Final Mock Draft: With The 27th Overall Pick, The Mets Draft A Towering Prep Power Arm

[Jamie Cameron]

I take MLB mock draft rankings from major industry outlets like MLB Pipeline, ESPN, The Athletic (and many others) to form a consensus board, with a working hypothesis that using this approach will eliminate some of the noise and variance in MLB Draft mock rankings. This is the final mock draft board, locked in just before the 2026 MLB Draft on Saturday, July 11.

Round 1: Coleman Borthwick, RHP, South Walton HS, FL

Borthwick is a physical monster out of Florida, built more like an NFL linebacker than a high school baseball player. Standing at 6'6, 255 pounds, he's an exciting two-way prospect, but most believe his future is on the mound.

It's a slightly crossfire delivery, which helps to create a more unusual angle for hitters as he strides down the mound. However it looks, there's a ton of quality in the stuff. Borthwick recently ran his fastball up to 100 mph for the first time. It's a pitch that will sit 94-96 mph with plenty of run. It's paired with a quality slider, a pitch that might already be plus. It sits in the mid-80s with some sharp, late tilt. Borthwick has a changeup in the bank, too, but it's been used sparingly to date.

Borthwick has been a more effective strike thrower to date than you might expect from a frame his size and such an explosive arsenal. He's committed to Auburn but has T30 pick upside.

Round 3: Jason DeCaro, RHP, North Carolina

DeCaro was a reclass in high school, making him one of the youngest college players in this year's class at 20 years and two months when the draft kicks off in July. Listed at 6'5, 230 pounds, he improved steadily while shouldering a significant workload in three years as a starter for North Carolina.

DeCaro has a track record of production and innings, but not of overpowering stuff. His fastball has been as high as 97 mph, but will sit 92-94 mph with some run. It doesn't miss a ton of bats. DeCaro can spin the ball with conviction, though. He has a harder slider that sits in the low-to-mid 80s and an upper 70s curveball, both 50s at best, to go with a solid changeup.

DeCaro pitched a career high in innings in 2026 (97.1), managing a 4.56 FIP, while striking out 24% of hitters and walking 10.2%. He has starter traits if a pro organization can tweak his arsenal and optimize his breaking stuff through pitch design work.

Round 4: Kollin Ritchie, OF, Oklahoma State

Kollin Ritchie is a three-year college performer who was drafted as a prep player out of Oklahoma in 2023 in the 19th round by the Orioles. It's a profile headlined by damage on contact, with some sneaky supplementary tools.

Ritchie hits from the left side and has improved his approach in 2026, cutting his chase rate from 26% to 21%. His offensive profile is buoyed by his ability to take walks (15.5% in 2026). There's a ton of swing and miss in his profile, and it might be an issue that dampens Ritchie's effectiveness as a pro.

It's an above-average arm and above-average wheels, which have sufficed in center field in college, but are likely better suited to right field or a corner spot as a pro. Ritchie hit .326/.462/.804 with 31 home runs (46 XBH), striking out 23.1% of the time, good for a 163 wRC+ in 290 PAs in 2026. If he can make enough contact, he has a chance to be a dangerous pro hitter.

Curious to see the players around the New York Mets picks in the draft? Click on the button below to view the entire mock draft board!

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