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Baseball America top 400 draft prospects

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UNC76

All-Conference
Jul 30, 2025
741
1,650
93
It's probably behind a firewall, I'm a subscriber, so I never know which are free and which are not.

www.baseballamerica.com

2026 Top MLB Draft Prospects

Baseball America presents an updated ranking of the top 400 prospects for the 2026 MLB Draft, led by UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky.
www.baseballamerica.com www.baseballamerica.com

A few comments... IIRC, before the season started, both Lynch and DeCaro were projected as either 1st or 2nd round picks. They are now projected as 3rd round picks. With two years of eligibility remaining, would Lynch pass up a ~$1 mil signing bonus, and hope he could move into the top 50 next year and at least double that? Also, our top HS recruit Rhett Brett projects as a 6th round pick. Would his slot value of ~$400k be enough to convince him to sign?

For the record, UNC has 7 current players in the top 400, with Lynch, DeCaro, Schaffner and Gallaher in the top 100, and Hull just barely missing at 107. Paulsen and Winslow are the others ranked.
 
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ranzino4three

Senior
Oct 6, 2025
491
520
93
Lynch hasn't had the year I thought he would have. After that super regional start against Arizona, I thought he would push Decaro for the Friday night role. It's hard to give up the money, but selfishly I'd love to have him back next year.
 
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TarHeelColby10

TarHeelColby10

All-American
Jul 21, 2025
2,567
5,366
113
ranzino4three said:
Lynch hasn't had the year I thought he would have. After that super regional start against Arizona, I thought he would push Decaro for the Friday night role. It's hard to give up the money, but selfishly I'd love to have him back next year.
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But the kid is just SO projectable, big guy, huge base, strong core.. a team looks at him and sees a guy that can get to 97-99 and hold it for 5-6 innings. I think if he could find the zone more with the fastball and cut the pitch count he’s a sure fire 1st round guy, could serve him to return.
 
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TommyAshley

TommyAshley

Heisman
Staff member
Jun 29, 2025
3,002
12,051
113
I think anything could happen as far as retention, but I think banking on the young guys in Glauber and Rose to anchor next year's weekend rotation would be the wise bet.

The question is is there another on the roster now or that will come in from the HS ranks to fill that out, or will it be a portal arm as that third guy......

Just one guy's opinion of course.
 
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Psycho50

Psycho50

All-Conference
Aug 1, 2025
693
1,673
93
I'm surprised GG is still in the top 100.
He has had some great games, but hitting .270 and looking at strike 3 constantly seems like it would have hurt him more.
 
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ranzino4three

Senior
Oct 6, 2025
491
520
93
TarHeelColby10 said:
But the kid is just SO projectable, big guy, huge base, strong core.. a team looks at him and sees a guy that can get to 97-99 and hold it for 5-6 innings. I think if he could find the zone more with the fastball and cut the pitch count he’s a sure fire 1st round guy, could serve him to return.
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Totally agree with the projectability!
 
TarHeelColby10

TarHeelColby10

All-American
Jul 21, 2025
2,567
5,366
113
Psycho50 said:
I'm surprised GG is still in the top 100.
He has had some great games, but hitting .270 and looking at strike 3 constantly seems like it would have hurt him more.
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Anyone scouting him would rather him watch strike 3 than swing and miss borderline pitches or chase out of the zone.
 
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N

nutz4Dheels

Redshirt
Nov 7, 2006
105
40
28
We could legitimately have our top 7 hitters plus basically all of our pitching sans Matthijs (sp) back next year, or we could be looking to completely restock. Somewhere in between most likely, but wouldn't it be nice...
 
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Heelium1

Junior
Aug 6, 2025
303
324
63
TarHeelColby10 said:
But the kid is just SO projectable, big guy, huge base, strong core.. a team looks at him and sees a guy that can get to 97-99 and hold it for 5-6 innings. I think if he could find the zone more with the fastball and cut the pitch count he’s a sure fire 1st round guy, could serve him to return.
Click to expand...
Cutting the pitch count--control--is THE key for Lynch.

Like Jake Knapp, he needs to own the strike zone. Make them hit it or sit down.
 
T

THEChapelthrill

All-Conference
Aug 2, 2025
770
1,017
93
footballlover10 said:
Agreed, but his defense has taken a huge step up from last year. I thought his glove would be what held him back, but this year it’s been elite.
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I personally don’t think he’s changed much defensively. 3rd base in college with metal bats is just hard. I’d bet it’s worth about a loss of .050 fielding percentage (or more). 2nd base is a cake walk compared to 3rd. But to his credit he’s performed well there.
 
HeelYeah2012

HeelYeah2012

All-Conference
Jul 25, 2025
1,011
2,595
113
nutz4Dheels said:
We could legitimately have our top 7 hitters plus basically all of our pitching sans Matthijs (sp) back next year, or we could be looking to completely restock. Somewhere in between most likely, but wouldn't it be nice...
Click to expand...
I think there’s almost no chance Gallaher, Schaffner or Hull come back, but obviously would love to be wrong.

Would love to keep Winslow, Paulsen, and Nicholson around.
 
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A

akillesheel17

Junior
Sep 15, 2025
161
220
43
HeelYeah2012 said:
I think there’s almost no chance Gallaher, Schaffner or Hull come back, but obviously would love to be wrong.

Would love to keep Winslow, Paulsen, and Nicholson around.
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i suspect Winslow joins that first group. catcher with his hit tool is probably valuable enough for him to go in the top 7 rounds.
 
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A

akillesheel17

Junior
Sep 15, 2025
161
220
43
TommyAshley said:
I think anything could happen as far as retention, but I think banking on the young guys in Glauber and Rose to anchor next year's weekend rotation would be the wise bet.

The question is is there another on the roster now or that will come in from the HS ranks to fill that out, or will it be a portal arm as that third guy......

Just one guy's opinion of course.
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don't think McDuffie will get a chance?
 
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akillesheel17

Junior
Sep 15, 2025
161
220
43
TommyAshley said:
As a starter? Maybe, but a guy like that is so valuable in the pen.

we’ve had this discussion/debate over the years - recently w Pence in 2024 and Globe this season….. having a guy that can go multiple times a week is as valuable as a starter IMO.
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not wrong about the value, certainly - but imo forbes wants to graduate those guys into starters. we know he was going to try Pence as a starter for last year had he not signed, and the progression of Lynch last year from pen -> starting and seeing the same with Glauber this year only furthers that. maybe McDuffie gets locked into the stopper role the way that Matty was over the last couple years, but they've definitely tried starting/extending McDuffie more so than they ever have Matty during that time. tbh the fact that Forbes has said "he could throw 70" about McDuffie's availability multiple times lately shows me that he's definitely thinking about him as a future starter, at the very least.
 
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