The 2026 MLB Draft weekend has arrived. Five years ago, MLB pushed the draft back from the first week of June to the weekend before the All-Star break to better market the event, and it will remain there moving forward, even though many executives don't like it. The two-day draft begins at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 11.
At 60-102, the White Sox had baseball's second-worst record last season, yet Chicago won the lottery and moved up to the No. 1 pick. This is the third time in franchise history that the White Sox have held the No. 1 selection. They selected Danny Goodwin with the No. 1 pick in 1971 (but did not sign him) and Hall of Famer Harold Baines with the No. 1 pick in 1977.
"I'm super excited about what the group is doing in Chicago and even the guys in the minor leagues, how they are transforming the organization. Everybody contributed to the growth," White Sox scouting director Mike Shirley said recently (via MLB.com). "This player (who we select with the No. 1 pick) will supplement that, and he will add value to it quickly. That will be the responsibility that comes with it."
The Giants also won big in the lottery, moving up from the No. 15 pick to No. 4. It will be San Francisco's highest selection since taking Joey Bart with the No. 2 pick in 2018. The 119-loss Rockies moved back to the No. 10 pick. They had the No. 3 pick in 2024 and the No. 4 pick in 2025, and teams cannot have lottery picks (Nos. 1-6) in three consecutive years.
All first-round picks are protected from free-agent compensation. Teams forfeit later draft picks (and international bonus pool money) to sign qualified free agents. The Blue Jays, Dodgers, Mets, Phillies, and Yankees all exceeded the $281 million third competitive balance tax threshold in 2025, and the penalty moves their first 2026 pick back 10 spots. They're now out of the first round.
Here are our first (May 29), our second (June 12), and our third (June 26) mock drafts. Here now is our fourth and final mock draft, with updates to reflect the latest chatter, speculation, and rumors.
1. White Sox: SS Roch Cholowsky, UCLA
We've had the White Sox taking Cholowski in all four mock drafts, but do not take that to mean this is a slam dunk. There is a very real chance (and loud rumors this past week) they'll take Texas high school shortstop Grady Emerson instead. Both are worthy of the No. 1 selection. I'd break it down along the lines of 40% Cholowski, 39% Emerson, 20% Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey, and 1% someone else. The talent gap between Cholowsky and Emerson is very small, which could mean the No. 1 pick decision comes down to which player will take the smaller signing bonus. I wouldn't call that cheaping out. It's just smart business with two players this close.
June 26 mock pick: Cholowsky
2. Rays: SS Grady Emerson, Fort Worth Christian HS (TX)
History says the Rays will take the best, most talented player, and not get caught up in positional needs. That's the right move, especially with a pick as high as No. 2. So, although the Rays have been searching for a franchise catcher since literally Day 1 of their existence, the bet here is they take Emerson over Lackey. If the White Sox take Emerson, the Cholowsky or Lackey decision would more interesting decision for Tampa. Emerson is considered to have the highest ceiling in the draft. He's the mock pick here over Lackey.
June 26 mock pick: C Vahn Lackey, Georgia Tech
3. Twins: C Vahn Lackey, Georgia Tech
The Twins figure to have the "easiest" decision on draft day. Cholowsky, Emerson, and Lackey are the consensus three best prospects available this year. The Twins can simply take whichever one is still on the board. In our mock draft, that's Lackey. If it's Cholowsky or Emerson, then it's Cholowsky or Emerson. None of the three should be considered a consolation prize. They're all excellent prospects and Minnesota is assured the chance to select at least one of them.
June 26 mock pick: SS Grady Emerson, Fort Worth Christian HS (TX)
4. Giants: SS Jacob Lombard, Gulliver Prep (FL)
The Giants/Lombard connection has been strong all spring. It's an open secret that they covet Cholowsky and would love to get him to this pick, presumably by floating a record bonus offer (the current record is $9.25 million) and hoping they scare away the White Sox, Rays, and Twins. San Francisco has an enormous bonus pool (over $17 million) and can make it work financially. In the end, though, they have no control over who goes in the top three picks. Lombard is super athletic and projects to be an all-around impact player. He has great bloodlines, too. His father, George Lombard, is the Tigers bench coach, and his older brother, George Jr., is the Yankees top prospect.
