Jamie Cameron

Totally agree here, would guess (at the moment) these guys start being relevant from around pick 5-6 onwards.

Image courtesy of © Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images There are some extremely talented collegiate pitchers at the top of the 2026 draft class. We’re used to seeing teams lean into drafting college arms in the middle and late rounds, where the pitching talent outlasts the hitting talent. In recent seasons, though, we’ve seen a trend of elite college starters moving quickly to become major-league contributors, with Trey Yesavage being the best recent example. The Twins have roughly 60% odds to land a top-3 pick. At this stage, if they maintain that position, I’d guess drafting a college arm is unlikely. If they fall somewhere between 4 and 7, however, all bets are off. Below, you’ll find a profile for the three top college arms in the draft (each of whom I’d consider top-15 type prospects in this draft today). For each prospect, you’ll find their name, primary position, college, hitting and throwing hands, and their age on draft day 2026. You’ll find a summary of their 2025 performance. Pitchers are listed alphabetically by last name. Jackson Flora, RHP, UC Santa Barbara, 6’4", 185 lbs., R/R, 21 75 IP, 3.60 ERA, 3.16 FIP, 27.8 K%, 5.5 BB% Flora is a right-handed pitcher out of UCSB, whose combination of size, athleticism, and stuff could make him the first arm off the board next July. He’s an elite mover, with great flexibility, explosiveness, and an incredibly quick, whippy arm action. There is some inconsistency in his delivery, with a few too many moving parts. This hasn't impeded his ability to throw strikes, however. Flora has demonstrated good command of the fastball/slider combination that headlines his arsenal. Stuff-wise, there’s plenty to like, too. Flora’s fastball sits in the 95-98-mph range, with outstanding carry and a flat approach angle. If he locates it up in the zone, it’s a nightmare pitch to try and square up. Flora has two distinct slider shapes—one acting more as a cutter, and one a sweeper, on which he generates up to 20 inches of horizontal break. The warts here are landing on another effective pitch (he throws a changeup and curveball very sparingly, and neither is yet a reliable offering) and keeping the ball on the plate. If Flora shoves in 2026, he can cement his contention to be the first arm off the board. Cam Flukey, RHP, Coastal Carolina, 6’6", 205 lbs., R/R, 21 101.2 IP, 3.19 ERA, 2.68 FIP, 28.5 K%, 5.8 BB% Flukey has a strong case to make for the most improved arm in college baseball in 2025, spearheading Coastal Carolina’s run to the College World Series. It’s a great pitcher’s frame, with a ton of projection remaining. Flukey operates from a high three-quarters slot, with a long, deep arm action that seems to provide some deception in his delivery. The fastball has a chance to be outstanding, but has yet to produce the type of swing-and-miss you’d want to see from it. It sits at 95 mph, but has been up to 98 mph with 19 inches of induced vertical break, albeit from a steeper angle. Flukey also throws a 12-6 curveball in the high 70s, which generated a whiff percentage close to 50% in 2025. That pitch will need to add some firmness when he transitions to pro baseball. There’s a slider in the mix, too (which he threw for strikes over 70% of the time), and a split-change that generated plenty of misses. It feels like Flukey is just scratching the surface of how to leverage his arsenal. If he can thrive with a more balanced pitch mix in 2026, he has the polish and projectability to be a top-10 pick. Liam Peterson, RHP, Florida, 6’5", 200 lbs., R/R, 21 69.1 IP, 4.28 ERA, 3.63 FIP, 31.5 K%, 10.5 BB% Peterson was a top-three-rounds caliber prospect ahead of a loaded 2023 draft, but got to campus at Florida and now has a great chance to be a top-10 overall pick. It’s a big-league frame already,, with premium athleticism and good extension in a delivery that he has worked to make more compact since arriving in Gainesville. Peterson’s fastball is a weapon. It’s been up to 99 mph, flashing 20 inches of carry at the top of the zone. He made strides with his control of the pitch in 2025, and triple-digits velocity readings seem likely in 2026. It’s paired with a slider (with a ton of downward bite) that he throws for strikes over 60% of the time. Peterson also has a changeup, thrown almost exclusively to left-handed hitters, which averages around 15 inches of drop. Both Peterson’s secondary offerings generated miss rates north of 40% from hitters in 2025. There could be three plus pitches in this profile. The focus in 2026 will be throwing enough strikes. Peterson cut his walk rate by 4% in 2025, but at 10.5%, it could stand to come down a little more to cement him in consideration for a top pick in July. View full article

