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Rule 5 Draft Preview & 2026 Mock Draft
Plus: Mariners top 10, SS dynasty rankings, Topps Chrome Update & more
Players Most Likely To Be Picked In The Rule 5 Draft
At long last, Rule 5 draft day is here.
The action officially gets underway at 2 p.m. ET from the MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando with the draft being streamed online at MLB.com. We’ll be posting complete live draft results here.
To help get you ready for what amounts to an annual holiday here at Baseball America, we’re presenting the final iteration of our annual Rule 5 preview, which this year goes 90 players deep. Here are a few names with a higher likelihood of hearing their name calledHere are few names who figure to get their name called:
Jose Rodriguez, RHP, Dodgers: A deceptive and hard-thrower with elite extension and big miss rates.
Carter Baumler, RHP, Orioles: A reliever with elite fastball shape and power curveball but also durability issues.
Hayden Mullins, LHP, Red Sox: A strong Double-A producer with unique fastball shape and three effective breaking ball options.
Here’s even more Rule 5 coverage to get ready for the draft:
POST-LOTTERY MOCK
BA’s First Full Mock Draft For 2026
It’s official: The White Sox will be picking first in the 2026 MLB Draft.
With the full draft order now set, BA draft expert Carlos Collazo presents his first full mock draft of the season, complete with player picks for the first 40 selections. Headlined by star UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, this preliminary mock should provide a solid foundation for future editions as we move deeper into the 2026 draft cycle.
Be sure to check out additional draft lottery coverage from last night, including:
2026 TOP 10s
Top 10 Mariners Prospects For 2026
We’re continuing our rollout of Top 10 prospect lists for 2026 with a look at the Seattle Mariners.
The top of the Mariners system is headlined by Colt Emerson, an infielder advanced for his age who should bring a well-rounded offensive profile to the majors in the not-too-distant future.
For the complete Mariners rollout, be sure to also check out:
Stay tuned this week for more top 10 lists from the AL West.
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2026 FANTASY RANKINGS
Top 60 Shortstop Dynasty Rankings
Geoff Pontes and Dylan White continue their series of dynasty positional previews with an in-depth ranking of the top 60 available shortstops for 2026.
Our SS rankings are topped by the Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr., the do-everything MVP candidate who’s one of the top offensive and defensive players in the game.
Want even more fantasy baseball coverage? Be sure to bookmark our 2026 home page for all of Baseball America’s latest rankings, data analysis and lots more.
TOPPS CHROME UPDATE
Topps Chrome Update: Everything To Know
Today marks the release of Topps Chrome Update 2025, which is one of the most highly anticipated card sets of the year, thanks in large part to the ever-popular MLB Debut Patch chase.
Here’s a complete rundown of our recent collectibles coverage to get you ready for release day:
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TRENDING NOW AT BASEBALL AMERICA
🔟 ICYMI: Our Royals top 10 and best tools published on Tuesday.
🏆️ BA award season continued with a trio of more 2025 winners:
MLB Executive of the Year: Jerry Dipoto
MLB Manager of the Year: Pat Murphy
MLB Coach of the Year: David Popkins
🎙️This week’s College Podcast reviewed fall ball and previewed 2026.
📖 Don’t forget to preorder your BA book bundle featuring the 2026 Prospect Handbook.
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