June 26 mock pick: Lombard
5. Pirates: OF Eric Booth Jr., Oak Grove HS (MS)
The current roster (i.e. Paul Skenes is 3 ½ years away from free agency) suggests the Pirates should take a quick-moving college player, such as UC Santa Barbara righty Jackson Flora or Georgia Tech outfielder Drew Burress (or Cholowsky or Lackey, if they're still around). Pittsburgh has taken some really big swings and hit on them the last few years though (Skenes, Bubba Chandler, Konnor Griffin, Jared Jones) and Booth would fit that strategy. He's an electrifying athlete and a potential 30-30 player.
June 26 mock pick: SS Tyler Bell, Kentucky
6. Royals: RHP Jackson Flora, UC Santa Barbara
The Royals could throw the draft's first curveball. They have a Competitive Balance pick (No. 30) and could take a quick-moving college player here, sign that player to below-slot bonus, then use the savings on whichever high-end talent is still on the board at No. 30. If they go that route, Kentucky shortstop Tyler Bell or UCLA righty Logan Reddemann could be the pick. For now, I'll stick with Flora, who is the draft's best pitching prospect thanks to upper-90s gas and two distinct sliders, both of which miss bats at a high rate. It's probably best to not overthink it and just take the draft's top pitcher when he falls into your lap.
June 26 mock pick: Flora
7. Orioles: OF Drew Burress, Georgia Tech
The Orioles have not selected a pitcher earlier than the second round since president of baseball operations Mike Elias took over in 2018, though if Flora is still on the board here, they would have to seriously consider it. That doesn't happen in our mock draft though, so we'll instead give them Burress, who does everything well and is believed to have more power in the tank with some swing adjustments. That profile aligns with what the O's have had success developing in the Elias era.
June 26 mock pick: OF Eric Booth Jr., Oak Grove HS (MS)
8. Athletics: SS Tyler Bell, Kentucky
There have been persistent rumors that Bell, who played through a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder and may need surgery that will sideline him into 2027, will be a top 10 pick despite his injury. Based strictly on talent, he's a top 10 prospect in the draft class as a switch-hitting shortstop with good defense and plus makeup, but that is a pretty serious injury. The A's have had some big hits with against-the-grain selections in recent years (Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson, most notably), and that could lead them to a college hitter projected to go later in the first round. Georgia catcher Daniel Jackson or Louisville outfielder Zion Rose would fit that bill.
June 26 mock pick: OF Drew Burress, Georgia Tech
9. Braves: LHP Gio Rojas, Stoneman Douglas HS (FL)
The Braves have selected a high school player with three of their last four first-round picks (Owen Murphy in 2022, Cam Caminiti in 2024, Tate Southisene in 2025) and Rojas is the sort of premium on-mound athlete with high-end analytical pitch data they gravitate toward (Spencer Schwellenbach is the best example). Rojas is the prototype with size, command, upper-90s gas, a quality breaking ball, and an improving changeup. It's possible he could sign a below-slot deal because, if he isn't picked here, Rojas might not hear his name called until late in the first round. In that case, signing below-slot at No. 9 is better financially than signing a slot bonus after the No. 20 pick or so.
June 26 mock pick: Rojas
10. Rockies: OF Derek Curiel, LSU
New POBO Paul DePodesta spent the last decade in the NFL, so good luck figuring out Colorado's draft strategy. They have a Competitive Balance pick (No. 37) and the first pick of the second round (No. 38), and thus a nice big bonus pool. It's likely the best available players here will be college hitters. Curiel, a bat-to-ball specialist with good center field defense and perhaps some power waiting to be unlocked, is a rumored target for several teams in this range. His skill would fit nicely in Coors Field.
June 26 mock pick: C Ryder Helfrick, Arkansas
11. Nationals: OF AJ Gracia, Virginia
College hitters are the latest rumor after weeks of the Nationals being connected to two-way player Jared Grindlinger, though that could just be a negotiating ploy. "Take this offer or we'll go in a different direction," that kind of thing. Grindlinger at No. 11 is higher than where the consensus sees his talent fitting and the best available players at No. 11 are likely to be college bats. Gracia has high-end bat-to-ball ability, some pop, and enough defense to stay in center field for another few years. If not Gracia, then it could be Curiel, Texas A&M second baseman Chris Hacopian, Arkansas catcher Ryder Helfrick, or Mississippi State third baseman Ace Reese, among others.
