Eastern Illinois third baseman James Love has been listed as the No. 59 College Draft Prospect for the 2027 Major League Baseball Draft as rated by Over-Slot Baseball.
 
The rating is built on three steadfast pillars – 1.) Live Looks/Film Analysis, 2.) Data and player-metric evaluations, 3.) Discussion with scouts in the field. Complete story and rankings from Over-Slot Baseball
 
Love was a second team All-Ohio Valley Conference selection this past season at the utility position playing third base, second base, first base and designated hitter over the course of 54 games.  He hit .309 with 18 doubles, two triples, eight home runs and 45 RBI during the season.  Love carried a 44 game streak of consecutively reaching base safely late into the season with the streak ranked among the top five active players in the nation at the time.  As a freshman with the Panthers he earned All-OVC Freshman Team honors playing in 35 games with a .310 batting average. 
 
This summer Love is having a standout season playing for the Upper Valley Nighthawks in the New England College Baseball League. 
 
The top five prospects listed by the online publication heading into the 2027 season are led by Florida shortstop Brendan Lawson.  Dax Whitney (RHP – Oregon State) was second followed by Landon Hairston (OF – Arizona State), Gavin Kelly (C/2B – West Virginia) and Trent Grindlinger (C – Tennessee).