MLB Prospects to Watch On Every Men’s College World Series Team

The action in Omaha is set to commence Friday. Here are 17 players set to participate whom you may one day be watching in the major leagues.

Ole Miss righty Cade Townsend is a projected first-rounder. | Jake Crandall/ Montgomery Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 2026 men’s College World Series is set and the eight teams headed to Omaha feature a solid group group of draft prospects.

With the 2026 MLB draft rapidly approaching, the CWS represents one of the last opportunies for college players to show off in front of scouts. While sure first-rounders like UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey and UC Santa Barbara righty Jackson Flora will all be watching from home, a good chunk of players have the chance to improve their stock starting this weekend.

Here’s a look at 17 prospects worth tracking during the 2026 College World Series, with at least one for all eight teams.

MORE: 2026 MLB Mock Draft 1.0: Roch Cholowsky, Grady Emerson Battle to Go No. 1

Alabama

Justin LeBron, SS

Current draft projection: No. 17 to the Houston Astros

LeBron was a potential top five pick after last season when he slashed .316/.421/.636 with 18 home runs, 72 RBIs and 17 stolen bases in 18 attempts. His 1.058 OPS in the SEC got scouts talking about him potentially being the top overall pick. He’s taken a step back in 2026 and enters the CWS slashing .277/.386/.541 with 16 home runs, 48 RBIs and a ridiculous 41 stolen bases in 42 attempts. The raw power-speed combination is there, and he’ll be a first-rounder, but debates rage about when he’ll be taken.

The 21-year-old shortstop can field his position well and will stick at shortstop long term. As noted, his power and speed rate plus, and there might be more in his 6'2", 180-pound frame. The issue is making consistent contact, where he struggles. He’ll strike out a decent amount, but if he irons out his hit tool, he could challenge the top of this class. A big showing at the CWS could push him into the top 10. On pure talent, he’s there already.

Georgia

Daniel Jackson, C

Current draft projection: No. 29 to the San Francisco Giants

Georgia catcher Daniel Jackson is the first catcher in NCAA history to hit 25 home runs and steal 25 bases. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Jackson spent his freshman season at Wofford, where he hit .357 with 12 home runs and 62 RBIs en route to winning freshman of the year in the Southern Conference. He transferred to Georgia and had an up-and-down sophomore campaign against better competition. He caught up as a junior and won the SEC player of the year award while slashing .396/.492/.837 with 31 home runs, 86 RBIs and 26 stolen bases in 28 attempts. It was a monster season as he became the first catcher in NCAA history to hit 25 home runs and steal 25 bases.

At 6'2" and 200 pounds, Jackson has good size behind the plate, and his righty swing has plenty of pop. He’s a guy with good tools across the board, though he’s not a great defensive catcher yet. He split time in the outfield last season and moved back behind the plate full-time as a junior. He makes consistent contact and good swing decisions. He’s currently outside the first round on my board, but he’s the kind of player who can carry a team at the CWS. A performance like that could move him solidly into the first round.

Tre Phelps, 3B

Current draft projection: Third round

Phelps has saved his best season for what should be his last, as he has been a rock in Georgia’s lineup in 2026. He is currently slashing .364/.486/.662 with 19 home runs, 58 RBIs and a wRC+ of 152. He was a first-team freshman All-American in 2024 when he posted a 1.140 OPS, but took a step back as a draft-eligible sophomore in 2025. He is back in form as a junior as the draft approaches.

The bat will carry Phelps. At 6'2" and 200 pounds, he has plenty of power in his right-handed swing. He makes excellent swing decisions and consistent contact. He’s not a good fielder at third, though he does possess enough arm for the position. Phelps will likely end up at an outfield corner in pro ball, though a lack of range and speed could make that transition rough. Regardless, whoever drafts him is banking on the bat being excellent, which is what he’s shown this year.

Joey Volchko, RHP

Current draft projection: Second round

Volchko was a legit prep prospect in 2023 out of high school due to his elite velocity, but he wound up at Stanford, where he struggled with control for two seasons before transferring to Georgia. In 2025 with the Cardinal, he posted a 6.01 ERA and a 1.61 WHIP in 70 1/3 innings. He’s been much better in Athens this season to remind people why he was rated so highly before even playing college ball. In 17 starts he’s 10–2 with a 4.07 ERA and 104 strikeouts in 86 1/3 innings. His WHIP (1.43) is still too high given his stuff but his strikeout rate is up to 27.4%.

At 6'4" and 225 pounds, Volchko has a build and fastball teams can dream on. His heater can hit triple digits but usually sits in the mid-90s. It’s not a high-spin offering, which holds it back a bit. His slider is a plus pitch that can miss bats, while his curve and splitter are below average. He has some reliever risk here, but there’s plenty of upside. A dominant showing in Omaha could dramatically improve his stock.

North Carolina

Jason DeCaro, RHP

Current draft projection: Fourth round

DeCaro has made 51 starts in his career at North Carolina and has been a consistent performer, going 26–6 while posting a 3.29 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. He’s been at his best as a junior in 2026, as he’ll head to Omaha at 11–2 and sporting a 2.28 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 84 strikeouts against 38 walks in 87 innings.