Image courtesy of Thieres Rabelo In episode 100 of Destination: The Show, Jeremy and Jamie discuss Derek Shelton’s introductory press conference. The guys walk through the Twins core of young hitters, analyzing their arbitration projections, 2025 performances, and likelihood of being returned to the 2026 roster. The crew talk through Justin Lebron and Jacob Lombard as high risk, high reward prospects at the top of the draft, before finishing up with some listener questions on defensive player development, Twins international signings, and the Twins comp picks ahead of the 2026 draft. 0:00 Intro 3:07 Housekeeping 3:46 Derek Shelton 11:00 Roster Preview 12:30 Ryan Jeffers 17:30 Trevor Larnach 24:30 Royce Lewis 28:55 Brooks Lee 35:00 Matt Wallner 40:00 News and notes 52:00 Listener Questions You can support the show by downloading it from wherever you get your podcasts, including iTunes and Spotify. If you enjoy the content, consider leaving us a five-star rating and review in addition to sharing or retweeting DTS-related content. You can follow us on Twitter @DTS_POD1, @Jeremynygaard, @J_D_Cameron, and @TheodoreTollef1. We’re now on Bluesky @destinationtheshow.bsky.social. You can also find full episodes and clips of our shows on our YouTube page @DestinationTheShow. View full article

There's always a cluster of older prep guys. Different teams tend to care more or less about the age factor. Twins tend to value younger guys, but certainly not a disqualifier. I'd be pretty shocked if they took a prep arm with a T3 pick, though.

Totally get this feeling. I feel pretty disengaged from the big league team currently. The potential high pick is what's keeping me going, hence the earlier than usual content pre-lottery.

Lottery is coming up, December 9th! Twins keep a T3 pick in ~60% of the simulations I've done so far (500).

Hard to say as we're so far out and anything can happen, but it's a clear number one and number two overall for me at this stage. Gotta throw some interesting college pitchers in the mix, so one more installment to go then time to focus on the lottery.

