The Atlanta Braves came out of the 2026 MLB Draft with a class that carried plenty of risk, but that risk is already fading fast.
That’s because Atlanta has moved quickly to lock up most of the key names from the group, including its top overslot pick, Jensen Hirschkorn. The prep right-hander from California had already made it clear his choice was going to be a tough one between signing with the Braves and heading to LSU, which briefly sparked some concern. But those worries didn’t last long.
Hirschkorn signed for $4 million, according to Jim Callis, setting an all-time MLB Draft record for a player taken after the second round. His bonus topped Brock Porter’s previous mark of $3.7 million. Callis also noted Hirschkorn’s slot value was $973,700.
Atlanta has now officially agreed to bonuses with the bulk of its draft class, and the numbers show just how aggressively the Braves worked to get their targets in the fold:
AJ Gracia, OF - $4 million
Carter Beck, OF - $2.68 million
Kaiden McCarthy, RHP - $2.5 million
Jensen Hirschkorn, RHP - $4 million
Cole Dennis, RHP - $523,275
Wil Libbert, LHP - $447,500
Tyson Grulkowski, RHP - $597,500
Jacob Jarrell, C - $500
Parker Brosius, OF - $500
Ben Zeigler-Namoa, 1B - $500
Ryne Barker, 3B - $697,500
The Braves leaned hard into the high school starting pitching depth in this draft, and that approach came with the usual uncertainty. High school players bring the most volatility, and many of the ones worth drafting already have NIL deals tied to college commitments, which can make signability a real issue.
But Atlanta appears to have handled that part of the process well. Most of the players with the biggest uncertainty around them are already signed, and the only remaining concern mentioned is high school catcher Jack Brenner from Wisconsin, though that is described as a minor one.
For the Braves, the major suspense is gone. The remaining bonuses from the back half of the class still need to be sorted out, but those are secondary details now. The real work begins next: seeing how these players develop once they get on the field as professionals.
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