The 2026 MLB Draft is in the books, and the National League Central teams have made their picks. The Chicago Cubs focused on pitching, selecting Mississippi right-hander Cade Townsend, who showed top-10-pick caliber stuff before fatigue and a minor shoulder issue took it down a notch. The Cubs also added Texas A&M outfielder Caden Sorrell, who brings big power potential to the system.
The Cincinnati Reds made a high-risk, high-reward pick with Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron, who has the best pure tools in the college class. The Reds also drafted Virginia shortstop Eric Becker, who has a plus hit tool and excellent contact skills. The Milwaukee Brewers added another Ebel, Corona High School shortstop Trey Ebel, whose older brother Brady was their second pick in 2025.
The St. Louis Cardinals had a deep, balanced class, with extra picks yielding strong and diverse talent. They selected Georgia high school outfielder Trevor Condon, who has strong contact skills and excellent bat speed, and Tennessee right-hander Tegan Kuhns, who dominated the SEC with a plus fastball and curveball. The Cardinals also added University of Central Florida outfielder Andrew Williamson, who posted excellent batted-ball data, and Texas Tech outfielder Caden Ferraro, who had the highest max exit velocity among all qualifying Division 1 hitters.
The Pittsburgh Pirates targeted strong college bats early, selecting LSU outfielder Derek Curiel, who has one of the best pure hit tools in the country, and New York high school shortstop Aiden Ruiz, who is a plus defender at shortstop. The Pirates also added Auburn second baseman Chris Rembert, who was one of the best hitters in the country, and UNC right-hander Jason DeCaro, who has a four-pitch mix that doesn't have anything plus right now.
Overall, the 2026 MLB Draft saw the National League Central teams make a variety of picks, with a focus on pitching, power-hitting outfielders, and strong college bats.
