On Sunday, July 5, Orange Lutheran High School prospect CJ Weinstein took to social media and announced that he flipped his commitment from LSU to UCLA. Weinstein originally committed to LSU back in November 2024.
Despite losing Weinstein, LSU’s 2026 high school recruiting class remains solid and ranked second in the country, according to Perfect Game. The Tigers have 11 top-100 players in their class. The number one high school class in the country still belongs to the Vanderbilt Commodores.
As for UCLA, Weinstein becomes their highest-ranked player in their 2026 high school class. The Bruins’ 2026 high school class ranks 44th on Perfect Game’s recruiting rankings.
Weinstein and the 2026 MLB Draft
For UCLA, the challenge now is the upcoming MLB Draft. According to MLB.com, Weinstein is the 152nd prospect in the 2026 MLB Draft. This puts the California native as a projected fifth-round selection.
It would not be unlike the Bruins to get Weinstein through the draft and to campus in Los Angeles. For example, UCLA pitcher Angel Cervantes was selected in the second round with the 50th overall pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2025.
Instead of going the professional route, Cervantes stayed at UCLA, where he had a solid freshman season in 2026. In 49 2/3 innings of work, he had a 4.17 ERA with 37 strikeouts. He had a 4-1 record on the mound with the Bruins, making 15 starts.
The 2026 MLB Draft in Philadelphia begins on Saturday, July 11, at 1 p.m. ET. The first day will consist of the first four rounds. The second day, July 12, consists of rounds 5-20 and begins at 11:30 a.m. ET.
WBN NCAA: https://worldbaseball.com/league/ncaa/
PHOTO: Via CJ Weinstein on Instagram (@cjweinstein3)
