Preseason games are underway, schedules are set, and for some high school programs, Opening Day is just days away. Spring is officially here, and with it comes the stretch of the calendar where draft boards begin to take shape, each passing day bringing us closer to that pivotal moment in July.
In this article, we’ll be breaking down 10 high school players with legitimate helium potential in the months ahead. Several are returning from injury with something to prove, others are looking to quiet lingering questions in their profiles, and a few simply possess the type of rare traits that can force evaluators to dream bigger with every look. If things click this spring, don’t be surprised to see these names surge up boards and firmly plant themselves in early-round conversations come July.
Brody Bumila, LHP • Bishop Feehan (MA)
Bumila was considered one of the top left-handed arms in the entirety of the class prior to a UCL injury he suffered in the summer of 2024. That injury unfortunately caused him to miss the rest of the season, along with the following 2025 spring and summer.
Bumila is back and throwing in 2026, working his way onto the mound, where he looks poised to have a breakout spring. All early signs have been extremely promising. He’s already worked up into the mid-90s despite still ramping up. He was up to 98 prior to his injury, so there’s hope that in-season he’ll be at or around that mark, maybe even higher. The velocity has been Bumila’s calling card for as long as he’s been on the circuit, but some of the other characteristics here make the total package even more intriguing.
For starters, Bumila is a menacingly huge human being. Standing at 6 foot 9, 250 lbs, he looks like a hulking giant on the field. His size allows him to generate plus extension down the mound, nearing 7 feet. This is already a tough at-bat just due to his pure size and length; couple in some of the other characteristics, and it’s easy to envision the final product.
Despite being 6 foot 9, Bumila launches regularly from a sub-5-foot release height. His heater has above-average carry despite the fact that it comes from a lower arm slot, along with monster spin rates nearing 2700 rpms. It’s nutty characteristics, to where you could make the case that Bumila has a chance to grow into a 70-grade fastball once fully matured.
That’s not the only intriguing part of his arsenal, though. The changeup has flashed exceptional metrics as well, with huge horizontal movement and some depth when thrown well. Continued development of the breaking ball will be a focus, but the arm talent here is undeniable.
Bumila will likely be in high attendance when he steps off the mound this spring. Teams won’t have much to go off, so his high school season will be weighed much heavier than others who proved themselves over the summer. Still, there’s no question that if it all “clicks,” Bumila could shoot his way up draft boards and end up a potential day one pick.
Jack Dugan, SS • Lipscomb Academy (TN)
There may not be a name on this list that has a higher ceiling than Jack Dugan. Some of the physical and athletic traits here are absolutely jaw-dropping.
Dugan has had quite the mixed results throughout his high school career as a whole. As a Junior at Lipscomb Academy, Dugan hit .447 with 9 home runs en route to a state title. It looked like Dugan was due for a breakout summer, but what followed were some struggles. He ended the 2025 summer circuit hitting just .086, with little to no slug present on his baseball card. The summer numbers may be discouraging, but the raw tools speak for themselves.
At the plate, Dugan features a smooth, compact left-handed swing. It’s ultra-strong hands at impact, and a path that allows him to make quick, tight turns on pitches thrown toward the inner half. That being said, his swing can get stiff at times, limiting his adjustability, and he can get lungy with his front side. Plenty of holes got exposed in his swing this summer, both with velocity and spin.
These issues led to poor bat-to-ball metrics as a whole across the circuit, both inside and outside the strike zone. Poor contact rates mixed with trouble chasing spin off the plate resulted in a high strikeout rate. Dugan has some things to iron out with the hit tool, that’s for sure, but as we mentioned, the raw athletic traits here are undeniable.
Dugan possesses exceptional bat speed that’s been captured on Blast Motion sensors as some of the best in the class. That’s pretty scary, considering there’s still room for good muscle to be added onto the 6 foot 2 inch frame. Dugan’s force plate testing—elite—not to mention he’s also bordering on 70-grade run times as well. It’s freakish raw tools, to where you could make an argument that the twitch and explosiveness offered here is some of the best, if not the best, in the entirety of the 2026 class.
Dugan is an average defender with footwork that projects better for third or second base as he continues to fill out. He’s got above-average arm strength that should play anywhere in the field.
