Oregon's Angel Laya, Brayden Jaksa atop early 2028 MLB Draft prospects
Two talented freshmen for the Ducks are turning heads on the baseball field this season, earning some lofty praise as potential future pros.
Although the Oregon Ducks might be battling a midseason slump on the diamond, coach Mark Wasikowski has seemingly identified some players who could be cornerstones for the lineup for the next few seasons. It’s not often that true freshmen get super involved in games, but the Ducks have thrown several first-year players into the fire this season, and two of them have really separated as key pieces. Baseball America ranked the top 50 prospects for the 2028 MLB Draft , which might seem far away, but it’s meant to get a general sense of who the best freshmen are in college baseball right now.
On that list, a pair of Ducks cracked the top 10. New 2028 rankings 👀 https://t. co/xh2ZbeiTZy pic.
twitter. com/aotbuoFWow — Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) April 10, 2026 Oregon freshman Brayden Jaksa makes the list at No. 8 after shining behind the dish and in the box this season for the Ducks.
Jaksa has primarily operated as the backup catcher to Burke-Lee Mabeus, but he is also finding his way into the lineup more often as a designated hitter and at first base, where he could play a lot down the stretch. Jaksa has the gift of both size and discipline as a batter. The 6-foot-6 freshman from Fremont, California, has received more at-bats the past few weeks because of his patient approach in the batter's box.