College baseball’s Mr. Reliable since he burst on the scene in 2024. Burress absolutely punishes mistakes, showing off effortless juice to all fields despite only being 5’9” 190 lbs. He also plays a solid corner outfield with the athleticism to play all three outfield spots. Ridiculously good at finding barrels (24.4%) while making some notable swing changes over the years. Burress projects as a malleable pro prospect with the ability to find his way to the big leagues soon after he is drafted.

Vahn Lackey has emerged as the consensus best catcher in the 2026 class. He is a guy whose rise is driven by real performance rather than showcase hype. He’s a proven offensive catcher, showing patience, contact quality to all-fields, and the raw strength to project 15-plus home run power as his swing continues to lift. Lackey lit up radars thanks to a massive year-to-year jump in production and his role as the U.S. collegiate team’s starting catcher. Paired with high-end athleticism, a strong and accurate arm, and the versatility to handle other infield spots, Lackey offers rare two-way value at a premium position and profiles as a true first-round, franchise backstop.

Lodise played the 2024 season at Augusta, a D2 school in the Peach Belt Conference while slashing .369/.498/.693 with 14 HRs. He spent time on the Cape this summer and was just alright, but flashed average tools across the board. The draw here is long-term shortstop defense with potential for average power and hit to show up in full this spring.