As the college baseball season winds down, the draft landscape is shifting, with some players making a strong case for themselves and others falling short. Here's a breakdown of some of the key players who are trending up, and why they matter.
Roch Cholowsky: The Rising Star
Roch Cholowsky, a shortstop for UCLA, is a rising star in the draft. With a .375 batting average, .474 on-base percentage, and .838 slugging percentage this week, he's on fire. His 6-for-16 performance included 7 runs, 3 home runs, 4 RBIs, 2 BB, 1 HBP, and 3 SO. Overall, he's hitting .338/.463/.707, with 21 home runs and 59 RBIs. This is a significant improvement from his sophomore campaign, where he hit 23 home runs. Cholowsky's production is rapidly converging with his 2025 numbers, and his slugging percentage is just three points behind last season. He's a player to watch, especially with his high rankings from Baseball America and MLB.com.
Jackson Flora: Dominating the Mound
Jackson Flora, a right-handed pitcher for UC Santa Barbara, is another player trending up. With a 1.15 ERA and 9-0 record, he's been dominant on the mound. This week, he pitched 4 innings, allowing 4 earned runs, 1 BB, and 7 SO. His overall record is impressive, with 13 games started and 78.1 innings pitched. Flora's fastball is a key part of his success, and he's been able to keep his ERA low despite allowing some hits. He's a player who can make a strong case for himself in the draft, especially with his high rankings from Baseball America and MLB.com.
Sawyer Strosnider: The Solid Performer
Sawyer Strosnider, an outfielder for TCU, has had a solid week, but he's not the type of player who takes over games. He hit .333/.333/.833 with 4 runs, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 3 SO, and 1 SB. Overall, he's hitting .273/.415/.590, with 13 home runs and 47 RBIs. While he's not a game-changer, he's a solid contributor and a player who can make a strong case for himself in the draft. His rankings from Baseball America and MLB.com reflect his potential as a solid contributor.
Chris Hacopian: The Pure Hitter
Chris Hacopian, a second baseman for Texas A&M, is a pure hitter who's been struggling this year. He hit .357/.357/.857 with 4 runs, 1 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBIs, 0 BB, and 4 SO. Overall, he's hitting .296/.390/.533, with 8 home runs and 31 RBIs. While he's not a top-tier hitter, he's a solid contributor and a player who can make a strong case for himself in the draft. His rankings from Baseball America and MLB.com reflect his potential as a solid contributor.
Drew Burress: The Finishing Kick
Drew Burress, an outfielder for Georgia Tech, is making an excellent finishing kick to bring his 2026 season much closer in line with his previous two years. He hit .500/.533/.1250 with 4 runs, 3 HR, 8 RBIs, 2 BB, 1 SO, and 2 SB. Overall, he's hitting .373/.482/.667, with 12 home runs and 50 RBIs. Since March 27, he's hitting .464/.535/.809 with eight home runs in 26 games. Burress is a player who can make a strong case for himself in the draft, especially with his high rankings from Baseball America and MLB.com.
Ace Reese: The Bouncing Back
Ace Reese, a third baseman for Mississippi State, has been bouncing back from a slump that saw his batting average dip as low as .304. He hit .632/.632/1.211 with 6 runs, 2 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBIs, 0 BB, and 4 SO. Overall, he's hitting .335/.429/.704, with 18 home runs and 63 RBIs. Reese's SEC stats (.268/.364/.616) are significantly lower than his overall numbers, but he's a player who can make a strong case for himself in the draft, especially with his high rankings from Baseball America and MLB.com.
Tegan Kuhns: The Frontline Ace
Tegan Kuhns, a right-handed pitcher for Tennessee, is a frontline ace who's been pitching well. He allowed one or fewer runs in five of his past seven starts, and he has struck out 48 and walked five in his past five starts. This week, he pitched 7 innings, allowing 4 hits, 0 runs, 0 ER, 1 BB, and 15 SO. Kuhns is a player who can make a strong case for himself in the draft, especially with his high rankings from Baseball America and MLB.com.
Daniel Jackson: The Game-Changer
Daniel Jackson, a catcher for Georgia, is a game-changer who can make a strong case for himself in the draft. He hit .600/.750/1.400 with 5 runs, 2 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBIs, 6 BB, 2 SO, and 1 SB. Overall, he's hitting .384/.484/.818, with 25 home runs and 74 RBIs. Jackson is a player who can make a strong case for himself in the draft, especially with his high rankings from Baseball America and MLB.com.
Logan Hughes: The Solid Hitter
Logan Hughes, an outfielder for Texas Tech, is a solid hitter who's had a very solid season. He hit .417/.588/1.250 with 7 runs, 1 2B, 3 HR, 10 RBIs, 3 BB, 2 SO, and 2 HBP. Overall, he's hitting .368/.496/.711, with 16 home runs and 67 RBIs. Hughes is a player who can make a strong case for himself in the draft, especially with his high rankings from Baseball America and MLB.com.
In conclusion, the college baseball season is winding down, and the draft landscape is shifting. Some players are making a strong case for themselves, while others are falling short. The rankings from Baseball America and MLB.com reflect the potential of these players, and it will be interesting to see how they perform in the draft.