Image courtesy of © Brett Davis-Imagn Images It's still about eight months away, but it's time to highlight some prep names at the top of the draft board for 2026. While the obvious caveats all apply here—we have a whole season between now and the draft, so plenty can change—I like this prep group quite a bit. With the caveat that many of them had uneven summers, this looks like the best high-school class since 2023. I’d argue Grady Emerson is currently the clear number one in this cluster. After him, you can make an argument for several different prospects as the next-best in that young crop. Because there is so much flux in a typical prep class between winter and draft day, I’m only offering up a few names here. There will likely be players who vault themselves into consideration at the top of the board and some who fall off, so think of this more as an indicator of the caliber of talent than as the definitive top five names on the board. I’ve listed prospects alphabetically by last name. For each prospect, you’ll find their name, primary position, school, hitting and throwing hands, and their age on draft day 2026. Carson Boleman, LHP, Southdale Christian HS, SC, R/L, 19 Boleman is a lefty out of South Carolina who stands out for his size, present stuff and (most of all) polish. Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 210 pounds, Boleman has a repeatable operation from a three-quarter slot. His fastball has been up to 97 mph, but typically sits in the low 90s. What’s impressive is his ability to spot it anywhere in the zone. Boleman has similarly impressive command of two breaking pitches—a slower curveball and a sharp slider—with a changeup in the mix, too. A Wake Forest commit, Boleman has a track record of outstanding performance wherever he pitches, including with the 18U USA National Team in 2025. Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian HS, TX, L/R, 18 Emerson has been a famous prospect since the age of 15. The University of Texas commit is the clear number two in this class overall, behind Roch Cholowsky of UCLA. It’s a Bobby Witt Jr. Lite kind of package, with less power currently. Emerson is a pure hitter, with a simple, adjustable swing. He doesn’t swing and miss much or expand the zone, so there’s high on-base value. There’s plenty of bat speed to suggest that more power is on the way. He’s a plus athlete and runner who defends well and should have a chance to stick at shortstop at the next level. He’s the best prep prospect in the class. Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep HS, FL, R/R, 18 Jacob is the younger brother of George Lombard Jr., who was selected by the Yankees in a loaded 2023 class and is coming off a terrific 2025 season. Lombard the younger is one of the most tooled-up prospects in the 2026 class. He’s an explosive athlete, with plus power and speed. He offers strong defense at shortstop, with smooth actions and plenty of arm strength. Lombard is a more volatile prospect than other prep bats at the top of the class. He exhibited plenty of swing-and-miss on the summer circuit, particularly against breaking stuff. If he can iron out the hit tool inconsistencies, though, he might have the highest ceiling of any prep bat in the class. It’s a high-risk, high-reward play for a drafting organization. Tyler Spangler, SS, De La Salle HS, CA, L/R, 18 Spangler is a Stanford commit who checks a lot of the same boxes as Emerson. A tall, wiry prospect (6-foot-3, 195 pounds), Spangler is a hit-over-power profile currently, with traits that point to more power on the way. It’s a direct swing that’s relatively short to the ball, despite his long limbs. Spangler has a knack for finding the barrel, which—combined with a good approach at the plate—gives his offensive profile a high floor. Defensively, the actions are sound. He moves laterally well and has a strong arm. Spangler is an above-average runner who may eventually find a more suitable home at third base, depending on how he develops physically and how his quickness holds up as his body fills out. Gio Rojas, LHP, Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS, FL, R/L, 19 Rojas is likely to be one of the first arms off the board next July. It’s an easy operation with incredible arm speed from a great frame for pitching (6-foot-4, 190 pounds). Rojas’s fastball sits 94-96 mph, but has been up to 98 mph with more in the tank. The best secondary pitch is his slider, a sweeping nightmare of a pitch that generates up to 2,800 RPM of spin. There’s a changeup, too, but the fastball/slider combination is Rojas’s bread and butter. Rojas has a reputation as an excellent strike thrower. He's committed to Miami. View full article

Image courtesy of Thieres Rabelo In episode 99 of Destination: The Show, Jeremy, Jamie, and Theo discuss the Twins hiring Derek Shelton as the 15th manager in team history. They walk through how to parse Shelton’s uninspiring track record in Pittsburgh, and discuss whether the Twins organization is prioritizing familiarity over innovation. The guys move on to discuss the Twins outstanding MiLB hitting development as called out by recent rankings in Baseball America. They talk through the discrepancy in success between strong minor league hitting production and lackluster production at the big league level. 0:00 Intro 2:00 Twins Hire Shelton 5:41 Jamie's Reaction and disagreements 6:14 Shelton vs Rocco 14:45 Does it matter? 22:00 Is Shelton walking into the same situation that he did in Pittsburgh? 29:05 Does Shelton deserve credit for development of young players in Pittsburgh? 35:42 The rest of the offseason 37:35 Baseball America study - Pitching+ and Hitting+ Rankings 46:00 See you next week! You can support the show by downloading it from wherever you get your podcasts, including iTunes and Spotify. If you enjoy the content, consider leaving us a five-star rating and review in addition to sharing or retweeting DTS-related content. You can follow us on Twitter @DTS_POD1, @Jeremynygaard, @J_D_Cameron, and @TheodoreTollef1. We’re now on Bluesky @destinationtheshow.bsky.social. You can also find full episodes and clips of our shows on our YouTube page @DestinationTheShow. View full article

I get what you're saying, and at the same time, we know development isn't linear, so questioning how much 'real upside' a 21 year old might have feels a little overly critical. I think in this case, we can use that language as a proxy for Lebron's athleticism translating into even more impressive baseball skill than he's shown thus far.

