Who Could the Braves Take at No. 26? Updated 2026 MLB Draft Targets

How will the Braves navigate having a second top-30 draft pick at their disposal?

We all know last season was a rough one for the Atlanta Braves and their fans. It’s not something anyone is signing up to experience again. That said, there was one major silver lining: Drake Baldwin.

After getting thrown into the fire following Sean Murphy’s spring training injury, Baldwin did nothing but rake on his way to taking home National League Rookie of the Year honors. Not a bad way to announce yourself to the world.

Because of that, the Braves now find themselves in a really interesting spot.

With the Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI) program coming out of the 2022 CBA, teams can earn an extra first-round pick if they promote a top 100 prospect early and that player performs at a high level, among other ways. That is exactly what happened here: Baldwin checked every box, and Atlanta was rewarded with an additional pick.

Now the Braves are sitting with the 26th overall selection, and that is a big deal. Not only do you have the chance to add another premium prospect, but you are also tacking on just over $3 million to the bonus pool. That gives Atlanta real flexibility, especially when you consider how they typically like to operate in the draft.

Looking at how the board falls on OverSlot’s mock simulator, this sets up a fascinating decision point. Depending on what they do at pick No. 9, the Braves could either swing big here or play things strategically.

Over Slot

James Clark, SS, St. John Bosco

Clark showed up in my previous piece for the No. 9 pick, but I keep coming back to him here. He is one of the more intriguing players in this entire range. At 6’1, he fits the mold of a modern, toolsy shortstop. The swing is quick and efficient, and the bat speed jumps out immediately. Early on, he was more of a contact-oriented hitter, but the power has started to show as he has matured. If that continues trending upward, you are looking at a pretty exciting offensive profile.

Tyler Spangler, SS, De La Salle

Another familiar name, Spangler, lands here for me as well. The 6’3 shortstop is one of the better pure hitters in California, which says a lot given the level of competition.

He has plus bat-to-ball skills, rarely swings and misses, and uses the whole field. There is already some natural lift in the swing, and if he starts getting the ball in the air more consistently, the power could really take off. The big question is whether you can buy him away from his Stanford commitment, but if you can, this is the type of upside bet that makes a lot of sense.

Other names to monitor:

Logan Schmidt, LHP, Ganesha

Brody Bumila, LHP, Bishop Feenan

Slot Value

Tyler Bell, SS, Kentucky

Bell was someone I loved as a potential option at No. 9 before the season, and honestly, not much has changed outside of the injury. If he is on the board here, this feels like a no-brainer. Even with missed time, he has been incredibly productive. A .361 average, 1.131 OPS, and a 159 wRC+ through 23 games tells you everything you need to know. The plate discipline stands out even more, with a 17.1% strikeout rate and a 21.0% walk rate. He is a switch-hitting shortstop who controls the zone and produces. If the Braves land him at 26 for slot value, that is a home run pick in my opinion.

Blake Bowen, OF, JSerra Catholic

Bowen is one of my favorite prep bats in this class, and I keep finding ways to bring him up. At 6’3 and 215 pounds, he already has the physicality you are looking for. The bat speed is there, the power is real, and he is already showing the ability to lift the baseball. Exit velocities north of 110 mph are not something you just ignore. Defensively, he profiles as a corner outfielder with a strong arm (95+ mph), and that fits perfectly with his offensive profile. There is a lot to like here.

Other names to monitor:

Ryder Helfrick, C, Arkansas

Aiden Robbins, OF, Texas

Under Slot

Alex Hernandez, UTIL, Georgia Tech

Hernandez was in my first piece on this pick, and he is still one of the most logical fits. The Georgia native has done nothing but hit. Across two seasons, he has not dipped below a .330 average, .400 OBP, or .550 slug, and he has consistently posted an OPS north of 1.000. That kind of production speaks for itself. Add in the defensive flexibility across first, second, and the outfield, and you have a player who could move quickly through the system. This is exactly the type of profile Atlanta has targeted in the past.

Hunter Dietz, LHP, Arkansas

Another name that appeared in my first article, Arkansas’ Hunter Dietz has shown off why I was higher on him than most at the time. He has dealt with injuries, which is why he is even in this conversation, but the stuff is undeniable. A lefty that can touch triple digits does not grow on trees. Pair that with a 3.43 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and a 36.6% strikeout rate in the SEC, and you can see the upside. There is risk here, no question, but this is the kind of arm that can change a system's outlook if it clicks. Dietz is one of those risk versus reward arms that make this range interesting.

Ruger Riojas, RHP, Texas

Riojas feels like a classic under-slot senior sign that allows you to get aggressive elsewhere.

He is undersized at 5’10, but the production is hard to ignore. A mid-90s fastball, a strong cutter and curveball combination, and elite strikeout numbers. His 38.6% strikeout rate ranks among the best in college baseball, and he attacks hitters without giving out free passes. This is the type of pick that can save real money and still give you a legitimate arm.

Trevor Condon, OF, Etowah

Trevor Condon is a local name from Etowah High School who has been gaining steam, and honestly, he may not even stay in the under slot conversation much longer. He has serious hit and power potential and plays with an edge that you notice right away. If he keeps trending the way he has, the Braves may have to pay closer to slot to get him away from Tennessee.

Martin Shelar, OF, Marist

Another local product, Marist’s Martin Shelar brings some of the best raw power in the prep class. At 6’2 and 200 pounds, the strength is already there, and the swing naturally creates lift. He is also a two-way athlete, fitting Atlanta’s mold, but long-term, the profile fits best as a power-hitting right fielder with a strong arm.

Kevin Roberts Jr, OF/RHP, Jackson Prep

If you are chasing tools, this is your guy. Jackson Prep’s Kevin Roberts Jr. is a two-way player who can run it up to 96 on the mound, but I am more interested in the bat. The size at 6’5 and 215 pounds jumps out immediately, and the bat speed and whip give him a chance to handle velocity at higher levels. This is a boom or bust profile, but the upside is obvious.

Taj Marchand, SS, James Island

James Island’s Taj Marchand is one of the more fascinating hitters in the prep class. At 6’2 and still filling out, there is projection left in the frame. The approach can get overly aggressive, and the chase rates back that up (4th-percentile in the summer prep circuit last year), but the contact ability is real. He pairs an 80th-percentile contact rate with a 96th-percentile bat speed, and when he connects, the ball jumps.It is not a conventional swing, but it is one of those where you can see it working if everything comes together.

Other names to monitor:

Cade Townsend, RHP, Ole Miss

Jake Brown, OF, LSU

Connor Carmeau, SS/OF, Anderson

Will Brick, C, Christian Brothers

The Bigger Picture

When you zoom out, this is where things get really exciting. After working with bonus pools of $7.8 million and $9.1 million in the last two drafts, the Braves are now sitting on roughly $15.9 million to spread across 21 picks. That includes two top 30 selections and six inside the top 150. That is a lot of ammo.

Historically, Atlanta has leaned into underslot deals early to free up money for prep talent later on. That approach has worked, but this year could be a little different.

This is the highest they have picked since 2019, when they took Baylor catcher Shea Langeliers, and ironically also had an additional first-round pick, taking Texas A&M shortstop Braden Shewmake. There is an opportunity here to do something more aggressive.

Do they stick to the usual strategy and spread the money around? Or do they take a swing on a player who immediately slots in as a top 100 prospect? Either way, this is a good problem to have.

The big league club is rolling. The farm system is starting to show signs of life again. And this draft has a chance to inject another wave of talent into the organization. It is a fun time to be a Braves fan.