Most Intriguing Braves Draft Picks From 2026 Class

The 2026 MLB Draft is in the rearview mirror, and the Atlanta Braves have 20 players selected and could potentially add to their system.

None of signed yet, which means any could opt to go to school. For now all of them are up to be looked for what they could bring to the table.

Here a look at two of the most intriguing additions to the system.

Jensen Hirschkorn, Third-Round Pick

I'm curious if this is a player that the Braves will go above the slot value in order to sign. Hirschkorn stands at 6-foot-7 and brings two notable pitches along with above-average control. There

The best part, he's 18 years old and has the chance to develop so much further. He is considered to average 95 to 96 mph with ease and could potentially throw at 100 mph as he gets stronger.

His slider is in the low 80s, while the changeup is in the mid-80s. There is some solid change in speed as well as some solid shapes and movement.

A big thing here is the potential ceiling. For someone out of high school, he's aready come a long way in some areas that many don't get to refine further until they're in college or the minor leagues.

It'll be fascinating to see where he stands in a couple of years when he's a couple of years into developing in the minor leagues and perhaps has gone through a level or two in the system.

Kaiden McCarthy, Second-Round Pick

McCarthy currently brings average control to the table, but he has two well-developed pitches that could help him succeed in the professional ranks.

He has a fastball that is rated a 60 (plus) and a changeup rated at a 55 (above average). Along with those two high-rated pitches, he brings a two-seam fastball, a curveball and a slider to the table. As his control improves, he shouldn't have much trouble keeping hitters off-balance.

The two-seamer is considered to have some good break to it, and his velocity can touch 99 mph. His slider touches the high 80s, but his curveball is more in the low 80s.

What also stands out is a storyline. There has never been a high schooler from Vermont to get drafted and make it to the big leagues since the Draft was instituted in the 1960s. Only two have gone in the first five rounds.

There is clear belief in himself that he's ready. He made the effort to reclassify for this draft class. He is considered undersized, but the velocity that he brings stood out enough for the Braves to be the ones who are choosing to take a chance on him.

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