Dugan has a lot of lingering questions in his profile, but you’d be hard pressed to find this type of clay at the prep level. Considering the summer struggles, Dugan will have a lot of reassuring to do with scouts on the hit tool. That being said, if it all comes together at the right times this spring, we could be talking about a potential top 2-round pick.
Drew Christine, LHP • St. Johns College (D.C.)
Hailing from Washington, DC, Christine represents one of the more intriguing southpaws in the prep class. While the fastball has barely scraped north of 90 mph, the pitch has true traits that could make it a haymaker of an offering in due time.
Christine has some pretty gaudy under-the-hood metrics. The most impressive of them all is his elite extension down the mound, measured at an astounding 7.7 feet back at September’s Prep Baseball All-American Game. For reference, Logan Gilbert, who led all of Major League Baseball in 2025, averaged 7.6 feet of extension on his fastball, per Baseball Savant. With how well he gets down the mound, Christine releases the ball closer to the plate than anyone in the 2026 class.
The extension aids all his offerings, allowing them to play up, but especially the fastball, as despite the pitch sitting in the high 80’s regularly, its perceived velocity is well beyond that. The pitch also features plus shape and carry, regularly registering IVB readings on TrackMan north of 20 inches, as well as sizzling spin rates that have, at times, eclipsed 2600 rpms. Christine’s best secondary is a low- to mid-70’s curveball with spin rates north of 2700 rpms. The pitch doesn’t possess elite power nor shape, but looks like a solid-average offering. Christine also throws a low-80’s changeup, though he elects to use that pitch less. It’s an intriguing total package. Yes, an upper-80’s fastball coming from a prep draft prospect is underwhelming, but there’s actually no reason to think the velocity can’t tick up as well.
Christine has considerable strength projection left in his frame. Standing at 6-foot-3, 170 lbs, it’s easy to dream of what the now-wiry frame could look like with some added muscle. It’s reasonable to believe that an uptick in physicality and size will lead to an increase in fastball velocity, along with overall stuff.
The underlying metrics, starter’s operation, and countless other traits make Christine an obvious pick-to-click this spring, not to mention he’ll be just 18.2 on draft day. If the fastball sees an increase in velocity like some expect, it’s not out of the question that Christine forces himself into a day one spot come July.
Ethan Wachsmann, RHP • Grandview (CO)
Wachsmann has a chance to soar up draft boards this spring; he’s our pick for this year’s breakout cold-weather arm. Every year there seems to be one who tends to find themselves catapulted up boards. Wachsmann has added considerable size and strength this winter, hitting 99.4 mph during an in-door bullpen in December. It feels like his stuff has only been on a linear ascent over the past calendar year.
Wachsmann’s fastball will be his calling card. In the past, it’s lived in the low to mid-90’s, touching 97, with sizzling spin rates and carry toward the top of the zone. The fact that the pitch could be flirting with triple digits makes it an even more intriguing offering.
Wachsmann’s best secondary is a low-80’s changeup that he sells well with some tumble to his arm side. The pitch is quite effective against left-handed hitters, especially when he can spot it on the outside part of the plate. Wachsmann also throws a slurvy, high-spin breaking ball, though the pitch has lacked power in the past.
This will be a fun follow this spring, even if Colorado high school baseball doesn’t officially start until early to mid-March. Wachsmann will have plenty of eyes on him. It’s clear top-100 pick upside if it all comes together.
Dominic Battista, OF • Oswego East (IL)
You could argue that Battista shouldn’t be on this list at all, considering he’s already “clicked” in some regard. He was a bit of a sleeper name headed into the fall, but made his presence felt at the WWBA World Championships down in Jupiter. The tools were on full display there, causing him to land on our “Fall risers” list back in November. The upward climb has only continued, as Battista posted some pretty eye-popping numbers at the Prep Baseball Super 60 this past weekend, ranking toward the top of the entire event in terms of multiple metrics (more on that later). That being said, if certain aspects of his game improve, Battista could find himself even higher on draft boards.
What’s seen the biggest uptick for Battista over the past calendar year has been the raw power. He’s added on some muscle mass to the 6-foot-1 frame, now 187 pounds, which has translated to plus bat speed readings.
