While the MLB Draft doesn’t have the fanfare of the NFL or even the NBA Draft, the days of prospects having to spend years working their way through the minors to get a chance with their respective organization’s top team are slowly fading away. So far, 16 players taken in the first three rounds of the 2024 MLB Draft have already debuted in the big leagues, and six of them (Chase Burns, Nick Kurtz, Jac Caglianone, Cam Smith, Payton Tolle, and Trey Yesavage) played in MLB games in 2025, just one year after being drafted.
So which early round picks from Saturday’s first day of the MLB draft could be the next crop of fast risers to the big leagues?
Which 2026 MLB Draft players will be the fastest to reach the big leagues?
Roch Cholowsky - SS, Chicago White Sox (1st overall pick)
I mean, this one isn’t a stretch. Cholowsky played three years at UCLA and was the first pick of the draft. He could realistically be up before the summer of 2027 (provided we have an MLB season then).
Jackson Flora - SP, San Francisco Giants (4th overall pick)
When I spoke to Jim Callis in the week leading up to the draft, he picked Flora as the player he believes will be up in the big leagues the quickest of anybody in the draft. Flora is an advanced pitcher from UC Santa Barbara with a deep arsenal, and you can watch my video with Jim here to hear his detailed thoughts.
Drew Burress - OF, Athletics (8th overall pick)
Burress is another advanced college player, which, if we’re being honest, is the exact type of player that moves quickly through a system. He’s a well-rounded hitter without any true elite skills, but a tremendous feel for the strike zone and had more walks than strikeouts in college. He also has tremendous bat speed, which should present a strong power profile, and he also has the ability to stick in centerfield. We know the Athletics will push advanced college hitters through their system quickly, so Burress could join the Athletics’ outfield at some point in 2027.
Chris Hacopian - 2B, Washington Nationals (11th pick)
Hacopian is one of the best pure hitters in the draft and .319 with 11 home runs in 42 games at Texas A&M this season after his season was delayed by a back injury. He also played through a leg injury in early May that prevented him from really running. What he can do is hit. He has an elite understanding of the strike zone, a strong feel for contact, and plus power. The Nationals are going to need to figure out where he can play defensively because there are many questions there, but his bat should be MLB-ready soon.
Jake Schaffner - SS, Boston Red Sox (20th pick)
I did mention in my MLB Draft takeaways article that this was one of the bigger head-scratchers in the first round since Schaffner was ranked as the 75th overall prospect on the MLB Pipeline big board. However, the counter to that is that Schaffner pretty much is who he is right now. He’s a great contact hitter who showed a bit more pop with UNC this year, but we’re talking about a 10-12 home run hitter at the MLB level. He is a strong defender who can run and has good bat-to-ball skills. He could move through the system quickly and give the Red Sox another speed/contact/defense hitter in their infield to pair with Caleb Durbin and a player like Marcelo Mayer, who they hope will provide a bit more pop.
Ace Reese - 3B, Seattle Mariners (24th pick)
Oh, look, another college hitter with an advanced understanding of the strike zone. You’re starting to get a sense of the players who could move quickly through systems. However, Reese is also a 6'4" hitter with plus raw power. There is some aggressiveness in his profile which he may need to tamp down, but hitters with this feel for contact and power potential can move fast. The question will be whether he can stick at third base or not.
Tegan Kuhns - SP, St. Louis Cardinals (32nd overall)
Kuhns is a pick I was a fan of in my MLB Draft takeaways article, and a big reason for that is that he has an elite four-seam fastball with great vertical movement and extension. There are some questions about the rest of his arsenal, but he’s a college arm with a plus fastball in an organization that desperately needs starting pitching help. That, to me, feels like a recipe for a fast riser.
Logan Reddemann - SP, Colorado Rockies (38th pick)
Reddeman has played three years of college baseball. He was an advanced pitchability and “feel” guy at San Diego before transferring to UCLA and taking his game to the next level. He’s added velocity and filled out his pitch mix and was the Friday night starter on one of the best teams in the country. The Rockies are desperate for impact starting pitching, and Reddemann has already proven that he can add velocity and pitches without losing command. That’s the profile of a pitcher who could move quickly through an organization.
