When the results of the MLB Draft Lottery were announced, Atlanta Braves fans had to deal with the gutpunch of moving down to the ninth overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft. Just like that, the Braves lost well over $1 million in draft bonus pool money when compared to the sixth overall odds they started with. That could prove costly come draft time, but there may be at least one silver lining.
In addition to losing out on the bonus pool, the Braves are now very likely to miss out on the top shortstops in what is a loaded class. Unless he gets hurt or somehow regresses, the odds that Atlanta will have any shot at Roch Cholowsky who is one of the best college shortstop prospects in years are basically gone.
However, at ninth overall, the Braves might be in a position to take a chance on one of the most interesting hitting prospects in the entire draft class in Drew Burress. As an added bonus for Braves fans, he is a local guy and a star at Georgia Tech.
Drew Burress is one of the most interesting players at the top of the 2026 draft class.
— Carlos Collazo (@CarlosACollazo) December 18, 2025
He has tools, a premium defensive profile & elite college production. But he doesn't look like most first-round college hitters.
How will teams handle that? https://t.co/JHwlax9pRg
Drew Burress' unique profile could be golden opportunity for the Braves in the 2026 MLB Draft
If you looked strictly at his production on the field in college, Burress should easily be in contention to be picked in the top 5. Most scouts think Burress can stick in center field and would be a plus defender in the corners with his arm, he has consistently shown real game power throughout his college career, and he has walked more than he strikes out. In terms of his tools, how they have played in a tough college conference, and the advanced batted ball metrics, Burress checks all the boxes.
The problem? Well, Burress is small...like Ozzie Albies sized. He is listed as 5'9 and 182 pounds, but that may be generous. For teams looking for a surefire college performer that will move to the big leagues quickly, Burress' frame is going to put teams off. It isn't impossible for small guys to be well-rounded power hitters (Albies and Jose Altuve are two examples in recent history), but it far less likely to play in the big leagues without the added strength and length a larger frame brings.
That said, there isn't really anything that makes one think Burress can't do it beyond his measurements as his track record is very clear. With a class loaded at the top with shortstop talent and the fact that at least a couple teams ahead of the Braves are going to want to take an arm, there is a real chance that Burress could fall right in Atlanta's laps.
In some ways, that would be an almost perfect outcome for the Braves. Atlanta fans LOVE their local guys and objectively, Burress feels like a great value at #9. The prospect rankings currently differ as to where to put him as some have him going before the Braves pick while others have him outside their top 10. If that uncertainty continues, Atlanta could get lucky and find themselves with a top 5 talent anyways even though the draft lottery balls didn't bounce their way.