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If teams like high school left-handed pitchers, this might be the Draft for them. Within the first round, they could have their choice of three from different areas of the country: Gio Rojas in South Florida, Carson Bolemon in South Carolina and Schmidt out west in California. Schmidt may have started the summer showcase circuit behind the other southpaws, but after performances at events like the Area Code Games and MLB’s All-American Game, he’s vaulted himself towards the top of the prep lefty list.

An uptick in velocity this summer, particularly at the Area Code Games, certainly helped Schmidt’s stock rise. He was typically pitching at 93-94 mph with his fastball, but he was in the 94-97 mph range, and more of that consistently would certainly help him on Draft boards. There isn’t a ton of deception with the pitch right now, so it can get hit at times. He backs up the heater with a 78-81 mph slider that features three-quarters shape to it, a breaker that can disappear, miss a lot of bats and flashes plus. There’s feel for a changeup, too, which he sells well with arm speed out front.

Schmidt has shown an ability to repeat his delivery well and fill up the strike zone with all three of his offerings, providing a very nice left-handed starting pitching kit. The LSU recruit reclassified to be done with high school early, so he’ll still be 17 at Draft time, something that will look good in a lot of team models.

The toolsy Broussard has flown under the radar more than he should, going undrafted out of a suburban Houston high school in 2023 and again after batting .409 with 17 steals in 36 games at San Jacinto (Texas) JC a year later. He’s still overshadowed a bit in a deep crop of Texas college outfielders but is beginning to shed his anonymity. He has stood out with his athleticism since transferring to Houston and won co-MVP honors in the Cape Cod League All-Star game last summer.

Broussard’s best tool is his plus-plus speed, and he looks to get the most out of it by making consistent contact from the left side of the plate. He has a reasonably disciplined approach and hits hard line drives from gap to gap. He features bat speed and wiry strength, and he generates some surprising exit velocities along with occasional opposite-field power. He added muscle before his junior season and won’t turn 21 until two months after the Draft, so he has more projection remaining than most college players.

An accomplished basestealer, Broussard swiped 56 bags in 64 attempts (88 percent) in two years with the Cougars. His speed also plays well in center field, where he’s a quality defender. With average to solid arm strength, he’s capable of fitting anywhere in the outfield.

Lewis broke into college baseball by winning the Big East Conference batting title (.377) and freshman of the year award in 2024. He transferred to Wake Forest last year and has posted similar numbers against better competition, while also earning All-Star honors in the Cape Cod League. His hitting ability is unquestioned, but how much a club believes he can offer beyond that will determine how high he climbs in the Draft.

Lewis employs a simple setup and a flat left-handed swing geared for contact. He controls the barrel very well, focusing on lacing line drives from gap to gap, and he destroys fastballs perhaps better than any hitter in college baseball. While he’s 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, he may not have more than average bat speed or raw power, though his bat-to-ball skills should help him get to most of it.

If Lewis winds up at first base, which is where Wake Forest plans to deploy him this season, his relative lack of pop may become an issue. He played mostly third base in 2025, but he’s an erratic defender with just average arm strength there. He’s a fringy athlete and could get a look in left field after he turns pro.

Moore wasn’t a blue-chip recruit as an Ohio high schooler but has blossomed into one of the most dangerous basestealers in college baseball. A part-time player as a freshman in 2024, he led NCAA Division I with 53 steals in 54 attempts as a sophomore and topped the Atlantic Coast Conference with 37 in 44 tries this spring. His favorite player is Orioles 2023 first-rounder Enrique Bradfield and their games are similar.

Moore doesn’t quite have Bradfield’s top-of-the-scale speed but he’s a plus-plus runner who uses his speed to get on base and create havoc. He doesn’t rely purely on his quickness, studying pitchers and getting good jumps as a basestealer and showing good reads and routes while playing a quality center field. His arm is merely fringy but more than enough for his position.

A left-handed hitter with little power, Moore understands his limitations and leans into his strengths. He controls the strike zone and makes consistent contact, though his strikeout rate rose from 11 percent in 2025 to 16 percent this year. He doesn’t try to hit the ball in air, concentrating on line drives and grounders he can beat out with his speed, and he draws his share of walks.

A native of Quebec, Lachance slammed 31 homers in two seasons at McLennan (Texas) CC before transferring to Oklahoma. He didn’t go deep in his first 31 games for the Sooners this spring before doing so 18 times in his final 33 contests. Oklahoma rallied from an 11th-place finish in the Southeastern Conference to win its third national title, with Lachance homering six times and driving in 18 runs in 13 NCAA tournament games.

Lachance creates well-above-average raw power that plays to all fields with a combination of bat speed, strength and leverage in his massive 6-foot-5, 231-pound frame. He has a sound right-handed swing but his 36 percent chase rate ranked among the highest in NCAA Division I and is a cause for concern. He’s extremely vulnerable against breaking balls out of the zone but hammers curveballs and sliders that venture over the plate.

