AJ Gracia

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #5 prospect in 2026 draft
  School:Virginia Age At Draft: 21.7
  
  Drafted: Never Drafted
  
  Gracia last year cemented himself as one of the premier freshmen in college baseball after hitting .305/.440/.559 with 14 doubles, 14 home runs and 58 RBIs in 60 games. He got off to a sluggish start this spring and was hitting just .188 through April 3, though he made a handful of small tweaks to his stance and operation that paid dividends. Gracia lowered his handset, closed off his front side a bit and had less of a bat wrap/hand press in his load. As a result, he was in a far better position to hit and do damage. He finished the year with a .293/.449/.558 slash line with 10 doubles, a career-high 15 home runs and an impressive 57 walks to just 36 strikeouts. Gracia has a pro body and has an aesthetically pleasing swing in which he has plenty of hand speed. He can drive the baseball to all fields, doesn’t chase—he chased at just an 18% clip this season—and has an advanced feel for the barrel.
• Ranked #9 prospect in 2026 draft
  School: Virginia Committed/Drafted: Never Drafted. Age At Draft: 21.7
  
  Gracia has a pro body at 6-foot-3, 195 pounds to go with pro power that allows him to hit the ball out of the park from foul pole to foul pole. He hit .299/.445/.559 with 29 home runs and 24 doubles in his first two seasons with Duke before following head coach Chris Pollard to Virginia for his draft-eligible 2026 season. Gracia has an unconventional swing he’s tinkered with at times, but he has great bat speed and leverage that leads to jaw-dropping displays of power at his best. He’s a patient—and, at times, passive—hitter who will draw plenty of walks and did a nice job cutting his strikeouts in his sophomore season. Gracia has played right field and center field in college, but he is a likely corner outfielder in pro ball.
• Ranked #345 prospect in 2023 draft
  School: Ranney HS, Tinton Falls, N.J. Source: HS
  
  Commit/Drafted: Duke
  Age At Draft: 18.7
  Gracia is one of the more talented prep hitters in the Northeast, though he didn’t go to East Coast Pro or the Area Code Games last summer and hasn’t drawn the big scouting contingents that others in the area have had this spring. He’s committed to Duke and it looks like a high probability he will get to campus, with a chance to make an immediate impact for the Blue Devils if he gets there. Gracia has a physical build at 6-foot-3, 195 pounds with more strength projection remaining. He sets up at the plate spread out with a wide base, a high hand setup and a slight wrap of the barrel behind his head. Once he gets his swing going, he’s able to keep his hands inside the ball with a smooth, quick stroke from the left side. He’s able to manage his at-bats well, uses the whole field with average raw power and has performed well both in high school and summer ball. A two-way player, Gracia has been up to 91 mph on the mound and he has a strong arm from the outfield. He’s a below-average runner who fits best in right field.