The 20-year-old righty does not pitch like his build. DeCaro is 6'5" and 225 pounds, but his fastball sits in the low 90s and occasionally he can find more. His curveball, changeup and slider are all slightly above average, and he mostly relies on smarts and mixing up his looks to get hitters out. If a team thinks it can get more velocity out of him, it might select him earlier than currently projected.

Ryan Lynch, RHP

Current draft projection: Third round

Lynch is much different than his bigger teammate. He actually has a power arsenal at 6'3" and 210 pounds. After working primarily as a reliever in 2025, he moved into the rotation this season and has shown more potential than results. The righty has made 17 appearances (16 starts) this season and is 5–4 with a 4.22 ERA and 1.42 WHIP with 82 strikeouts against 33 walks in 89 2/3 innings.

A draft-eligible sophomore, Lynch fires a mid-90s sinker that he balances with a slider with a lot of movement. He needs to develop his changeup if he wants to start as a pro, but he’ll have just turned 21 on draft day. There’s plenty of upside and development left here.

Jake Schaffner, SS

Current draft projection: Third round

North Carolina infielder Jake Schaffner has stolen 25 bases in 28 attempts this season. | William Howard-Imagn Images

After two good seasons at North Dakota State, Schaffner transferred to North Carolina and has had his best season. The junior is slashing .358/.472/.565 with six home runs, 19 doubles, seven triples, 46 RBIs and a 130 wRC+. He has flashed excellent speed also, stealing 25 bases in 28 attempts.

Schaffner has a great hit tool from the left side, and while he’s flashed some power, it’s a hit-first approach that produces solid contact but not home run power. He has excellent speed and decent range in the field, but probably doesn’t have the arm for short, so he could move to second.

Oklahoma

Camden Johnson, INF

Current draft projection: Sixth round

Johnson is a third baseman who doesn’t have a typical profile at the position and could move to short in pro ball. I’ve got him listed as an infielder because he could conceivably play all four spots. After two seasons at Wichita State, he transferred to Oklahoma before the 2026 campaign and has been solid for the Sooners. He enters the CWS slashing .309/.405/.507 with nine home runs, 47 RBIs, a wRC+ of 106 and 28 stolen bases in 31 attempts.

At 6' and 175 pounds, his profile fits a number of positions. He makes solid contact from the left side but doesn’t possess much power. He has elite speed and uses it to his advantage. He has good range in the field and enough arm to stay on the left side of the dirt, but a move to second or even the outfield could be in play.

Brendan Brock, C/OF

Current draft projection: Fourth round

Brock was a first-team NJCAA All-American as a sophomore at Southwestern Illinois in 2025 when he slashed a ridiculous .462/.565/.870 with 20 home runs and 75 RBIs. He transferred to Oklahoma and has taken a step back due to improved competition but has continued to hit. In 2026, he’s slashing .293/.387/.516 with 12 home runs, 52 RBIs and 27 stolen bases in 30 attempts. His wRC+ is only 102 this season, though.

Like his teammate Camden Johnson, Brock has outstanding speed on the bases. He also has the potential for even more power in his 6'3", 200-pound frame. He’s not a full-time catcher yet and has made starts all over the outfield. Brock has a good arm and solid instincts behind the dish but is a bit raw. If teams think he can stick there, his value will be much higher. His righty swing has holes and there are varied opinions as to whether he’ll make enough contact as a pro.

Ole Miss

Cade Townsend, RHP

Current draft projection: No. 18 to the Cincinnati Reds

I had Townsend going No. 9 in my initial mock draft, but he’s set to drop a bit in the next update as he’s struggled down the stretch. The draft-eligible sophomore enters the weekend with a 5–3 record, 3.94 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 88 strikeouts against 22 walks in 64 innings. He has allowed 14 earned runs in 21 innings over his last three starts and is trending in the wrong direction.

Townsend is 6'1" and 185 pounds, but has impressive power stuff in his smaller frame. He sits in the mid-90s and has been in the upper-90s. His curveball and slider both rate as plus, and he'll mix in a low-90s cutter. His changeup is a work in progress. He’ll be the top pitching prospect at the College World Series, but he needs a good showing to stay inside the top 20.

Taylor Rabe, RHP

Current draft projection: No. 35 to the New York Yankees

Ole Miss pitcher Taylor Rabe has a fastball that can hit 100 mph. | Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While Townsend has a slight build but a power arsenal, Rabe is a classic power pitcher. He’s 6'5" and 200 pounds and possesses a fastball he can run into triple digits. The righty sat out his freshman year thanks to Tommy John surgery, and has worked as a reliever some since returning. He has made 16 appearances in 2026, with 10 coming as a starter, and he’s 5–3 with a 3.71 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 98 strikeouts against only 11 walks in 70 1/3 innings. His strikeout rate (34.5%) and walk rate (3.9%) are both elite.

