Draft Sleepers Include Bennett, Fitzwater

Baseball America recently identified 10 sleeper picks for the 2026 MLB Draft and the list in included Dallas Baptist's Jake Bennett (Winchester Royals / Charlottesville Tom Sox) and VMI's Grayson Fitzwater (Culpeper Cavaliers).

Here's what Baseball America had to say about the two players.

Jake Bennett, DH/C/OF, Dallas Baptist

Bennett is putting himself squarely on the board and will force decisions deep into the draft if the production holds. Primarily Dallas Baptist’s designated hitter, he’s produced some of the loudest contact in the country, averaging 97 mph off the bat with a 112 mph 90th percentile mark.

The strength is real and it shows up without significant tradeoff. Bennett pairs his impact with an 80% contact rate, an 88% in-zone mark and an above-average 18% chase rate. There is still room to unlock more damage, too. He can be overly passive on pitches he can handle and would benefit from increasing his swing rate in the zone, particularly over the heart of the plate.

Bennett turns 22 in August, which puts him on the older side for the class, but the underlying data is difficult to ignore. If a club believes he can handle a corner outfield role or develop behind the plate, where he plays occasionally, the offensive profile carries enough weight to make him a compelling target.

Grayson Fitzwater, 1B, VMI

Through 32 games, Fitzwater has been one of the most complete offensive performers in the class, slashing .385/.543/.844 with 12 home runs, 12 doubles, 11 stolen bases and 36 walks against just 16 strikeouts. The production is backed by force. He’s averaging 95 mph off the bat and consistently translating that into damage, particularly to the pull side where he shows a natural ability to lift the baseball without compromising contact.

What’s changed is the approach. Fitzwater has tightened his decision-making this spring, operating with more restraint and swinging less often than he did a year ago. The result is a near 10% reduction in chase rate with no tradeoff in impact, sharpening what was already a disciplined offensive profile. He controls the zone, gets to his spots and does damage when he finds them.

There’s a steadiness to the profile. He combines advanced swing decisions with feel for the barrel and produces impact without the swing-and-miss that often comes with it. While he’s primarily a first baseman, he’s a better athlete than the typical profile at the position and could handle a corner outfield role if needed, offering a bit more defensive flexibility.