Lachance possesses little speed and is a station-to-station runner on the bases. He opened this season playing more first base before taking over at catcher for the Sooners in the second half. Despite his size and lack of quickness, he moves decently behind the plate and gets the job done as a catcher, though he can be overly aggressive trying to frame pitches. He has solid-to-plus arm strength but could improve his transfer and throwing accuracy.

Sims has the most electric arm in the high school class and repeatedly pushed his fastball to 100 mph on the showcase circuit last summer. He also has a 6-foot-8, 215-pound frame with plenty of room to add strength, so there may be more velocity to come. After winning an Oklahoma state 6-A championship at Edmond Santa Fe HS last spring, he transferred to Prestonwood Christian Academy (Plano, Texas) and won a Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools Division I title.

Sims previously worked from a three-quarters arm angle and topped out at 97 mph with more sink on his four-seamer. After raising his slot in the past year, he now operates at 94-97 and reaches triple digits with more carry. He generates outstanding velocity with arm speed and little effort, another reason to project future velocity gains. The rest of his arsenal needs work, because he lacks consistency with his shapes and control with his mid-80s slider and changeup.

Sims still is learning to keep his extra-long limbs in sync in his delivery, and while he throws his heater for strikes, his fastball command is a work in progress. He’ll require time to develop and comes with reliever risk but also immense arm talent. He’ll turn 19 a month before the 2026 Draft and would be sophomore-eligible in 2028 if he follows through on his Oklahoma commitment.

Scott served as a key member for the University of Georgia pitching staff this spring, posting a 7-0 record with a 4.22 ERA (28ER/59.2IP) with 5 saves, 76 strikeouts and 30 walks in 20 appearances (3 starts) for the Bulldogs. The 6-7, 241-pound right-handed pitcher began his collegiate career at Stanford, going 14-17 with a 5.69 ERA (126ER/199.1IP) across 51 appearances (28 starts) over 3 seasons, before transferring to Georgia for his senior year.

Pesca is a 6-8, 236-pound right-handed pitcher out of Oklahoma State University. The Bronx, NY native went 7-5 with 5.86 ERA (46ER/70.2IP), 80 strikeouts and 31 walks in 19 appearances (10GS) for the Cowboys this spring. In 11 outings (5GS) in 2026 Big 12 play, he went 4-2 with a 3.94 ERA, earning All-Big-12 honorable mention honors. Pesca began his collegiate career at St. John’s University where he stood out during his sophomore season, fashioning a 6-1 record with a 2.96 ERA (25ER/76.0IP) before transferring to Oklahoma State for his final two seasons. He’s Cleveland’s third selection out of Oklahoma State in the last two drafts, joining 1B/OF Nolan Schubart and LHP Harrison Bodendorf.

Bilka is a 6-1, 208-pound right-handed pitcher from the University of Miami. Bilka made 25 appearances out of the bullpen for the Hurricanes in 2026, fashioning a 2-1 record with a 5.10 ERA (17ER/30.0IP) and 36 strikeouts. Miami was the third stop in his 4-year collegiate career, beginning with 2 seasons at Wagner College followed by one year at the University of Richmond. The Latham, NY native accrued a 16-8 record with a 3.45 ERA (77ER/201.0IP) across his 4-year collegiate career. The righty went 2-0 with a 2.19 ERA (3ER/12.1IP) in 5 games with the Harwich Mariners in the 2025 Cape Cod League. He’s Cleveland’s 18th selection from the University of Miami and first since LHP Rafe Scheslinger in 2024. He joins four other Hurricanes currently within the Guards organization, also including Andrew Walters (CB-B, 2023), CJ Kayfus (Round 3, 2023), and Slade Cecconi(via trade).

Bean, a Middlefield, OH native who was born in Cleveland, spent his junior season at Louisville after 2 seasons at Kent State University. In his 3-year collegiate career, the 6-3, 190-pound right-handed pitcher amassed an 8-6 record with a 6.28 ERA (83ER/119.0IP) in 38 appearances (23GS). He stood out in his sophomore season at Kent State, posting a 6-2 record in 15 starts with a 4.20 ERA (35ER/75.0IP) and 72 strikeouts, earning First Team All-MAC honors. In high school, he was named the 2023 PBR Ohio Division III Player and Pitcher of the Year after going 8-1 with a 0.49 ERA and 115 strikeouts against 9 walks in 57 innings. Bean grew up as a fan of all Cleveland sports teams. He’s Cleveland second selection out of Louisville this year, joining Lucas Moore.

Cleary is a 6-0 foot, 200-pound middle infielder who spent his entire college career at Santa Clara University, slashing .308/.406/.408 with an .814 OPS over his three years. He hit .358 (63-for-176) in his junior season with 10 doubles, 5 home runs, 30 RBI and 24 walks against 24 strikeouts. The Half Moon Bay, California native was named All-WCC Second Team in 2026, All-WCC Honorable Mention in 2025 and WCC All-Freshman Team in 2024. His father, Tom, played football at Santa Clara from 1989-93. Cleary attended Junipero Serra High School in San Juan Capistrano, California, the same alma mater as AUSTIN HEDGES.

