2026 is giving us a lot to look forward to, and we’re here to give you a preview of some of the biggest things to track as the year progresses. From an electric 2026 high school class, to a draft class that includes highly-ranked players from the high school and college ranks, to pro debuts, there’s a lot to follow over the next 12 months.
If you haven’t seen our 2025 recap, you can do so here. If you’re all up-to-date, then let’s dive into what looks to be a memorable 2026.
Season One
In 2025, we welcomed Top Tier McHenry County and Top Tier Lincoln-Way (formerly known as Top Tier Hernandez). Both will have their inaugural seasons in 2026.
Brian Haugh and Mario Mescino will lead McHenry County, while Anthony Hernandez will oversee Top Tier Lincoln-Way located in the southwest suburbs of Chicago.
We’re wishing all of the Top Tier players, parents and coaches from these locations the best as they enter season one.
Super 60
The Super 60 Pro Showcase is set for Sunday, Feb. 1 at The MAX in McCook, Ill. The Super 60 is widely known as the top preseason amateur scouting event featuring the best talent in the 2026 class.
In 2025, Top Tier had two players in the event – Conor Essenburg and CJ Deckinga. Both stood out in front of MLB scouts and earned high praise from the Prep Baseball scouting staff.
This year, four Top Tier players are set to attend and workout in front of a packed MAX. Ethan Bass, Jack Slightom, TJ McQuillan and Chase Wilk have all accepted invites and will be on-hand to kick off the 2026 draft circuit.
Bass, Slightom and McQuillan are ranked No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, in the state of Illinois. Wilk is the No. 13-ranked senior in Nevada and the state’s top-ranked first baseman.
In the coming weeks, we’ll publish a Super 60 preview going in-depth on each player.
2026 Draft Class
The Super 60 conversation is a great segue into the 2026 draft class, which across college and high school, is one of the deepest in Top Tier history.
When dissecting the 2026 draft class, it starts at the very top with Liam Peterson and Kaden Waechter. Peterson and Waechter are Top Tier Roos products – Peterson a 2023 high school grad and Waechter a 2026 high school grad.
Since graduating from Calvary Christian, Peterson has been a bright spot for Florida as the Gators’ Friday night starter. Last season, he had an 8-4 record and appeared in 16 games. Despite a few pop-up injuries, Peterson has largely been reliable and pitched deep into the summer last year as part of USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team.
According to MLB Pipeline’s initial mock draft, Peterson is projected to go No. 11 to the Washington Nationals. Prep Baseball’s initial mock has Peterson at 20 to the Boston Red Sox. Peterson looks to be the newest Top Tier first-rounder – the first since Roos teammate Aidan Miller in 2023.
Waechter is also being projected as a first-rounder, somewhere in the later parts of the first round. He’s been projected as early as No. 25 to the Milwaukee Brewers.
When you factor in two projected first rounders, along with the Super 60 talent in Bass, Slightom and McQuillan, the 2026 draft class will be deep. Not to mention others like Sammy Swank and Dylan Bowen. With so many determining factors as to whether players will hear their name called, one thing is certain: the 2026 class is one of the deepest in Top Tier’s 23-year history.
College
As soon as the first of the year hits, the college guys are essentially in-season. There’s a lot to look forward to in the college ranks, and we already highlighted the man leading the charge in Peterson. Cade Kurland, teammate of Peterson, will look to bounce back from a season-ending injury he sustained early in 2025. The Gators will also add AJ Malzone, Wabash Valley standout, who will be in his first season in Gainesville.
Another trio to keep an eye on is Tomas Valincius, Vytas Valincius and Jack Bauer, as the three descended upon Starkville, Mississippi last fall. Tomas, with a strong freshman season under his belt, will be a rotation guy as a sophomore at Mississippi State. Vytas joined Mississippi State as a grad transfer after completing his degree at the University of Illinois. Bauer will begin his freshman season after a heavily-publicized senior year at Lincoln-Way East where he set the high school record for fastball velocity.
Daniel Pacella is in his final season, playing for Ole Miss after transferring from Illinois State where he had multiple All-MVC caliber seasons.
John Abraham and Wes Mendes are primed to have solid seasons at Florida State. Steve Milam, 2025 College World Series champion, looks to continue an already great career at LSU.
More to come on college guys when we publish our college alumni preview next month.
Pro Ball
One of the biggest highlights of 2025 was Top Tier alum Bobby Seymour, making his MLB debut with the Tampa Bay Rays. This year, we’ll get to follow Seymour as he begins a career overseas in Japan with Nippon Professional Baseball.
Aidan Miller is projected by MLB Pipeline to arrive in the majors in 2026. Miller will likely begin the season in Triple-A where he finished in the fall of 2025. Miller hit .333 in his abbreviated stint in Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Ryan Sloan capped his 2025 campaign by being promoted from Low-A to High-A and received the Mariners Minor League Pitcher of the Year award. He’s currently the No. 4 prospect in the Mariners system – the top RHP. Sloan’s 2026 season will be followed closely by many, including Top Tier players, coaches and staff.
Conor Essenburg will start his first full season of pro ball with the Atlanta Braves. He was selected in the fifth round in the 2025 MLB draft and signed, forgoing his commitment to the University of Kentucky. Essenburg is listed as the No. 9 prospect in the Braves organization.
Brendan Summerhill will begin his first full season in pro ball as well. He was drafted last summer by the Tampa Bay Rays with the No. 42 overall pick out of the University of Arizona. Summerhill started his pro career in Single-A with the Charleston RiverDogs where he hit .333 in 36 at-bats.
Colin Summerhill opens up year two as a pro. He played for the Low-A Inland Empire 66’ers and the High-A Tri-City Dust Devils in 2025. Both Summerhill brothers look to have a breakout 2026 season on opposite sides of the country.
Whether it’s inaugural seasons, national exposure, draft projections or pro debuts, the 2026 story will be great to tell in 12 months time. Top Tier enters the year with as much to track—and anticipate—as ever.
