​For Eric Booth Jr., choosing between baseball, basketball, and football was never an easy call. A three-sport standout, he rose as one of the nation’s premier prep athletes, excelling on the diamond while proving the same athletic versatility that helped him shine on the football and basketball courts as he matured, before committing full-time to baseball. In the end, the path ahead pointed squarely toward baseball, where his blend of speed, power, and defensive flexibility positioned him as one of the top high school prospects in the 2026 MLB Draft.
Oak Grove’s Eric “EJ” Booth Jr. (No. 3) sprints to home plate to score during a game against Northwest Rankin in Flowood, Mississippi, on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. Despite significant interest from a bevy of major-league clubs, only one organization ultimately selected him: the Baltimore Orioles, who drafted him No. 7 overall, providing the AL East club with an immediate boost to its farm system in the outfield. Here’s a closer look at the Oak Grove star and his journey from Lamar County, Mississippi, to Baltimore, Maryland.
Booth Jr. possesses a dynamic athletic profile, a trait that’s in part inherited from his father, Eric Sr., a standout kick returner at Southern Miss. In 1993, Booth Sr. was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the MLB Draft but chose to forgo baseball to play for the Eagles instead. His influence looms large; during the 1997 season, Booth Sr. posted a remarkable average of 34.8 yards per kickoff return, ranking second in all of Division I. He also returned kickoffs for touchdowns against Tennessee and Houston, and he led the nation in kickoff return touchdowns for a time. Those moments helped shape the athletic legacy that Booth Jr. has carried forward—from speed to the hard-nosed competitiveness that defines him as a multi-sport athlete.
That lineage and set of experiences position Booth Jr. well as one of the youngest players in this year’s draft class. He celebrated his 18th birthday on July 4, making him the 11th-youngest draft-eligible prospect in the pool. While his speed garners much of the attention, there’s genuine heft behind his bat as well, with the potential to hit at least 20 home runs at the major league level. He demonstrated that power by winning the Home Run Derby at the Perfect Game All-American Classic last summer, a showcase of the kind of raw power that should serve the Orioles well as they aim to bolster their lineup in the coming years.
Booth’s early trajectory has been marked by a rapid ascent from a talented high school athlete to a recognized top prospect in a deep 2026 draft class. His versatility and advanced tools give him a ceiling that many scouts expect to reach, and his profile continues to grow as he develops physically and fine-tunes his approach at the plate. The Orioles, who traded a grasp at his potential into a high-ceiling outfield prospect, are counting on Booth to contribute power, speed, and defensive versatility to complement Baltimore’s current core.
For more updates and insights on high school sports, follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X at @NP_AlexMartin, or reach him via email at amartin@usatodayco.com. To keep up with broader high school sports coverage, follow @usatodayhss on Instagram and X. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Eric Booth Jr. drafted by Baltimore Orioles with No. 7 pick in 2026 MLB Draft.