Dessens is a 6-1, 200-pound outfielder out of Sacramento State University. The Pasadena, CA native hit a team-high .356 (88-for-247) with 17 doubles, 10 home runs, 64 RBI and 50 runs scored during his junior season, garnering him First Team All-WAC. He led the Hornets with 26 multi-hit games and 18 multi-RBI performances, while ranking in the top-10 in the WAC in hits (2nd), RBI (2nd), average (8th), doubles (T8th) and home runs (T9th). Spent the first two years of his college career at Paradise Valley Community College, hitting .359 his freshman season and .366 during his sophomore campaign. His father, Elmer, had a 14-year career in professional baseball, playing for the Pirates, Reds, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Royals, Brewers, Rockies, Braves and Mets. Prior to his collegiate career, Dessens played at Notre Dame Prep high school in Pasadena, CA, the same high school as New York-AL’s Giancarlo Stanton and Cincinnati’s Hunter Greene.

Lane is a 6-3, 212-pound right-handed pitcher out of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The Huntington Beach, CA native appeared in 14 games (13GS) for the Rebels in 2026, striking out 70 batters in 62.1 innings. He stood out in his sophomore season, registering a 4.69 ERA (37ER/78.2IP) with a 6-4 record in 15 starts, earning him All-Mountain West First-Team honors. During the season, he helped throw UNLV’s first no-hitter since 2003 where he went eight innings striking out nine Fresno State batters on three walks. Prior to his collegiate career, he attended Huntington Beach High School, the same alma mater as Cleveland’s 2023 1st round selection, RALPHY VELAZQUEZ.

Garza earned First-Team All-Big West honors in each of his 3 seasons at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, amassing a career .337 batting average (254-for-753) with 48 doubles, 11 home runs, 132 RBI and a .829 OPS. The Bakersfield, California native struck out 20-or-fewer times all 3 seasons, totaling 49 career walks against 45 career strikeouts. Known as “Peanut,” he tallied 92 hits in his sophomore season, 13th in the nation and 4th in Cal Poly’s Division I history. Following his sophomore year, the 5-9, 165-pound infielder played in the Cape Cod League with the Orleans Firebirds, hitting .298 (34-for-114) with three doubles, a home run and 16 RBIs in 33 games. He concluded his collegiate career with a .318 batting average (91-for-286) in his junior campaign.

Rolon is a 6-2, 197-pound right-handed pitcher out of Central Pointe Christian Academy (FL). The Mascotte, FL native is a University of Oregon commit.

Lutz is a 6-4, 230-pound senior from Lamar University who went 4-3 with a 3.26 ERA (22ER, 60.2IP) in 16 games (9 starts) in 2026. He ranked 2nd on the team with 68 strikeouts in 2026 and was named to the 2026 Academic All-America Baseball team, maintaining a 4.0 GPA while pursuing a master’s degree in business administration. The Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year started his collegiate career at Illinois Central College before spending two seasons at Bradley University, wrapping up his final college season at Lamar.

Dillhoff, a Lebanon, Ohio native, is a 6-4, 240-pound left-handed pitcher out of University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He made 15 starts for the Rebels this season, leading the team in strikeouts (94) and innings (69.1IP). He made 4 stops in his 4-year collegiate career, beginning at Wichita State, transferring to Northwest Florida State College for his sophomore campaign, Louisiana for his junior year and UNLV for his senior season. In high school, he helped lead Lebanon high school to its first district title as a senior in 2022. His father, Gary, played college baseball at Cincinnati and his grandfather, Glenn, played for the Green Bay Packers. He’s Cleveland’s second selection from UNLV this year, joining Justin Bean (11^th round).

Cowan is a 5-11, 211-pound right-handed pitcher out of Louisiana State University. He appeared in 17 games (5GS) for the Tigers in 2026, striking out 54 batters in 44.0 innings of work. The Blythewood, South Carolina native began his 4-year collegiate career at Wofford, where he pitched for 2 seasons before transferring to LSU for his final 2 years. Over 71 appearances (25GS) across 4 collegiate seasons, he went 19-11 with a 4.23 ERA (118ER/251.1IP), 292 strikeouts, 56 walks and 9 saves.

Coil is a 6-3, 195-pound left-handed pitcher from the University of Arkansas. The Edmond, Oklahoma native made 27 appearances (1GS) for the Razorbacks this season, going 3-0 with a 3.99 ERA (21ER/47.1IP), 58 strikeouts and 10 walks. The lefty broke out in his 2025 junior campaign, boasting a 3-0 record with a 1.97 ERA (3ER/21.1IP) with 24 strikeouts and 2 walks. He was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 16th round of the 2025 draft, but opted to stay at Arkansas for his senior season. He’s Cleveland’s second selection from Edmond, Oklahoma this year, joining Savion Sims (7th round).