That raw power was on full display at the Super 60, where Battista posted an impressive 108.5 mph max exit velocity, while also boasting an 104.1 average mark. His max exit velocity ranked 4th out of the whole event, even more impressive considering 2 of the 3 ahead of him weighed in at north of 220 lbs, more than a 30-pound difference. To go with the raw power, Battista is an excellent runner who’s quick out of the box and has posted plus run times. Pair that with at least above-average arm strength, and you’ve got a profile some consider fit for center field long-term.
Battista will need to continue to assure scouts on the hit tool this spring, considering he doesn’t possess the same track record of hitting higher-caliber arms compared to some of his peers and has struggled with strikeout woes in the past. He struck out in 22 of his 81 plate appearances his junior spring, while also hitting for a .242 average. Though those issues have seemingly improved in his summer stints, it’s still a skeptic part of his profile, even with a fluid left-handed swing that looks quite “hitterish.”
The tools here are endless; Battista’s made that pretty clear in his showings. Now, with a coat of polish to his offensive game, it’s a day one ceiling. Not to mention his commitment to the University of Chicago Illinois (UIC) will likely be an easier sign away for a team compared to an SEC powerhouse.
Jake Carbaugh, RHP • Plant City (FL)
Standing at 6 foot 6, 225 pounds, Carbaugh has the type of frame that scouts look for in a long-term starting pitching prospect. It’s plenty of projection with a high waist and long limbs, but also a durable, strong frame.
Carbaugh can move down the mound, too. It’s an athletic delivery, considerable extension, and a low three-quarters slot that’s quite deceptive.
Carbaugh is already off to quite a hot spring. His start against the No. 13 team in the nation—Venice—at the Prep Baseball Florida Preseason Classic was loud, to say the least. He threw 4 innings of 3-hit baseball, 7 Ks, and no walks across just 61 pitches.
The fastball for Carbaugh has generally lived more in the low 90’s in the past, at times touching 94, but has seemingly ticked up this spring. In his last start, Carbaugh touched 96, a new personal best in-game, living in the 93–96 range regularly. There’s no reason to think that number can’t continue to climb as the season progresses. With his low launch height, Carbaugh throws his fastball with huge tailing action—north of 20 inches of horizontal movement—and a flat vertical approach angle that allows it to play at the top of the zone.
Carbaugh throws a full array of secondaries, all with promise. His best is a low- to mid-80’s changeup that plays phenomenally well off the fastball with similar tailing action and some vertical depth. He’s shown feel for locating that pitch low and away from left-handed hitters. Carbaugh also shows off a low-80’s sweeping slider with huge lateral shape and spin rates north of 2800 rpms. He mixed in a firmer upper-80’s cutter in his recent start with tighter, firmer shape. He’s yet to throw the pitch much, so time will tell how it performs.
Carbaugh has clear starting traits, with multiple avenues to rise up boards this spring. It’s day one upside if it all comes together. Carbaugh flipped his commitment from Wake Forest to Mississippi State back in late October. He’ll be on the younger side of the class, 18.0 on draft day.
Luke Williams, SS/OF • Franklin Regional (PA)
While he missed almost the entirety of the circuit due to an ankle injury, you could argue that Williams has one of the louder tool sets out of any player in this prep class. This is a profile that has a chance to rise into early day one consideration with a strong spring.
Williams is one of the more gifted athletes in the 2026 class. He’s a plus runner with electric foot speed, and athletic testing numbers that dwarf most of his peers. The defensive tools here are considerate. Williams has been up to 100 mph from the outfield, with arm strength that projects to end up as a double-plus tool. He’s played both shortstop and center field, and is athletic enough to end up playing either position at a high level. It’s traits to dream on.
Like others on this list, Williams has at times struggled with some swing-and-miss and strikeout woes. His swing can get long and out of sync at times, and he can at times get in trouble when being too passive early in at-bats, getting himself into unfavorable counts. Williams will need to address these issues this spring, considering he doesn’t have any data from the summer circuit, and when he did play down at the WWBA in Jupiter, those issues were still quite apparent with a 31.6 percent overall whiff rate.
Despite some of the contact issues, Williams projects to slug at the next level. He’s got electric bat speed despite his size, with some feel for pulling the baseball in the air. There’s no reason to think the raw power can’t tick up even more with some added mass, though the power/speed combo is already quite tantalizing. Williams flipped his commitment from the University of Virginia to Vanderbilt back in June. He’ll be 18.6 on draft day.
