Early Look at the 2026 Draft-Eligible College Arms

The 2025 MLB Draft may be over, but the scouting never stops. Here’s an early dive into eight of the top collegiate pitchers eligible for 2026 along with written reports for each.

RHP Cam Flukey, Coastal Carolina – 6’6, 210 lbs

We start this list with arguably the most fascinating arm in the upcoming class in Cam Flukey.

After a fine freshman campaign, Flukey broke out ferociously in 2025, nearly doubling his innings (55 to 101.2) while walking less hitters. It’s often a fastball/curveball tendency, and he typically works vertically in the zone.

The fastball projects as an elite offering, averaging over 95 mph with 19 inches of induced vertical break, and it was thrown for strikes at a 74% clip this past season. The curveball is equally as intriguing, ranking among the nation’s leaders in whiff rate for the pitch (49%).

Flukey also mixes in a slider and a splitter, though they made up just 17% of his pitch usage in 2025. That said, both pitches still produced compelling results. The mid-80s slider has gyro shape and is primarily used against right-handed hitters.

Flukey shows advanced feel for the pitch, evidenced by a 73% strike percentage. As for the splitter, there’s still room to improve but it already shows promising traits. Thrown in the mid-80s and primarily used against left-handed hitters, it still generated an impressive 44% whiff rate.

All things considered, Flukey is a fascinating profile. If he incorporates the slider into his 2026 arsenal more often and can generate more whiffs on the fastball, it’s likely we have our top collegiate arm right here in next year’s draft.

RHP Liam Peterson, Florida – 6’5, 220 lbs

Few collegiate arms in the country match the polish and power Liam Peterson portrays, embodying everything you’d hope to see in a future frontline starter.

After recording a 6.43 ERA over 63 innings as a freshman, Peterson took a clear step forward in his sophomore campaign by logging more innings (69.1), cutting the walks down, and striking out nearly 20 additional batters.

Beyond the statistical gains, Peterson stands out for his elite ability to spin the baseball. His fastball is a premier pitch, averaging over 2400 RPM with nearly 20 inches of induced vertical break, and ranking in the 99th percentile for velocity. Those traits, paired with the rest of his arsenal, consistently creates uncomfortable at-bats for opposing hitters.

Peterson’s primary offspeed offering is a mid-80s slider featuring late bite and downward action. He commands it well, consistently locating to his glove side while landing it for strikes over 60% of the time along with generating a 43% whiff rate last season.

Peterson also commands a plus changeup, thrown to left handers most of the time while generating lots of swing-and-misses down in the zone. Rounding out his arsenal is a rarely used but intriguing curveball. Thrown almost exclusively to lefties, it averages nearly 15 inches of drop and spins it just under 2700 RPM typically.

Liam’s command took a big step up this past season and look for that to continue in 2026. Expect Peterson to once again serve as the anchor of Florida’s weekend rotation, leading a talented and deep Gator group.

Jason DeCaro, North Carolina – 6’5, 230 lbs

Very young for the class but talk about a poised and composed pitcher in Jason DeCaro. He began starting games as a 17-year-old freshman and quickly established himself as a key piece in North Carolina’s rotation, leading the team in starts, innings pitched, and strikeouts in 2024. He followed that up with another strong campaign in 2025, logging over 83 innings with a 3.78 ERA across 16 starts.

While the fastball shape may not be overpowering, DeCaro’s ability to generate elite spin is undeniable. He ranks in the 99th percentile with an average spin rate exceeding 2500 RPM, a clear indicator of his plus feel for the baseball. Along with that, it’s the offspeed pitches that headline his arsenal, each producing a whiff rate north of 30%.

His changeup is devastating, primarily used against left-handed hitters, featuring over 20 inches of arm-side run with heavy tumble. The slider is equally impactful, thrown in the low 80s with an average of 10 inches of sweep, giving him two true swing-and-miss weapons. Lastly, there’s a curveball in the mix. While DeCaro doesn’t throw it often, he shows good feel for the pitch when he rips it.

Expect DeCaro to serve as the lead catalyst on the mound for a motivated North Carolina program that came just one win shy of reaching Omaha. It’s also worth noting that he will be a young 20-year-old once the 2026 MLB Draft arrives, a detail that only adds to the profile.

RHP Gabe Gaeckle, Arkansas – 6’0, 190 lbs

On arguably the deepest pitching staff in college baseball, Gabe Gaeckle headlined Arkansas’s weekend rotation to begin the 2025 season. Eight weeks later, he was moved to the bullpen after some subpar starts along with command issues. From then on, Gaeckle returned to his dominant form, holding opponents to a .202 average and posting a 35% whiff rate the rest of the way.

Gaeckle features a four-pitch arsenal but primarily leans on a fastball/slider tandem. Like the other top arms mentioned, he spins the fastball at an elite level, averaging over 2500 RPM. He also generates over 17 inches of induced vertical break and ranked in the 97th percentile in fastball velocity, making it difficult for hitters to get on top of the baseball.

The slider is arguably Gaeckle’s most comfortable pitch, as he throws it for strikes 67% of the time. Sitting in the mid-to-upper 80s, it flashes plus potential with sharp lateral break, serving as a true swing-and-miss offering when located down in the zone. He also flashes both an upper 80s changeup and a high spin curveball that both provide effectiveness, though it’s not thrown a whole lot.

All that said, Gaeckle provides an intriguing blend of pitchability and stuff. Anticipate him to be back in the Arkansas weekend rotation in 2026 and being one of the most dominant starters in the SEC.

