OMAHA, Neb. – Twenty-two players ranked among the top 200 prospects for the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft by MLB Pipeline were on the rosters of seven different teams at the 2026 Men’s College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska over the past 13 days.
Here’s how each of them fared on college baseball’s biggest stage.
No. 9 – Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama – Lebron went 2-for-7 at the plate with two singles. In the field, he had nine chances and made one error, booting a ground ball by Aidan Robbins in the Crimson Tide’s 14-2 loss to Texas on June 15.
No. 27 – Cade Townsend, P, Ole Miss – Townsend did not pitch in either game the Rebels played in Omaha.
No. 30 – Aidan Robbins, OF, Texas – Robbins went 2-for-12 with a double, an RBI, and three runs scored in three games.
No. 39 – Daniel Jackson, C, Georgia – During his time in Omaha, Jackson was named the winner of the Dick Howser Trophy as the top college baseball player in the country, the Buster Posey Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award, and the Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award. He’s also one of three finalists for the Golden Spikes Award, the winner of which will be announced on June 29.
In Omaha, Jackson started all four games for Georgia and went 3-for-24 at the plate, scoring two runs and driving in one, hitting a solo homer in the eighth inning of the Bulldogs’ 4-3 loss to Oklahoma on June 15. He also struck out seven times and drew a walk.
No. 73 – Joey Volchko, P, Georgia – Volchko had one of the greatest starts in Men’s College World Series history in Georgia’s opener against Texas, throwing a complete game and allowing just one unearned run on four hits, striking out 15 to set a record for strikeouts by a Georgia pitcher in a CWS game and walking one. The start likely pushed his draft stock higher, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him go early in the second round.
No 77 – Ruger Riojas, P, Texas – Riojas threw six innings, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks, striking out seven as the starter in Texas’ 14-2 elimination game win against Alabama on June 15.
No. 86 – Carson Tinney, C, Texas – At the plate, Tinney went 1-for-5 with five walks, including four against Alabama, a game in which he scored twice. In the field, Tinney had some difficulties, making a pair of throwing errors in the first inning of the 7-1 loss to Georgia to open the series after dropped third strikes. On one of them, Tinney was rushed as the ball got by him and he had to recover it quickly. In the seventh inning of the 2-0 loss to Georgia on June 16 that sent the Longhorns packing, Tinney received a relay throw in plenty of time to get Georgia’s Ryan Black at the plate, but missed tagging his lead hand when Black dove headfirst, and the runner got that hand to the plate before Tinney got the tag on Black’s torso.
No. 90 – Taylor Rabe, P, Ole Miss – Rabe started Mississippi’s CWS opener, throwing 5 2/3 innings against North Carolina and allowing one run on two hits, walking four and striking out seven.
No. 91 – Jake Schaffner, SS, North Carolina – Schaffner appeared in all six games for the Tar Heels, going 8-for-24 with four walks. He also had a triple, four RBIs, and scored seven times.
No. 97 – Ryan Lynch, P, North Carolina – Lynch made two starts for the Tar Heels in Omaha. Facing West Virginia on June 14, he threw 4 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits, walking two and striking out two. He started Game 2 of the Finals against Oklahoma, throwing four innings and allowing two runs on three hits, walking one and striking out five before leaving with an oblique strain.
No. 109 – Brendan Brock, C/OF, Oklahoma – Brock went 8-for-20 with a double, a homer, and three RBIs for the Sooners.
No. 116 – Tre Phelps, OF, Georgia – Phelps went 3-for-19 with a double and an RBI in four games, striking out four times and walking once.
No. 125 – Jason Decaro, P, North Carolina – Decaro was stellar in the Tar Heels’ Omaha opener against Ole Miss, throwing 6 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on three hits, walking three and striking out nine. In Game 1 of the Finals against Oklahoma, Decaro struggled, allowing seven runs on seven hits over 3 2/3, walking one and striking out six.
No. 129 – Camden Johnson, 3B, Oklahoma – Johnson went 4-for-22 with an RBI and drew three walks and was hit by four pitches, which enabled him to score six runs in Omaha.
No. 146 – Jaxon Willits, SS, Oklahoma – Willits was named the Most Outstanding Player at the 2026 Men’s College World Series, and it’s no big surprise. He went 13-for-26 with five doubles, one homer, seven RBIs, and drove in six runs, leading the Sooners in hits and total bases with 21, posting a 1.336 OPS in Omaha.
No. 158 – Owen Hull, OF, North Carolina – Hull had one of the hottest bats in Omaha, going 11-for-26 in six games, leading the Tar Heels in hits and total bases with 22. He had three doubles, a triple, and two homers, drove in six runs, and scored seven.
No. 166 – Cameron Johnson, LHP, Oklahoma – Johnson did not make an appearance for Oklahoma.
No. 167 – Dawson Montesa, RHP, West Virginia – Montesa, who transferred to West Virginia from Division II Adelphi, threw 5 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing seven hits and four walks while striking out six in the Mountaineers’ 12-0 elimination game win against Troy.
No. 172 – LJ Mercurius, RHP, Oklahoma – Mercurius was sensational for the Sooners, appearing in four of six games, all in relief. He threw 12 2/3 innings with a 1.42 ERA, allowing two runs on eight hits, walking three and striking out 11. In Game 3 of the Finals, he threw 5 2/3 innings in relief where he allowed one run on four hits, striking out five and walked none.
No. 179 – Wil Libbert, LHP, Ole Miss – Libbert threw one inning in Mississippi’s season-ending loss to Troy, allowing two runs on one hit and walking one.
No. 187 – Rylan Lujo, OF, Georgia – Lujo, the grandson of former Major Leaguer Rennie Stennett, went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, two runs scored, a two-run homer, and an RBI double in the Bulldogs’ CWS opening win against Texas. He was 1-for-14 the rest of the way, driving in a run with a sac fly in Georgia’s 2-0 win against Texas on June 16.
No. 199 – Dylan Vigue, RHP, Georgia – Vigue threw four scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks while recording eight strikeouts in Georgia’s 2-0 win against Texas on June 16.
Photo: Oklahoma’s LJ Mercurius pitches against North Carolina in the third inning of Game 3 of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals in Omaha, Neb., Monday, June 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)
