In this edition of College Draft Stock Risers, I will be covering some under-the-radar LHPs. From the power 4 weekend starters to exciting mid-major options, this article explores some of the most undervalued pitching prospects in the 2026 class. Without further a dew, let's begin with a standout west coast arm who impressed with Team USA this summer.

Ricky Ojeda LHP, UCI

5’11 / 185 (NR)

Ojeda was a standout during his time with Team USA after posting a 3.55 ERA with 83 strikeouts in 66 innings with the Anteaters. Despite being undersized, Ojeda possesses the qualities of a future big league starter. 

His fastball sits in the low 90s, but the pitch plays up due to its nearly 20 inches of vertical break. It drew a near 26% whiff rate along with a 68% strike rate last year while being thrown 78% of the time. At the next level, his fastball usage will need to decrease, and one pitch he will need to lean on is his low-70s CB. It averages -16 inches of vertical break and creates an absurd 59% whiff rate. He also throws a slider, which acts more like a cutter as it averages 3 inches of horizontal movement and has a positive vertical break, but is only 78 mph. I believe this pitch will be a crucial pitch for Ojeda moving forward if he can add velocity and boost the strike rate from 46% to near 60%. This would deepen his arsenal and add a non-putaway pitch to create soft contact early in counts. His changeup kills spin well but lacks the horizontal movement needed to make the pitch effective. I believe a spike change would be a good alternative to deepen Ojeda’s arsenal as well. If Ojeda displays a deeper arsenal and a small jump in velocity, he could solidify himself as a day 1 arm next July.

Miles Gosztola LHP, Oregon

6’3 / 200 (NR)

Gosztola has the prototypical starter frame as he stands at 6’3 200lbs. This offseason, he left Gonzaga to join the Ducks in hopes of claiming a rotation spot next spring. Last year at Gonzaga, Gosztola struggled, posting a 6.51 ERA with 60 strikeouts in 65 innings pitched, but performed better in the Cape. Although a small sample, he posted a 1.35 ERA in 6.2 innings pitched along with 7 strikeouts for Orleans. 

He has an athletic delivery that works up tempo. Gosztola relies upon a heavy sinker that has under 10 inches of vertical break and over 18 inches of horizontal movement. His best secondary offering is a plus changeup, which has under 1 inch of vertical break and nearly 18 inches of horizontal break. These pitches gain their distinct shapes due to Gosztola’s low ¾ arm slot. He also throws a gyro slider that sits at 79 mph and has had okay results. Gosztola will need to keep the ball down and increase his groundball rates at Oregon to become a weekend starter. Gosztola is a sleeper who could raise his stock if he can display better command and maintain the added velocity shown in the Cape.

Shane Sdao LHP, Texas A&M

6’2 / 170 (NR)

Sdao was a top prospect in the 2025 draft before needing season-ending surgery. He compiled 55 strikeouts in 48.2 innings pitched in 2024 with a 2.96 ERA.