026	RHP	Louisville
4	Evan Hampton	KY	Owensboro	2026	SS	Kentucky
5	Cole Mclean	KY	Taylor County	2026	LHP	Tennessee
6	Eli Hampton	KY	Owensboro	2026	C
7	Kace Eastridge	KY	Campbellsville	2026	3B
8	Jack Cowan	KY	Knights Academy	2026	LHP
9	Kendrick Dunning	KY	McCracken	2026	C
10	Grayson Willoughby	KY	Trinity	2026	RHP