We are officially less than a month away from the 2026 MLB Draft. With numerous mock drafts out there and several more to come as it gets closer to July 11th, here are a few names that have been linked to the Rangers in recent mock drafts. Shortstop Tyler Bell and two-way player Jared Grindlinger have also been linked to the Rangers, but I covered both in a previous draft article, which you can read here: https://theprospecttimes.com/players-i-am-watching-in-the-upcoming-draft/
Justin Lebron SS-
Justin Lebron is one of the more dynamic players in this year's draft class. He has plus power, is a good defender at shortstop with a strong arm, and runs well. However, Lebron has significant swing-and-miss in his offensive profile that some teams could see as a real concern. If the Rangers are going after pure upside and ceiling, and Lebron is available at pick 16, he's their guy. He's got tons of upside if the Rangers or any team can help develop his hit tool. Lebron's exit velos peak north of 111 MPH and with his frame he could definitely grow into some more strength. The Alabama shortstop feeds on pitches elevated in the strike zone and is even more dangerous when he gets his hands to elevated velocity. Breaking balls and off-speed pitches at the bottom of the zone or below is what Lebron has trouble with. He has a lot of chase and whiff in his game right now. If a team can improve his approach and contact ability, he has the tools to become a dynamic everyday player. If things go right Lebron definitely has 25/25 potential in him.
Aiden Robbins OF-
The Texas center fielder has a good track record of hitting in his college career. Aiden Robbins has a rather interesting offensive profile. He has some of the better batted ball data in college baseball, but what is interesting is his approach. Before Robbins gets to two strikes he is an ambush hitter who tries to demolish the ball, but when he has two strikes on him he shortens up and puts the ball in play at a high clip. Robbins is an above-average runner in the outfield and takes good routes to the ball with average arm strength. Eventually in his career he could shift to a corner outfield spot, but for now he is a serviceable fielder. I like the current offensive profile for Robbins, and it even has the potential to get even better if he can elevate the ball to the pull side a little more often.
Trevor Condon OF-
If you want a player that plays the game like his "hair is on fire", then Trevor Condon is the kind of player you will fall in love with. He possesses a unique swing that you don't see nowadays, but he has above average bat-to-ball skills and can at times flash some power to the pull side. Over-Slot gives some details about Condon's swing, "It's unique timing triggers with an early load and occasional toe-tap. His swing is upright and a bit stiff at times. It's not a rhythmic swing, but rather reactive in nature." The other part about Condon's game you love is his speed. He puts 70-grade run times with ease and even gets 80-grade run times regularly. The speed alone could allow him to be a great fielder in centerfield at the next level. Condon profiles as a table setter profile who will steal a ton of bases as well. I believe he would fit in beautifully with how the offense across the Rangers minor league system has operated.
Bo Lowrance 3B -
The 6'5" third baseman had a solid BP session on Tuesday. Lowrance showed the ability to backspin the ball. He has some of the better power in the high school class in this year's draft, and he still has room for added strength in his 6'5" 200 pound frame. Lowrance has above-average bat-to-ball skills and makes good swing decisions. With his bat-to-ball skills and power projection the offensive profile could develop into a very good hitter. He could easily develop into a middle-of-the-order impact bat. Lowrance has the ability to man the hot corner in pro ball most likely. It's an above average arm and his hands should allow him to play the position going forward.
Brody Bumila LHP-
Brody Bumila might be the most polarizing high school arm in the class. The left-handed hurler stands at 6'8" and will come at hitters with a fastball that gets into the triple digits. On top of that he also gets great extension down the mound, and has a low slot release point. The tall southpaw also boasts a changeup, slider, and a curveball that is a work in progress. The changeup, which is his best secondary, blends well with his fastball shape, and has "huge fade and considerable depth". The slider sits in the low 80's, he doesn't have great feel for it. The pitch at times has cutter-like shapes, and he rarely throws it. Bumila also has a mid 70's curveball that he can lose feel for at times, he can lose it arm side occasionally. Bumila will need some work, he is not a finished product by any means. However, the ceiling he could possess can be very polarizing to teams and will likely be drafted in the first round in July.