Image courtesy of Thieres Rabelo In episode 98 of Destination: The Show, Jeremy and Jamie run through the Twins entire 2025 draft class. For prospects who debuted, they examine the start they made to professional baseball. For prospects who didn’t debut, the pair talk through their likely areas of focus for 2026. The guys dig into Marek Houston’s profile and whether a lack of extra base impact may hold him back before digging into Jason Reitz, the 6’11 Oregon right-handed pitcher who is the tallest prospect selected in the history of the draft. 4:30 Twins 2025 Draft Review 5:21 Marek Houston 13:34 Riley Quick 16:11 Quentin Young 20:22 James Ellwanger 23:41 Jason Reitz 32:49 Matt Barr 34:00 Bruin Agbayani 36:03 Jacob McCombs 38:49 Ryan Sprock 41:07 Justin Mitrovich 42:09 Shai Robinson 43:33 Ryan Daniels 46:17 Kolten Smith 47:53 Callan Fang 49:55 Merit Jones 51:35 Reed Moring 51:40 Jonathan Stevens 54:25 JP Smith 55:05 Matthew Dalquist, Matthew Becker, Michael Hilker 56:00 Recap 59:45 Listener Question You can support the show by downloading it from wherever you get your podcasts, including iTunes and Spotify. If you enjoy the content, consider leaving us a five-star rating and review in addition to sharing or retweeting DTS-related content. You can follow us on Twitter @DTS_POD1, @Jeremynygaard, @J_D_Cameron, and @TheodoreTollef1. We’re now on Bluesky @destinationtheshow.bsky.social. You can also find full episodes and clips of our shows on our YouTube page @DestinationTheShow. View full article

