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Staff Draft 1.0: Predicting Top 40 Picks
Plus: New Top 25, Spring Breakout standouts, next top pitching prospects & more
BA Staff Draft 1.0: Predicting Top 40 Picks
It’s a busy time of a year of the Baseball America draft team, as our first mock draft of the year published earlier this month and our next 2026 rankings update is slated to go live later this week.
Sandwiched in between is one of our favorite exercises—the first BA Staff Draft.
While Roch Cholowsky may have a tight grip on the 1-1 spot heading into the summer, there’s much debate about who will come off the board after the UCLA shortstop. Check out our full staff draft running 40 picks deep to see how our writers think it might shake out.
NCAA TOP 25
New Top 25 College Baseball Rankings
This week’s BA Top 25 presents notable churn toward the back of the poll.
Three teams—Alabama, Coastal Carolina and Cincinnati—enter the rankings in Week 7. It marks the first appearance this season for the Crimson Tide and Bearcats, while Coastal Carolina returns after a two-week absence.
Week 7 also serves as the midpoint of the in-season poll cycle and carries some historical significance. Since Baseball America began releasing 15 in-season polls in 2009, 12 of the last 16 national champions were ranked inside the top eight at this point in the season.
You can find Baseball America’s latest Top 25 and each team’s week in review below.
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SPRING BREAKOUT SUPERLATIVES
Top Prospects, Pitches & Performances From Spring Breakout Games
MLB’s Spring Breakout is in the books, and Baseball America was on hand for each and every game that was played.
Below, you can find our complete rundown of superlatives from all four days of games, including analysis of top hitters, pitchers and defenders, the best individual pitches we saw and Statcast data that caught our attention.
TOP PROSPECT ARMS
Who Will Be MLB’s Next Top Pitching Prospect?
As Opening Day nears, Mets righthander Nolan McLean reigns as the top pitcher in our Top 100 Prospects list as part of an exciting crop of near-MLB arms. However, with graduation looming, they won’t wear that crown for long.
So, who will lead the next wave of rising arms ready to take their place as the game’s top pitching prospects? BA’s prospect team makes the case for some intriguing pitchers who could fit the bill.
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NCAA COACHING SEARCH
After Firing Paul Mainieri, What’s Next For South Carolina?
South Carolina on Saturday announced it had fired coach Paul Mainieri less than a season and a half after bringing him out of retirement to take over the program. Mainieri’s early-season dismissal gives South Carolina ample runway to correct course and realign with its championship expectations.
As the Gamecocks look to make a new coaching hire, BA college writer Jacob Rudner breaks down what went wrong for Mainieri and what’s next for South Carolina.
TRENDING NOW AT BASEBALL AMERICA
👀 J.J. Cooper is tracking Rule 5 draft picks to make Opening Day MLB rosters.
⚾️ Jacob Rudner recapped an exciting Friday night in college baseball.
🏆️ Matt Eddy chronicled the top MLB division winners since 1995.
🎙️ Our Prospect Profile series scouted every No. 1 prospect in the NL West.
🔟 Here are 10 MLB storylines we’ll be monitoring this season.
📖 Don’t forget to purchase your 2026 Prospect Handbook.
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FROM OUR FRIENDS AT FOUL TERRITORY
Max Scherzer joins AJ Pierzynski and Erik Kratz from Blue Jays spring training to talk WBC decisions, pitcher risk and why so many players want to represent Team USA.
