Initial 2026 Overall Rankings Release
November 18, 2022
A promising initial look at the 2026 class provided a glimpse at the future of the prep baseball landscape with exciting young talent to follow in coming years. From coast to coast, PBR’s boots-on-the-ground staff has compiled a modest number of names to recognize. The list will ultimately grow to 500 players over the next four years, with new players being discovered via events, workouts, games, and tournaments, with countless hours of behind-the-scenes skill sessions steadily raising the level of play. The best are never satisfied, and PBR remains committed to providing the most updated and credible resource in the amateur baseball world. For all the cage work, bullpen sessions, and weight room residencies, we look forward to covering the progress and advancements of each of the players in the class.
***Click For Top 250***
In compiling the names for this initial list, one trend was eye-opening: the number of commitments. No, there is nothing new about early recruitment, but the sheer volume seen in scanning the country for the top 2026 players was astonishing. At publishing, nearly half the players on the list were committed to schools with a number of other commitments from players that were not included in the top-250.
What does that say about the landscape of college baseball? Well, an initial thought was that the COVID “freeze” appears to be at an end. The pandemic stunted much of the recruiting world as many programs took a wait-and-see approach in regards to high school players. That, combined with the anomaly of an extra year granted to college players who were also given a one-time transfer exemption in the portal, placed less of a premium on high school talent. With that extra COVID year being phased out, it appears that college programs have forecasted with renewed emphasis on prep talent.
It should also be noted that there is growing belief that the NCAA will pass a rule that prohibits any contact with a prospective student-athlete prior to Aug. 1 heading into sophomore year. This would serve to prevent the circumnavigation of earlier recruitment (no contact at all prior to), and hopefully provided for longer evaluation periods which in turn would help quell the activity inside the transfer portal in later years.
No matter the direction recruiting is headed, one thing is for certain: This group of 2026 players is sure to have plenty of eyes following it around as college coaches envision future impact program changers.
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Now, here’s a look at the top-10 players on our national board:
| RANK | NAME | STATE | SCHOOL | CLASS | POS | COMMITMENT |
| 1 | Alex Harrington | CA | Cathedral Catholic | 2026 | SS | Stanford |
| 2 | Rookie Shepard | NV | Faith Lutheran | 2026 | SS | Miami |
| 3 | Keon Johnson | GA | First Presbyterian Day | 2026 | SS | |
| 4 | Quentin Young | CA | Oaks Christian | 2026 | SS | |
| 5 | Grady Emerson | TX | Argyle | 2026 | SS | Texas Christian |
| 6 | Wilson Andersen | FL | Jesuit | 2026 | RHP | |
| 7 | Beau Peterson | KS | Mill Valley | 2026 | C | Nebraska |
| 8 | Jacob Lombard | FL | Gulliver Prep | 2026 | SS | |
| 9 | Deion Cole | GA | Etowah | 2026 | CF | |
| 10 | Carson Bolemon | SC | Southside Christian | 2026 | LHP | Wake Forest |
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Alex Harrington SS / RHP / Cathedral Catholic, CA / 2026Leading the way, SS Alex Harrington (Cathedral Catholic HS, CA), a Stanford recruit, already carries an impressive international pedigree with standout performances for Team USA. His uber-projectable 6-foot-2, 160-pound frame is equipped with plenty of athleticism that provide five-tool potential. Looking the part of the next name-brand SoCal shortstop, Harrington carries an impressive right-handed stick with easy gap-to-gap strength and an innate ability to turn the barrel before utilizing his premium speed.
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Rookie Shepard SS / 2B / Faith Lutheran , NV / 2026A dynamic athlete with present strength, Util. Rookie Shepard (Faith Lutheran HS, NV), a Miami recruit, checkers in at #2 in the class. The 5-foot-10, 170-pound left-handed slugger already posts run times below 6.60, with exit velocities into the mid-90s via TrackMan. Igniting controlled aggression in a short window at the plate, his present ability to deliver a heavy barrel with some lift stands out amongst his peers.
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Keon Johnson SS / RHP / First Presbyterian Day, GA / 2026Representing the state of Georgia, SS Keon Johnson (First Presbyterian Day, GA) is already one of the most projectable players in the class. Wiry and athletic with some lean strength throughout, the right-handed-hitting shortstop still shows signs of adding considerable strength to a 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame that already produces some enticing power production. |
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Quentin Young SS / 3B / Oaks Christian , CA / 2026The big league bloodlines are merely a starting point for the intrigue that SS Quentin Young (Oaks Christian HS, CA) brings to the diamond. At 6-foot-3, 185-pounds with a high-waisted, athletic frame, the right-handed hitting infielder is impossible to miss on the diamond. It is hard to ignore the high ceiling that his hit/power potential presents, and his tools might ultimately carry him even higher on this list.
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Grady Emerson SS / 2B / Argyle , TX / 2026Already possessing one of the sweetest swings in the class, SS Grady Emerson (Argyle HS, TX), a TCU recruit, leads the charge from the top spot out of the Lone Star State at No. 5. The 6-foot-1, 160-pound infielder effortlessly works short-to-long at the plate, staying behind the ball while presenting what looks to be a premium hit-tool with much more power on the way.
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Wilson Andersen RHP / SS / Jesuit, FL / 2026RHP Wilson Andersen (Jesuit HS, FL) checks in at No. 6 as the top player in the state of Florida. In a wiry, athletic build with a whippy right arm, the 6-foot-2, 160-pound right-hander possesses a presently elite arm (up to 91 mph), but it is his future potential that is most intriguing. A quality athlete with a full arsenal, Andersen might only be scratching the surface of his talent.
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Beau Peterson C / RHP / Mill Valley, KS / 2026Carrying heavy lumber from the left side with impressive arm talent on the mound, C/P Beau Peterson (Mill Valley HS, KS), a Nebraska recruit, is already an imposing force in the class and lands at No. 7 on the board. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound slugger turns the barrel with authority, and already showcases an innate ability to lift the ball. Equally adept and athletic behind the plate, Peterson also shows promise on the mound, and he will have a chance to develop in all phases of the game over the next four years. |
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Jacob Lombard SS / 2B / Gulliver Prep, FL / 2026Crisp and polished on the dirt with a real chance to stick at shortstop, SS Jacob Lombard (Gulliver Prep HS, FL) shows signs of developing into an elite prospect in the class. Lean and athletic at 6-foot-1, 175 pounds, the right-handed hitter already produces mid-90s exit velocities with quick hands and uphill intent that should see a boost in power in coming years. Carrying himself with a quiet confidence and mature presence, look for Lombard to continue trending up.
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Deion Cole CF / OF / Etowah, GA / 2026At No. 9, OF Deion Cole (Etowah HS, GA) is built like a running back with compact strength on a 6-foot-1, 180-pound frame that helps him produce some of the biggest raw power in the class. That, combined with some eye-opening bat-to-ball abilities, makes Cole a must-follow player with impact potential at the next level thanks to a combination of speed (6.91 time in the 60-yard dash) and power (97-plus mph exit velocities).
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Carson Bolemon LHP / 1B / Southside Christian , SC / 2026Rounding out the top-10, LHP Carson Bolemon (Southside Christian HS, SC), a Wake Forest recruit, already holds big game experience within a starter’s profile. Durably built in a 6-foot-2, 195-pound frame that’s still maturing, the southpaw's full arsenal gives him a chance to see a steady rise in the class. Up into the mid-80s with a clean delivery and quick arm, his ability to pound the zone with multiple pitches, including advanced feel for spinning the breaking ball, along with impressive mound presence makes him a must-follow player in the class.
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