2026 - DRAFT PROSPECTS - Blake Bowen, Jaxson Mathews, Ethan Norby, Drew Burress, Gabe Gaeckle

 

Who will the Mets take with their first pick in the '26 Draft?

MLB

Blake Bowen, OF, JSerra (Calif.) HS (No. 33): A former football player, Bowen is on the upswing after a strong summer of showcase events, where he erased some of the swing-and-miss questions that had previously dogged his profile. There’s tons of raw power in his 6-foot-3 frame, and his running and throwing earn plus grades too. While those above take off as they focus on one position, Bowen could take off further with focus on one sport, perhaps might even be out of the Mets’ reach by July.

Running From The OPS                    @OPS_BASEBALL

Jaxon Matthews shows some of the best all-fields power in the 2026 HS class.

Made some swing adjustments, which spiked his already impressive EVs w/ his high physical ceiling (6'4"/205), and does a great job engaging his lower half while releasing coil. 

Perfect Game

2025 PG National Showcase 

Jaxon Matthews is a 2026 OF/1B with a 6-4 210 lb. frame from Davidson, NC who attends Hough HS. Extra-large frame and build with plenty of physicality and strength throughout. Primary outfielder who fields out in front and throws from a lower slot. Accurate with big carry and throws recorded up to 96 mph. Left-handed hitter with a big leg lift trigger and creates excellent leverage out in front. Gears up to launch and has top-of-the-class bat speed. Really impacts the ball to the pull side when squared and there's significant power here; will be true all fields home run power at maturity. Classic right field power-hitting, power-throwing profile. Tremendous student. Verbal commitment to Clemson.

  

On The Clock | College Baseball and MLB Draft                  @OnTheClock_1

LHP Ethan Norby – ECU Baseball

Norby features one of the better sliders in college baseball. Deceptive delivery & advanced feel allow the pitch to play well off the fastball. Consistently limits hard contact & throws strikes. Real dependable profile. 

24/7 Sports

East Carolina left-handed pitcher Ethan Norby completed a successful summer stint with the United States Collegiate National Baseball team on Sunday, making his second start of the series against Japan.

Norby tossed three frames, striking out five against no walks in a no-decision in the series finale. He allowed six hits and two runs. The lefty threw 49 pitches, 37 of which were strikes. The game ended in a 6-5 loss for USA.

Norby also tossed two scoreless frames in the series opener against Japan on Wednesday, July 9. He struck out one and scattered two hits. Norby tossed five frames total against Japan with six Ks and no walks. He gave up eight hits and two runs over his two outings. 

Bonesville

Ethan Norby, a sophomore left-handed pitcher from East Carolina, has been named National Pitcher of the Week by Perfect Game and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

It’s the first such honor for a Pirate since Trey Yesavage was named the NCBWA Pitcher of the Month in April 2024.

Norby fanned an American Athletic Conference record 19 batters in ECU’s 7-0 shutout of then No. 24 Coastal Carolina last Friday. The Kernersville native pitched a career-high 7.1 inn5

Drew Burress, CF, Georgia Tech
Burress hit .381/.512/.821 with 25 home runs in 58 games as a freshman at Georgia Tech last year. At a stocky 5-foot-9, he doesn’t necessarily look the part, but if you look past his size, there aren’t many holes in his game. He doesn’t whiff much, he doesn’t chase much, and he has plus power that he gets to in games due to a swing path that lets him lift the ball. Burress is loose in the box and has an interesting stance, with his bat pointed towards the ground and his lead elbow pointed high in the air. There’s length to the swing at times, but he’s shown the ability to get the bat on the ball wherever it’s pitched. Defensively, Burress spent all 58 games in center field last season. His feel for the position is still developing, but there’s a solid underlying foundation here because of his above-average speed. Overall, he’s the front runner to be the no. 1 overall pick in 2026 as someone who plays a premium position with a well-rounded offensive profile.

Running From The OPS                               @OPS_BASEBALL

CF Drew Burress displays a quick & compact swing & is direct w/ his hands. He’s displayed + power, slugging 44 HR in just 118 games while walking more than striking out. Low effort, constantly gets barrel IZ for Pull-Air contact, & a mature approach.

Gabe Gaeckle, RHP, Arkansas

Drafted by the Reds in the 20th round of the 2023 draft, Gaeckle opted to go to Arkansas instead. He was lights out as a reliever last year, recording a 2.32 ERA with seven saves in 42.2 innings of work. He enters this season as the Razorbacks’ Friday night starter, and he could very well end up being the SEC Pitcher of the Year. Gaeckle has a four-pitch mix, primarily using his fastball and slider, though he does throw both his curveball and changeup around 10% of the time. His fastball sits in the mid-90s and generates whiffs up in the zone due to a combination of plus vertical movement and a deep back leg load that allows Gaeckle to get a flat approach angle on the pitch. His offspeed stuff is vertically oriented. His slider sits in the mid-80s with decent bite and downer shape, while his 12-6 curveball has more depth. The shape of both pitches needs refinement, as they can get a bit soft, but he can throw both of them for strikes and they project to be above average. Gaeckle rounds out his arsenal with a changeup that comes in a bit harder (86-88 mph) and has some fade. Overall, Gaeckle has a strong foundation, with a deep pitch mix and above-average command. He projects as a no. 3 starter right now and figures to be a top 15 pick next year.