2026 High School Baseball Draft: Top Pitchers to Watch

Let’s predict the draft picks for high school pitchers to watch in 2026.

Top high school pitcher draft candidates

Last year in JanuaryGenki IshigakiPitcher (Kendai Takasaki)Yoki MoriI expected the pitcher (Osaka Toin) to be a high pick, but this year the four mentioned above are candidates, and it seems certain that he will be a high pick in the draft “if he aspires to be a professional.”

Oda ShokiThe pitcher is tall at 185 cm, and has a strong and flexible form, as well as a high level of strength and control of his fast and breaking balls. He also has a track record as the ace who won the Senbatsu championship last year. Although he sometimes pitched a little unbalanced in the summer, I don’t think there is any problem in rating him as the No. 1 pitcher among high school pitchers. Compared to pitcher Ishigaki, I rate his fastballs as being slightly lower, his breaking balls at the same level, and his future prospects higher. If his body had grown this year and he was able to throw 150 kilograms with ease, he would be considered an instant hit by the pros like pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka.

Yosei KodaThe scale of his pitching is unprecedented even in recent years, and Shohei Ohtani is the one to compare him to. However, one of the characteristics of big players is that they are not yet organized at the time of high school, but I think it is better that way. Just like Otani did, I think he still needs to improve his pitching and hitting skills. The strength of his fastballs and the strength of his batted balls to left field that he showed last spring are incredible, but in the summer and fall, he was experimenting with both pitching and batting, and at the Meiji-Jingu Tournament in the fall, he was trying to hit in the opposite direction and pitch to create a game. To be honest, I think that right now, rather than winning or losing a match, I want them to pursue something overwhelming. That’s probably the kind of player he is.

Ryojo SueyoshiThe pitcher is not very tall, but he is still a southpaw who throws fastballs of around 150 kg, and his distinguishing feature is the depth of his pitches. He has the mental strength to remain unwavering on the mound, and uses his deep form to throw straight and curveballs without wavering, and the control and quality of his curveballs is impeccable. Compared to Orix’s ace pitcher Miyagi, he doesn’t have the characteristics of a left-handed pitcher such as a big curveball, slider, or changeup, but he can be evaluated as a ready-to-use pitcher in terms of his ability to continue throwing fast and vertical curveballs. All eyes are on whether he will aspire to become a professional player.

What makes him unique as a southpaw?Riku TakabeProbably a pitcher. He has sharp curves, changeups, and sliders, and he also throws fastballs that are in the mid-140km range. It also has a mound that makes it look large, which makes it difficult to feel the size of its body. He has the mental strength and physical strength to play a full game. However, in the fall, he is pitching most of the time by himself, and there are concerns about breakdowns. If all goes well, he will be nominated in second place or higher.

Other high school pitchers likely to be drafted

Ichiwakayama is likely to be a top draft candidate.Ryosuke NiwaPitcher and Osaka ToinKansuke YoshiokaTwo pitchers. Pitcher Niwa is a right-handed pitcher who pitched well against Yokohama High School at Senbatsu last year, and he throws fastballs of around 150km and a flexible form, such as the Ichi Wakayama traditional vertical slider. Due to his size, he can be seen as a rival to pitcher Oda. Pitcher Yoshioka is not big, but he has a good form that makes it seem like all of his body is connected, and his inner muscles are strong, and he can easily throw a ball with good rotation of 150 km.

Nakatani Kakiwith pitcherKenda LaikoThere are still many unknowns about the pitcher, but Nakatani’s body size and compact form allow him to throw a mid-140 kg pitch, making him the No. 1 pick in last year’s draft.Atsuya FujikawaIt makes you feel like a pitcher (Nobeoka Gakuen). He has plenty of experience, and his pitching this year will attract attention. Pitcher Katata pitched wonderfully in the game against Meitoku Gijuku last summer. From the first inning to the ninth inning, he threw a mid-140 km pitch, and both his breaking balls and sharpness were excellent. The pitcher who appeared like a comet didn’t pitch much at Koshien, and he’s not that big, but when you watch him pitch that pitch, there’s no doubt that people will be paying attention to what he’s going to do next.

In addition, in terms of overall strength, OmiKensuke UedaThe pitcher has strong fastballs, sharp curveballs, and game-changing pitches, and if things go well, he will be nominated. Senior Saitama SeibuYosho YamadaThe scale is bigger than that of a pitcher.Pausiapitcher,Hirata Reishopitcher,Daisho Fujiokapitcher,Xincheng FengyaThe pitcher has a ball speed of mid-140km/h, and is attracting attention as a scale right-handed pitcher, but Shinshiro in particular has great expectations for his 188cm tall body and the angle of his straight throws.

Okinawa Shogaku, one of the driving forces behind the summer championship.Arihiro AragakiThe pitcher has a form and ball coordination that allows him to suppress opponents even when the ball speed is in the 130km/h range. He can also get a count on curveballs, and he can also take away whiffs. After that, in order to build up his body size, he will have to decide whether to do it professionally or at university. Gifu Commercial, who showed great pitching at Koshien last summer.Sosuke ShibataPitcher, Takagawa GakuenEiji KinoshitaThere is no doubt that his pitcher will be in the spotlight, but his career path will also be in the spotlight.

Prediction of nomination order

Let’s compare him to the high school pitchers who were nominated last year and predict his pick order.