Brody Schumaker, SS • Santa Margarita (CA)
The son of recently hired Rangers head coach Skip Schumaker, Brody was selected to USA Baseball’s 18u National Team this summer, where he was a standout, to say the least. He ended the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup hitting .545 with a 1.116 OPS, starting in 3 games and playing in 5 amongst some of the best players the USA has to offer, while also facing exceptionally talented players from all across the world.
Schumaker has received tons of positive feedback from early this spring and in the fall. He’s up nearly 10 pounds since the summer with some added strength, but he’s still maintained some of the other characteristics of his game that made him this revered of a prospect in the first place.
It starts with Schumaker’s pure hitting ability, which you could already label as some of the best in the class. Schumaker makes contact with just about everything thrown to him inside the strike zone. It’s exceptional bat-to-ball skills that were backed by gaudy whiff rates across the summer circuit.
The main concern with Schumaker has just been the amount of impact. He’s undersized, standing at 5 foot 10, and his swing can get slappy at times with limited feel for lifting the baseball. With the added weight, however, it seems like Schumaker has seen an uptick in bat speed and raw power, though that likely will never be a huge part of his game. It’s still an exciting development, especially considering some of the other traits here.
Schumaker’s loudest set of tools may be his legs. He may be even faster now despite the added size, as he’s bordered on home-to-first splits of 4 seconds, considered an elite time. It’s potentially a double-plus runner. Schumaker has played some shortstop, though arm strength considered, he’ll likely shift over to second base once in pro ball. Schumaker is committed to Texas Christian University. He’ll be 18.6 on draft day.
James Jorgensen, RHP • Jesuit College Prep (TX)
Jorgensen, like many others on this list, unfortunately suffered from an injury, causing him to miss the entirety of the summer circuit; in his case, most of his junior year as well. He’s back on the mound again and healthy in 2026, and has surely made his presence felt.
While undersized at 6 feet tall, Jorgensen has electric arm talent. He burst onto the scene in multiple fall events, touching 96 with a bully fastball that was eating hitters alive. He followed up the strong fall with an even better start to the spring.
At Area Codes Select Central, Jorgensen might have been the best arm at the event. He was sitting in the mid 90s with a fastball that displayed plus carry and ride from a taller release height. He also flashed a high-spinning mid-70’s curveball with sharp, biting depth. The changeup lags behind the other two offerings, but it’s hard to ignore the stuff here. Better still, Jorgenson is still climbing. He was up to 98 in his most recent preseason outing, living in the 94–97 range.
Jorgensen has a repeatable delivery, but there is some effort to the operation. Time will tell if he’ll be able to start, but at the worst, he ends up a potential high-leverage relief arm at the next level. It’s power stuff. Jorgensen will likely be highly scouted this spring, with plenty of opportunities to jump up boards.
Genson Veras, OF • TNXL Academy (FL)
Veras is one of the more physically imposing high school bats you’ll find in any draft class, point blank period. He’s a man amongst boys, standing at 6 foot 6, 225 pounds, with huge strength spread throughout the entire frame. The physical traits here are matched by few.
That strength translates directly into the batter’s box, where Veras has some of the most potent raw power out of anyone in the class. His bat speed has been measured at slightly north of 87 mph at its peak, considered an elite number. To pair, he’s been clocked with exit velocities north of 110 mph at times with a metal bat in his hands. It’s true slugger traits.
Where Veras currently lacks heavily in his offensive game is with his bat-to-ball skills and approach. He’s been well known as a guy whose strikeout rates can get inflamed, as he can get overly aggressive and generally miss pitches served into the zone at a much higher rate than one would like. His 2025 summer circuit encompassed just that. Veras’s whiff and chase rates as a whole were well below average; he struggled with pitches inside and outside the zone alike. Veras has plenty of raw power, there’s no denying that; the question moving forward will just be: can he hit enough to get to that power?
Veras has some pretty exciting tools on the defensive side of the ball as well. He’s an above-average runner despite the physical frame, who’s bordered on plus run times, and has been clocked up to 98 mph from the outfield. It likely ends up in right field when it’s all said and done.
Veras is already off to a blistering hot start this spring with TNXL Academy. He’s already up to 6 home runs on the year at the time of the writing of this article, in just 30 at-bats, to make it even more impressive. If the hit tool can show significant strides this spring, then Veras is a name who could sneak into early day two, potentially end-of-day-one territory. This is one to know.