Derek Curiel has quickly established himself as one of the highest-upside position players in the 2026 class after emerging as the offensive engine of LSU’s national championship run. Throughout his whole career, he has proved his bat plays against elite competition. He’s a polished left-handed hitter with advanced swing decisions, elite bat-to-ball skill, and the ability to drive hard contact to all fields. That combination bodes for one the safest offensive floors in the draft. Any incremental strength gains should unlock even modest power while he continues to handle center field with ease. Overall, Curiel profiles as a top-10 caliber talent whose combination of hit tool, athleticism, and feel for the game is extremely difficult to find.

Anderson has a quality fastball shape with 20” of carry in the mid-90s from the left side. He was heavy on the fastball in 2024, but mixed in a banger curveball in the high-70s along with a mid-80s change-up with arm-side run. He mixed in a slider with depth and 17.3” of sweep at 80 mph in a small sample, and I’d love to see more of the pitch in 2025. The delivery, body type, and spin traits are all plus. The ingredients for a big league starter are here.

Shores has thrown just 18.1 innings since arriving on campus at LSU due to a Tommy John surgery in April 2023. He’s a player who had significant draft attention out of high school, and for good reason. In limited time for the Tigers he’s flashed 3 plus offerings, and averaged 96.8 mph on his fastball. If he’s healthy, the sky’s the limit.

Jake Brown, a left-handed hitting outfielder from LSU, brings a polished hit tool and intriguing athleticism after batting a team-high .385 at the 2025 College World Series to help the Tigers capture their eighth national title. The Louisiana native uses a smooth, repeatable stroke to consistently barrel balls, posting a .338 average with a 103.0 mph 90th percentile exit velocity and a solid 20.2% barrel rate, though left-on-left sliders remain his kryptonite after hitting just .179 against left-handed pitching in 2025. That remains a critical area of improvement for 2026. Brown possesses more raw power than his teammate Derek Curiel (#7 prospect) and drives balls to his pull side with authority, projecting as a power threat with his combination of bat speed and strength. His average-to-plus speed (11 stolen bases in 2025) and strong arm give him the tools to potentially handle center field despite primarily playing right field for LSU. If Brown can make the necessary adjustments against left-handed pitching and continue to tap into his power potential while maintaining his excellent contact skills, he projects as a potential everyday outfielder with a hit-over-power profile and the defensive versatility to play all three outfield positions.

Jones is an exit velocity monster, posting a 116..4 mph max EV, 110 mph 90th EV, and 94 mph average EV in 2025. The hit tool is up this year, with the chase and whiff numbers both dropping under 25%. He's a 1B type, but the bat has been off the charts.

Eyanson has 3 distinct shapes, the first being a cut/ride fastball at 92 mph with 17.4” of vertical break. He’s struggled to find whiffs with the fastball, but has gotten them on his mid-80s slider. He throws the pitch with a 0”/-7” profile. The curveball is very solid in terms of shape, but again the results have lagged. The key for Eyanson is plus, command on all 3 offerings in addition to possessing a high-end combination of frame and athleticism. He profiles as a third round pick in my opinion, but will get a chance to make his case at LSU this season.

A transfer from Utah Valley to LSU, Dickinson is a hit over power 2B type. In 2024 he posted 13.8% whiffs, and just 8.2% in the strike zone. It’s plus or better feel to hit, with above-average swing decisions. He’s undersized and the power went cold on the Cape this summer, but he’s shown the ability to tap into average raw power at times. The launch angle profile is stable, but the production upside is still limited. During his time at Utah Valley there were some inconsistencies against velocity, granted in a small sample, but he’ll be able to put those concerns to bed at LSU.