Image courtesy of © Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images We’re well into an early edition of previewing the Twins 2026 draft situation at Twins Daily. After examining their lottery situation, the first part of this series was published last week. I dug into mini-profiles on Tyler Bell, Drew Burress, Roch Cholowsky, and AJ Gracia. In the next few weeks, we’ll add some prep names and some pitchers to the mix. For now, here’s the second cluster of college hitters. While the obvious caveats all apply here (we have a whole college season between now and the draft, plenty can change), this is a very strong group of college bats at the top. The main differences for me, between this group and the cluster from 2025 are the well-roundedness of the profiles. Generally speaking, there are better hit tools and less strikeouts in this top tier of college hitters. Because there are a wide range of outcomes still possible for the Twins first round pick, I’m offering up a decently expansive list of college hitters (with prep hitters and relevant prep and college arms to follow). I’ve listed prospects alphabetically by last name. Outside of Cholowsky being the current clear consensus number one prospect, you can make plenty of compelling arguments for ordering the rest in diverse ways. For each prospect, you’ll find their name, primary position, college, hitting and throwing hands, and their age on draft day 2026. You’ll find a summary of their 2025 performance, with stolen bases only listed for prospects who accumulated more than ten. Chris Hacopian, INF, Texas A&M, R/R (21) 2025 Stats (Maryland): .375/.502/.656 (1.158), 165 wRC+, 14 HR (26 XBH), 16.1 BB%, 7.6 K% Hacopian was one of the prizes of the transfer portal this offseason, moving from Maryland to Texas A&M for his (likely) final collegiate season after an exceptional first two years with the Terps. This is another exceptionally well rounded offensive profile. Hacopian has a bit of a noisy operation, but much like Burress, it’s a ton of bat speed and twitch. He runs otherworldly contact numbers against fastballs (95% contact rate in 2025), with good power, particularly to the pull side. All of this is supplemented by an impressive approach, with 40 walks against 19 strikeouts in 52 games in 2025. Defensively, he might be described as ‘steady not spectacular’. Hacopian handled shortstop well for Maryland, but may move to third base for the Aggies in 2026. Ultimately, another spot on the first seems like a more logical defensive home. Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama, R/R (21) 2025 Stats: .316/.421/.636 (1.058), 127 wRC+, 18 HR (37 XBH), 17 SB, 12.5 BB%, 24.2 K% Lebron is one of the most exciting prospects in the class and oozes upside. He took several steps forward in his offensive profile in 2025 (particularly in his ability to slug) despite a mediocre performance during SEC play. It’s plenty of bat speed from the right side, although there are some holes in his swing currently. He’s particularly strong up in the zone, and susceptible to breaking stuff down in the zone. Defensively, he’s fluid, with a strong arm and should stick at shortstop long term. In fact, he might be the best athlete of this cluster of college hitters at the top of the class (there’s a good run tool here, too). If he can improve his approach and his hit tool down in the zone, he could be a monster. Ace Reese, 3B, Mississippi St, L/R (21) 2025 Stats: .352/.422/.718 (1.140), 139 wRC+, 21 HR (40 XBH), 9.9 BB%, 19.8 K% Reese transferred from Houston to Mississippi State prior to the 2025 season and proceeded to have one of the better breakouts in college baseball. It’s a big league frame at 6’3, 210 pounds, with an offensive profile underpinned by an ability to slug. It’s a clean swing from the left side with excellent bat speed, and Reese has a knack for finding the barrel. Despite some chase in his profile, there’s above average bat-to-ball skills. 20 home run seasons with a sub 20% strikeout rate are at a premium in college baseball. Reese moved to third base last season, and it’s likely the hot corner, or a corner outfield spot long term defensively, where it’ll be a solid, not spectacular defense. This is one of the best college slugging profiles in the class. Sawyer Strosnider, OF, TCU, L/L, (21) 2025 Stats: .350/.420/.650 (1.070), 138 wRC+, 11 HR (34 XBH), 10 SB, 8 BB%, 18.7 K% Sawyer Strosnider might be a half step below the other names I’ve profiled so far currently, but I’m including him as he’s a personal favorite, and I’m tipping him to have a big 2026 season. Strosnider was probably the best freshman in the country in 2025 and has a combination of big league size and good tools across the board. There’s plus speed here, Strosnider clubbed 10 triples to go with his 11 home runs in 2025 (and a MaxEV north of 112 mph). He’ll have a chance to stick in centerfield due to the speed and athleticism. To take a step forward in 2026, Strosnider needs to reign in an overly aggressive approach characterized by too much chase. If he does, watch out. View full article

Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA, R/R (21) 2025 Stats: .353/.480/.710 (1.190), 165 wRC+, 23 HR (43 XBH), 13.9 BB%, 9.3 K% Cholowsky has separated himself as the consensus number one prospect in the 2026 class, and for good reason. His sophomore campaign at UCLA showcased elite performance across the board. He pairs advanced plate discipline (44% swing rate) and exceptional contact rates (80% overall, 90% in zone) with real power (113 mph max EV, 106.5 mph EV90). Add in plus defense at shortstop, a strong arm, and leadership makeup, and Cholowsky looks like the most complete college shortstop prospect in a decade. AJ Gracia, OF, Virginia, L/L (21) 2025 Stats: .293/.449/.558 (1.007), 126 wRC+, 15 HR (26 XBH), 20 BB%, 12.6 K% After a slow start to 2025, Gracia adjusted his setup, simplifying his move to contact, and found his rhythm. The result is a premium left handed offensive profile: a smooth, loft driven swing, excellent bat speed, and elite contact ability (upper 80s contact rate, 92% in zone) paired with a disciplined approach (20% walk rate). Though he is more of a corner outfielder with average speed and modest defensive tools, Gracia’s bat could carry him into the top half of the first round if he continues to produce. View full article