Rabe’s fastball is the star here, while his cutter and slider back it up well. He doesn’t have much of a changeup right now, and if it doesn’t develop, he may wind up as a reliever. As of now, he’s a power guy who gets downhill with his pitches and who strikes out a lot of hitters while walking very few.

Texas

Ruger Riojas, RHP

Current draft projection: Third round

Texas has a loaded squad, and Riojas might be the guy with the most to gain in Omaha. After two years at Texas-San Antonio, he transferred to Texas and has improved in two seasons there. As a 22-year-old senior this season, he has made 16 starts and is 5–2 with a 4.04 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 113 strikeouts against 19 walks in 75 2/3 innings. He has dealt with arm soreness this season but has made two postseason starts and should be good to go this weekend.

Riojas is a tad undersized at 6' and 195 pounds, but has outstanding velocity, as he can run his fastball into the upper-90s. His splitter is his best secondary offering, while a high-80s cutter and a low-80s curve back it up. He went undrafted in 2025, and will certainly be picked this year, likely on Day 1.

Aiden Robbins, OF

Current draft projection: No. 37 to the Colorado Rockies

Yet another transfer, Robbins arrived in Austin after hammering Big East pitching at Seton Hall in 2025. He hit .422 with a 1.189 OPS last season before transferring to Texas. Ahead of his junior season he posted a .936 OPS with six home runs in the Cape Cod League, and kept things rolling this year. He’s currently slashing .342/.435/.720 with 24 home runs, 64 RBIs, a 143 wRC+ and 12 stolen bases in 13 attempts.

At 6'2" and 205 pounds, Robbins has a great build and possesses good tools across the board. He doesn’t have the range to stick in center but has enough arm for right field. The hit tool shines here, as does the solid power backing it. He’s a borderline first-rounder who should come off the board in the top 50. He has the potential to star in Omaha.

Carson Tinney, C

Current draft projection: Fourth round

Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but Tinney is a transfer who has had a career year for the Longhorns. After posting a 1.251 OPS and earning All-America honors in 2025 at Notre Dame, he moved to Austin where he has continued to punish baseballs. In 2026 he’s slashing .333/.484/.710 with 22 home runs, 58 RBIs and a 156 wRC+.

Tinney is big for a catcher at 6'4" and 240 pounds, and plays like it behind the plate. He’s not a great defender despite possessing a plus arm. He’s a slow, lumbering runner on the bases. The carrying tool here is his elite power. He has 39 home runs over the past two collegiate seasons. He has a decent eye at the plate but in a draft with a good group of catchers up top, he’s a bit of a risk.

Troy

Aaron Piasecki, 2B/SS, Troy

Current draft projection: Eighth round

Piasecki is a well-traveled senior who played his first two seasons at Kellogg CC and was an NJCAA Division II All-American in 2024. He transferred to Central Michigan for his junior season and led the team in hits (67) and runs (43). He moved to Troy for his senior season and has been a hits machine. He currently ranks 10th in Division I with 92 hits, while slashing .346/.455/.541. He has 10 home runs, 16 doubles, 47 RBIs, and has walked 38 times against 24 strikeouts while posting a career-best OPS of .996. It's worth noting that he hit .406 in the Northwoods League last summer, so he's shown he can hit with wood bats.

A 22-year-old destined for second base in the pros, Piasecki doesn’t have a ton of upside outside of his excellent hit tool. He puts the ball in play and doesn’t strike out. He has decent speed, so he can put pressure on defenses. If he has a great showing in Omaha, he could jump a few rounds.

West Virginia

Dawson Montesa, RHP

Current draft projection: Sixth round

Montesa spent his first two seasons at Adelphi, where he was named a first-team Division II All-American before transferring to West Virginia for his junior season. A Queens, New York native, the 6'1" righty went 8–1 with a 1.99 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 72 1/3 innings as a sophomore before moving to the Big 12. He was good early in the season but has struggled as it has gone along, particularly with his command. The 20-year-old enters the CWS 5–5 with a 5.78 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 86 strikeouts against 40 walks in 71 2/3 innings.

Montesa has a mid-90s fastball and backs that up with a nice curve and a tight mid-80s slider. He’ll mix in a changeup, but it needs refinement. He has the pure stuff to get drafted, and his age works in his favor. That said, the control issues are real, and he’ll need to tighten things up in front of scouts in Omaha.

Maxx Yehl, LHP

Current draft projection: Seventh round

After sitting out the 2025 campaign while recovering from Tommy John surgery, Yehl has returned in 2026 as a redshirt junior to find himself as West Virginia’s most productive pitcher. A big lefty at 6'6" and 235 pounds, Yehl is 9–2 with a 2.10 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 101 strikeouts against 24 walks and was named Big 12 Pitcher of the Year. A late-season shoulder injury caused concern, but he bounced back to pitch in the super regional, where he took the win in the Mountaineers’ clinching win over Cal Poly.

Yehl features a low-90s fastball that he can add a few ticks to, and has a mid-80s slider with bite that he mixes in frequently. He’ll throw an occasional curveball, but it’s largely a two-pitch mix right now. If he can find more velocity, there’s some upside here due to his size and command.

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