Jackson Flora

UC Santa Barbara has become quite the pitching factory in recent years, and with Tyler Bremner being taken second overall by the Angels, Flora could potentially be the next Gaucho to be selected in the first round.

Flora is the definition of projectable. He's got a super long, elastic 6 foot 5 frame with lengthy levers and strength gains still to be made. He's incredibly flexible and stretchy when moving down the mound, with a quick, whippy arm that works from a three-quarter slot. Flora's athletic ability to move down the mound allows him to generate extension close to 7 feet.

Flora's main offering is an explosive fastball that will live in the mid to high 90's and has been clocked in the triple digits. In 2026, he's dropped his arm slot slightly and is still getting a super verty shape on the pitch. It's gotten north of 20 inches of IVB with cut-ride action and spin rates north of 2500 rpms. This is already a 70 grade offering.

Flora has shifted around his breaking balls in some regard this year, gravitating towards throwing a harder upper 80's cutter with shorter break and high spin rates. The sweeper has been the more famous of the two in the past, with huge horizontal shape - north of 18 inches - and some depth aswell. The pitch lacks a ton of power, regularly sitting in the high 70's, and Flora will have to work on not dropping his arm slot compared to his fastball inorder to achieve the shape.

Probably his most improved pitch over the course of the last year, Flora has started throwing a high 80's kick changeup that has flashed the look of a potential above average or better offering. Flora can at times get north of 15 inches of vertical seperation off the heater with the pitch, aswell as north of 10 inches of arm side action.

Compared to his first two collegiate years, Flora has a much more complete arsenal, now with a true swing-and-miss offering against lefties. Pair the arsenal with what could become above average control, and Flora has the makings of a top 5 selection. Early, he has looked like the clear favorite to be the first arm off the board.