Braves Quickly Sign Multiple 2026 Draft Picks—and Give Out a Record-Setting Bonus

Atlanta fans will soon have some new top prospects to keep tabs on

Jul 26, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detailed view of Atlanta Braves second baseman Tommy La Stella's (not pictured) hat and glove in the dugout against the San Diego Padres in the third inning at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Atlanta Braves have reportedly wasted no time putting pen to paper with several of the team's top picks from the 2026 MLB Draft.

Atlanta has reached agreements with ninth-overall pick AJ Gracia, 26th-overall selection Carter Beck, second-rounder Kaiden McCarthy, and third-round pick Jensen Hirschkorn, according to MLB Pipeline's Jonathan Mayo and Jim Callis. Gracia, an outfielder from the University of Virginia, reportedly signed for $3,997,500. The Braves reportedly gave Beck, an outfielder from Indiana State University, $2,684,100.

Most notably, though, Hirschkorn also received a $3,997,500 signing bonus, according to MLB.com's Mark Bowman. That sets the new record for the largest signing bonus given to a player drafted after the second round, according to Callis. The 18-year-old high school pitcher will instantly become one of the must-watch prospects in Atlanta's farm system.

Outlook on top picks in Braves' 2026 draft class

Virginia outfielder AJ Gracia (29) swings for the ball during an NCAA Baseball Regional game between Southern Miss and Virginia at Pete Taylor Park in Hattiesburg, Miss., on Saturday, May 30, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

After reportedly receiving a record-setting signing bonus for a third-round pick, Hirschkorn will likely begin his minor league career with massive expectations. The 6-foot-7 right-hander should immediately become one of the top pitching prospects in the Braves' farm system, especially after JR Ritchie and Didier Fuentes graduated from prospect status this year. The high school hurler could even wind up starting his professional career as Atlanta's No. 2 pitching prospect behind left-hander Cam Caminiti, who just tossed a scoreless inning in the 2026 MLB All-Star Futures Game.

Gracia, the Braves' top pick in this year's draft, spent the first two years of his collegiate career at Duke. But in 2026, the 21-year-old enjoyed a productive campaign with the Virginia Cavaliers. The lefty-swinging outfielder posted a .354 batting average, a .489 on-base percentage, and a 1.121 OPS with 14 home runs and 48 RBIs in 56 games for UVA this year. He'll most likely start his minor league journey toward the top of Atlanta's prospect rankings, possibly behind outfielder Eric Hartman, who's having a breakout season for the High-A Rome Emperors.

Hirschkorn and Gracia are just two of the notable prospects from the 2026 MLB Draft that many Braves fans will undoubtedly be eager to see make their minor league debuts.