Image courtesy of Thieres Rabelo In episode 97 of Destination: The Show, Jeremy and Jamie run through Trey Yesavage’s impressive dismantling of the Yankees on the back of the revelation he could have been a Minnesota Twin. The guys talk through manager candidates from the pro and college ranks, and highlight intriguing candidates for a challenging role in 2026. They discuss Coastal Carolina pitcher Cam Flukey, one of the premier college arms in the 2026 draft, in addition to answering listener questions on the 2026 class. 0:00 Intro 2:15 Housekeeping 3:00 Trey Yesavage 8:45 Fast Track to the Big Leagues 21:10 Twins Ongoing Manager Search 29:50 Cam Flukey 37:22 News and Notes 39:04 Listener Questions You can support the show by downloading it from wherever you get your podcasts, including iTunes and Spotify. If you enjoy the content, consider leaving us a five-star rating and review in addition to sharing or retweeting DTS-related content. You can follow us on Twitter @DTS_POD1, @Jeremynygaard, @J_D_Cameron, and @TheodoreTollef1. We’re now on Bluesky @destinationtheshow.bsky.social. You can also find full episodes and clips of our shows on our YouTube page @DestinationTheShow. View full article

Mercifully, the Minnesota Twins' forlorn 2025 season has come to an end. In losing to the Phillies on the final day of the season (thanks, Max Kepler ), the Twins secured the second-highest odds at landing the number one overall pick. Let’s unpack their draft lottery circumstances. What are the Odds? The Twins finished with the second-worst record in baseball among teams eligible for the draft lottery. As such, they’ll have a 22.27% chance of landing the top overall pick. The White Sox are in poll position (27.73%) with the Pirates next after Minnesota (16.81%). There are three teams ineligible for the lottery this season (Rockies, Nationals, Angels). As a reminder, large market or revenue-paying teams (like the Nationals and Angels) are ineligible to receive a lottery pick if they had a lottery pick last year. Revenue-receiving teams (like the Rockies) are ineligible to receive a lottery pick if they had a lottery pick the last two years. Where Could the Twins Pick? There’s a finite range of outcomes now. If a team with a bottom-six record is displaced from a lottery pick, they immediately take the first available pick outside the lottery spots (7th overall). The Twins can pick as high as first overall and as low as eighth, in the unlikely scenario that both they and the White Sox are displaced from a lottery pick. What About the Second Round, and Beyond? Remember, the lottery only dictates the first six picks. From the second round on, all teams pick in order of record. As such, outside of any compensation picks, the Twins will pick fourth in each round (after the Rockies, White Sox, and Nationals). When is the Draft Lottery? The draft lottery occurs in December at the Winter Meetings every year. For 2026, that will put it in the week of December 8th, but the exact date and time have not been announced yet. How Does it Work? Long story short, via ping pong balls. Each non-postseason team is given a number of four-digit combinations based on its regular-season record. The worse the record, the more combinations you have. A series of four-digit ping pong balls is drawn from a lottery machine. The number drawn corresponds to a team, starting with the first overall pick, and finishing with the sixth overall pick. The remaining non-postseason teams then pick in reverse order of record from picks 7-18. What’s at Stake? A lot, both in talent capital and financial capital. This year’s class has a consensus number one prospect (currently), Roch Cholowsky , a shortstop from UCLA. Additionally, the slot value differentials are more disparate at the top of the draft. The slot value for the first pick in 2025 ($11,075,900) is $4,262,300 more than the slot for the eighth overall pick ($6,813,800). That difference is around the value of the 20th overall pick in 2025. It’s enormous. While the Twins may not end up with the first overall pick, maintaining a top-three selection would be a boon to their bonus pool. I’ve simulated the draft lottery ~150 times so far, and the Twins have managed a top-three selection 56% of the time. What About Other Picks and Money? The Twins will also have a Comp B pick in 2026 (picks 66-74 in 2025). That will carry a value of somewhere between $1.1 million and $1.4 million. Overall, if the Twins maintain a top-three pick, their bonus pool should be somewhere in the $15-16 million range, giving them one of the highest pools in the class. Want to read up on some candidates to keep in mind for their first selection in 2026? We’ll preview some of the top prep and college names in the coming weeks at Twins Daily. View full article