Jackson Flora, UC Santa Barbara – 6’5, 205 lbs

After producing the second overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft with Tyler Bremner, UC Santa Barbara has a strong chance to produce another first rounder in Jackson Flora.

Flora turned in another dominant season for the Gauchos, logging 75 innings with a 3.60 ERA and an impressive 5.06 K-BB ratio. His profile features a rare combination of plus velocity and plus control, backed by whippy arm speed through the delivery that adds to his effectiveness.

Primarily a fastball/slider pitcher, both of these are above average pitches for Flora. His fastball is elite, sitting in the mid-90s and ranking in the 100th percentile for velocity. He spins it well, and the pitch provides better results when elevated in the zone, making it incredibly difficult for hitters to barrel.

The low-80s slider is just as dominant, averaging over 15 inches of sweep. Opposing hitters managed just a .163 average against it, while it produced a whiff rate just under 40%. Flora also incorporates a changeup and a curveball, though both offerings aren’t thrown often.

Following his All-Big West First Team honors in 2025, Flora is well-positioned to repeat in 2026 and is likely to receive preseason recognition as well. He’s expected to lead the Gauchos’ rotation and start most weekend openers, as Bremner did last season.

With a combination of stuff, pitchability, and athleticism, Flora has a legitimate chance to be not only the top draft-eligible arm on the West Coast, but also the best mid-major starting pitcher in the country.

Aidan Knaak, Clemson – 6’0, 205 lbs

Aidan Knaak ranked among the top pitchers in the ACC in 2024 and delivered one of the stronger performances among ACC starters in 2025. Pitching over 90 innings across 16 starts, he posted a 9-1 record with 110 strikeouts and a 1.11 WHIP. That said, Knaak’s feel for pitching and consistent productivity certainly outpace most of the other arms in the upcoming cycle.

Knaak’s best pitch is his changeup, thrown in the upper 70s. He uses it effectively against both left and right-handed hitters, as it features plus fade and late tumble throughout its trajectory. It’s arguably the top offspeed pitch in the class, boasting a 50% whiff rate, the highest among changeups in 2025.

His fastball sits in the lower 90s and has touched 96 mph during the season. Knaak’s third pitch is a low-80s curveball with true 12/6 movement, averaging 10 inches of drop. Additionally, he incorporated a sinker last season, a low-90s pitch with a similar shape to his effective changeup.

Knaak checks every box for a weekend ace. It’s a durable frame, five-pitch mix with feel, and a competitive presence on the mound. He became the first pitcher in Clemson history to earn First-Team All-ACC honors in each of his first two seasons, with a third likely on the way. Look for another standout campaign in 2026 as Clemson aims to return to Omaha for the first time in over 15 years.

LHP Trey Beard, Florida State – 6’2, 185 lbs

The final two pitchers on this list are recent transfers to Power 4 programs, starting with southpaw Trey Beard, who’s now set to join Florida State. He was the top left-handed arm in the American Athletic Conference last season, logging 86 innings with a 3.14 ERA, 118 strikeouts, and holding opponents to a .199 batting average.

Beard is a prime example of a pitcher who benefits from working vertically through the zone. The fastball may not stand out in terms of velocity, sitting at 90–92 mph, but it plays up thanks to a release height just under 7 feet and 20 inches of induced vertical break.

Along with the fastball, Beard incorporates three offspeed offerings that achieved over a 40% whiff rate in 2025. His primary secondary is a mid-70s changeup with good separation off his fastball with late fade. Beard also throws a mid 70s curveball often, a pitch that gets 12/6 action and also a ton of depth. The fourth pitch is a low-80s slider with short, tight action. While Beard doesn’t use it often, it’s a good bridge pitch between his fastball and curveball.

As a whole, it’s a fascinating blend of pitch data and plus command when it comes to Beard’s profile. Look for him to join Wes Mendes in Florida State’s weekend rotation and form a dominant left-handed duo in Tallahassee for the 2026 season.

RHP Joey Volchko, Georgia – 6’4, 218 lbs

Joey Volchko comes to Athens after spending the last two seasons across the country with Stanford.  It’s a loud delivery with a lot of moving parts, though it’s matched with loud stuff. That said, questions around his command remain, as evident by a 6.01 ERA over roughly 70 innings in 2025.

Volchko throws everything hard, it’s quite fascinating when diving in. He features two fastballs, headlined by a high-spin four-seamer with cut-ride traits that sits in the mid-90s and has been up to 99 in 2025. He also mixes in a low-to-mid-90s sinker, using it against both lefties and righties to provide a different trajectory with similar velocity.

Along with these, Volchko mixes three other offspeed pitches. Primarily, a tight slider that sits around 90, it’s got late bite and tight, two-plane action. Arguably the most intriguing pitch in his arsenal is a firm upper-80s curveball. It posted a 52% whiff rate and averaged more than 9 inches of drop, which is unheard of given that type of velocity.

Volchko rounds out his arsenal with a low 90s changeup, thrown down in the zone and primarily against left-handed batters.

Overall, Volchko provides quite the intriguing profile. Velocity is everywhere across his arsenal, and the upside is off the charts. Now with a fresh start with Georgia, head coach Wes Johnson will be eager to develop him to a greater level. Even with arguably the top transfer class, Volchko is poised to fill big holes and contribute significantly in the Bulldogs’ 2026 pitching plans.