The MLB Draft is happening this week as part of the Midsummer Classic – which also includes the Home Run Derby, All-Star Game, and Futures All-Star Game – with several Mississippi prospects expected to hear their names called.
The first round of the draft will happen Saturday at noon CT with subsequent rounds running through Sunday. While the total draft is 20 rounds, most eyes will be on the first three dozen plus one picks, covering the first round and supplemental first round. MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo released his penultimate mock before the actual draft, and it includes players from Mississippi State, Ole Miss, and the state’s high school ranks.
Here are the local guys that Mayo believes will be drafted sooner than later.
No. 5: Eric Booth Jr., OF, Oak Grove HS (Pirates)
The last time the Pittsburgh Pirates used their first pick in the draft on a Mississippi prep prospect, it worked out pretty well. Konnor Griffin was called up to the show earlier this season after being selected with the ninth pick in the 2024 draft out of Jackson Prep. He’s batting .276 with five home runs, 25 RBI, and 20 stolen bases, and is already considered one of the faces of the franchise.
In the case of Booth, his “serious tools” such as raw athleticism, speed, and being able to hit for contact is what sets him apart, according to Mayo. The 6-foot, 198-pound outfielder has not hit below .400 since he was a freshman at Oak Grove. As a senior, he batted .481 with five home runs, four triples, and 31 RBI. He also stole 23 bases. Mayo is currently committed to Vanderbilt but is expected to forego college to go professional.
No. 11: Ace Reese, 3B, Mississippi State (Nationals)
Bulldog fans will miss Ace Reese. There’s no doubt about it. But the two-time All-SEC third baseman will soon have a home in the big leagues, joining a long list of Mississippi State players to hear their names called in the opening rounds of the MLB Draft.
Mayo has Reese going right outside the top 10 to the Washington Nationals, as “word is the Nats do like the Mississippi State third baseman.” This past season, the junior batted .336 – a slight dip from his .352 average in 2025 – while hitting 24 home runs and raking in 74 RBI. He’s a steady fielder, too, only making a couple errors in his time with the maroon and white.
No. 33: Cole Prosek, 3B/C, Magnolia Heights HS (Rays)
Magnolia Heights has become a baseball factory with eight consecutive private-school championships, and famed alum Cooper Pratt recently being called up to the Milwaukee Brewers. Now, another player from Senatobia is destined to get a shot at the big leagues.
Cole Prosek, who can play both third base and catcher, is predicted to go to the Tampa Bay Rays in the first supplemental round (picks specifically awarded to small-market or low-revenue teams for competitive balance) at No. 33 overall. The Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year batted .585 with 18 home runs and 79 RBI as a senior. If he does get drafted earlier, Prosek will have a choice to make: immediately jump to the farm system or maintain his commitment to Ole Miss.
No. 37: Cade Townsend, RHP, Ole Miss (Rockies)
Speaking of the Rebels, another player who will have a decision to make is Cade Townsend. The right-handed pitcher with two years of college eligibility left is predicted to be drafted by the Colorado Rockies with the last pick of the supplemental first round.
Townsend started 14 games in 2026, compiling a 5-3 record with a 3.94 ERA and 88 strikeouts. While Townsend’s stats aren’t terribly eyepopping, his five-pitch arsenal (including a fast ball that peaks around 98 mph and a tight-break cutter) is what makes him a prospect with a lot of upside.
