​A lot of childhood dreams for baseball players are poised to come true this weekend with the 2026 MLB Draft. The selections will unfold in Philadelphia, where The Show will welcome a fresh class of talented ball players and future stars. Among the hopefuls are several players from the Jersey Shore area who look likely to hear their names called this weekend.
AJ Gracia, a left-handed outfielder who honed his skills at Ranney, is projected to be a first-round pick according to MLB.com’s prospect list. Last season at Virginia, he hit .354 with 14 home runs and 48 RBIs. Before Virginia, Gracia spent two seasons at Duke, where he set program freshman records by slugging 14 homers and driving in 58 runs.
Reece Moroney from Rumson-Fair Haven is another name to watch. Moroney earned an invitation to the 2026 MLB Draft Combine at Chase Field in Phoenix, the home of the Diamondbacks. He blossoned at the University of Rhode Island in the Atlantic 10 Conference, and in May he broke the single-season record with 88 hits. Moroney is an infielder who just completed his junior year.
There’s also Zach Crocthfelt of Jackson Memorial High, now part of Jackson Township High. Crocthfelt is a left-handed pitcher who just wrapped up his senior season at Troy University in Alabama, where he earned a spot on the Sun Belt All-Tournament Team. His collegiate career also includes time at Texas Tech and Auburn, giving him a diverse background. While he may not be as highly ranked as Moroney or Gracia, he remains a viable candidate for selection.
Last year, several locally grown players advanced to the pros. Wall High School product Andrew Fischer was chosen in the first round by the Milwaukee Brewers with the 20th overall pick and is currently with the Double-A Biloxi Shuckers. Fischer has enjoyed a standout season, tallying 28 home runs, 64 RBIs, and a .304 batting average. In the second round, Central Regional’s Cam Leiter, who spent his final two collegiate seasons at Florida State, was picked by the Los Angeles Dodgers with the 65th overall selection. Leiter is currently playing for the Ontario Tower Buzzers in Class A, and this season has posted 16 hits with a .224 average.
NBC and Peacock will air and stream the draft for the first 10 picks. From picks 11 through 40, coverage will be available on MLB Network, MLB.com, MLB.TV, and MLB+. For selections 41 through 135, fans can watch on MLB.com, MLB.TV, and MLB+. The 2026 MLB Draft will take place on Saturday, July 11, and Sunday, July 12, in Philadelphia. Day one begins at 1 p.m. ET, while day two—covering rounds 5 through 20—will be streamed on MLB.com for fans following along online.