Hunter Dietz LHP-
Hunter Dietz is another southpaw with a huge frame. The lefty stands at 6'6" and weighs 230 pounds. The fastball and slider are the main pitches you will see from Dietz, but he will show a cutter off of the slider and sprinkle in a curveball and a changeup every so often. The heater sits in the mid 90's and can touch around 97. Reports suggest that his fastball has big carry that plays well at the top of the zone. The slider, his best pitch, sits in the low 80's "with strong gyro traits" that play well off of his fastball, and a low 90's cutter to keep the hitters off balance with the slider. The tall left-hander does have a unique release height, he lets go of the ball 6.8 feet off of the ground. Dietz will need a little bit of work. He still needs work on his changeup which he has thrown not very often. A strong player development system, such as the Rangers', could help refine his changeup or add another pitch with more arm-side movement. His floor may be a high leverage arm against left-handed hitters.
Some players that caught my eye in day one of the MLB Draft Combine:
Luke Williams OF/SS-
I liked what I saw from Luke Williams in his BP session. It wasn't eye-popping power like we saw from a couple of guys day 1, but he still put up some decent exit velocities. The thing I liked the most was he was very short to the ball and hit it with some authority. The hitting side of his game is the part that is going to likely need the most development, because in the dirt and grass there are some things to like. He is already a plus plus runner and has very good arm strength in the outfield and at shortstop. He is likely to stick in center field in pro ball because of his explosive athleticism and arm. If his bat develops, Luke Williams could become a very exciting player to watch.
Peyton Bonds OF-
You might see the last name and think of the MLB home run king Barry Bonds, because Peyton is in fact related to him. He is also the grandson of Bobby Bonds. From the right-handed batter's box Peyton has a smooth stroke that can display some power. He flashed that power in his BP sessions on Tuesday. Bonds will have to display it more consistently. He has the tendency to pop up the ball at times or hit it on the ground, but he does not swing and miss a lot. His elevated chase rate remains one of the questions in his offensive profile. Bonds becomes very dangerous when pitchers let him get extended on the outer half of the plate. With his 6'5" frame and the raw power in the tank he could become a valuable offensive player if a team gets him making better contact consistently. Bonds is an average defender in the outfield and could slide over to right field in pro ball.
Jack Natili C-
The Cincinnati catcher showed good power to all fields in his BP sessions on Tuesday. The name of the game for Natili is his raw power and strong arm behind the dish. In his BP session he hit five balls with exit velocities above 109 MPH, and sprayed the ball all over the field. Natili's approach in the box is pretty aggressive, but he makes good swing decisions that lead to better whiff and chase rates that most aggressive hitters have. In catching drills he had pop times around 1.87-1.94. While he does have an above average arm, his framing and defense are work in progress. Natili will likely be the 4th or 5th catcher off of the board in July, and will likely fall somewhere in the 2nd to 4th round.
Mulivai Levu IF-
Mulivai Levu put up some good offensive numbers this year for the Bruins, and also played a solid first base. At the Draft Combine on Tuesday Roch Cholowsky highly praised Levu's talent and even said he's going to be a good big leaguer one day. While he did play first base for UCLA this year, at the combine, Levu also showed he could handle third base if needed. With him being versatile on the infield it could raise his draft stock. Levu put up exit velos over 100 MPH consistently with good lift. It is kind of a unique set up in the box, but he does a pretty solid job of getting the bat on the ball and doesn't whiff a ton. Although there is a good amount of chase in Levu's game, I think a team can refine his approach a little and he can become a pretty solid hitter at the next level. In addition, he could add some value in the field. Levu projects as a second- or third-round selection.
(Used scouting reports from Over-Slot.com and Baseball America, and metrics from Over-Slot).
