If he continues on his current trajectory, Grady Emerson, Baseball America’s No. 1 rated prospect in the high school class of 2026, is not likely to play in college. An early candidate to be the top pick in the 2026 MLB draft, Emerson has an excellent chance to at least go in the top 10 and will likely sign with the team that picks him.
So this week’s news that Emerson is changing his college commitment might not seem important – unless you are a fan of college baseball in Texas. That’s because Emerson announced on Instagram that he is flipping from TCU to the University of Texas.
As you’d expect, the battle for state recruits is often vigorous in Texas, with the two above-mentioned schools competing with fellow powers Texas A&M, Baylor, Rice and Dallas Baptist.
And currently, Texas is building a powerful 2026 class that also includes fellow Baseball America top 25 players in righthanded pitcher Trey Rangel (No. 8), lefthanded pitcher Brody Bumila (No. 15), third baseman Beau Peterson (No. 16) and catcher Brady Murrietta (No. 23). Five other players ranked in BA’s top 150 are currently in the Longhorns’ class.
The question, then, is will the perception of flipping the No. 1 prospect help boost the Longhorns even more? Will other top players follow suit, giving Texas one of the top teams in the SEC and the country?
Time will tell, but Emerson is the real deal. A 6-foot-2, 180-pound shortstop, Emerson bats left handed and is considered the top hitter in the class. He consistently makes contact, has a fantastic handle on the strike zone and is developing power. He’s also a good enough athlete to stick at shortstop long term.
So if he ends up in college, the Longhorns are getting a great player. Even if he doesn’t, though, it seems that Texas might be getting a boost to what is already a great 2026 class.
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