June 26 mock pick: OF/LHP Jared Grindlinger, Huntington Beach HS (CA)
12. Angels: RHP Cameron Flukey, Coastal Carolina
The Angels fired GM Perry Minasian two weeks ago and who knows what that means for their draft strategy. Under Minasian, the Halos targeted quick-moving college players, so much so that an Angels pick was the first player to reach the big leagues from the 2021 (Chase Silseth), 2022 (Zach Neto), 2023 (Nolan Schanuel), and 2024 (Ryan Johnson) classes. Flukey does fit that mold, though he would not be out of place at No. 12 on talent. He is the draft's second-best pitching prospect thanks to a premium fastball/curveball combination.
June 26 mock pick: OF Derek Curiel, LSU
13. Cardinals: 3B Ace Reese, Mississippi State
At a time when power is more important than ever, given declining batting averages, Reese has arguably the most raw power in the draft class. He's hit some titanic home runs in college. Will he stay at third base long-term? Probably not, though I think we collectively underrate how much players can improve defensively once they get under pro instruction. Bottom line, Reese will get drafted for his bat, and guys who can hit the ball out of the park like this typically don't last long on draft day.
June 26 mock pick: 2B Chris Hacopian, Texas A&M
14. Marlins: C Ryder Helfrick, Arkansas
Helfrick is in play as early as the No. 8 pick and catchers tend to come off the board earlier than the public draft prospect rankings would lead you to expect because of position scarcity. He fits Miami's M.O. under POBO Peter Bendix as an exit velocity guy with good defensive chops and athleticism.
June 26 mock pick: OF AJ Gracia, Virginia
15. Diamondbacks: OF Trevor Condon, Etowah HS (GA)
Condon is very Diamondbacks-coded as a smaller (5-foot-11 and 175 lbs.) player with short levers, great bat-to-ball skills, power upside, speed, and a hair-on-fire playing style. Think Corbin Carroll, Geraldo Perdomo, Alek Thomas, 2024 first-rounder Slade Caldwell, 2025 first-rounder Kayson Cunningham, on and on we could go. Arizona has a type on draft day and Condon is that type.
June 26 mock pick: RHP Cameron Flukey, Coastal Carolina
16. Rangers: SS Justin Lebron, Alabama
The Rangers have a thing for "famous" prospects in the draft (think Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker) and Lebron is one of the most famous prospects available this summer. About 18 months ago, he was the favorite to go No. 1 overall, but some uneven performances (and Cholowsky's breakout) cooled that talk. Lebron has some of the loudest tools in the draft class. We're talking speed, power, athleticism, the works. Approach and plate discipline concerns have held him back though.
June 26 mock pick: Lebron
17. Astros: 2B Chris Hacopian, Texas A&M
The expectation is the Astros will look at college players who could get to Houston quickly with their top two picks: this one and No. 28. The latter is the Prospect Promotion Incentive pick they received for Hunter Brown finishing in the top three of last year's Cy Young voting. Hacopian is one of the best and most decorated college hitters of the 2020s, but there are concerns about his long-term position (it might be first base) and the number of ground balls his swing produces.
June 26 mock pick: 3B Ace Reese, Mississippi State
18. Reds: OF/LHP Jared Grindlinger, Huntington Beach HS (CA)
The Reds hit a home run with Hunter Greene, who, like Grindlinger, was a two-way player in high school who had at least a small chance to do both at the next level. Greene eventually settled in as a pitcher, whereas Grindlinger is considered a better prospect at the plate, but he's a legit pitching talent too. He's a fascinating player and he's been connected to a bunch of teams in the middle of the first round. Grindlinger is likely to be selected somewhere in this range. If not the Reds, then within a few picks.
June 26 mock pick: RHP Liam Peterson, Florida
19. Guardians: SS Taj Marchand, James Island HS (SC)
The Guardians have long preferred players who are young for the draft class, like Marchand (and also Grindlinger, should he make it to this pick), and they've focused on power the last few years because it's not something they can buy in free agency. Marchand scares some because he has unorthodox swing mechanics, but he can really put a charge into the ball, and he's expected to remain at short long-term. After entering the spring as more of a second-round pick, Marchand is a late riser who has been connected to a few teams in this range.
June 26 mock pick: OF Trevor Condon, Etowah HS (GA)
20. Red Sox: 3B Bo Lowrance, Christ Church Episcopal School (SC)
The storybook pick here would have been Massachusetts high school lefty Brody Bumila, who is a 6-foot-9 lefty who has touched 101 mph this spring. Bumila injured his UCL recently, according to The Athletic, and may need Tommy John surgery. That comes less than two years after having the internal brace procedure, so that's two UCL tears before his high school graduation. That is pretty red flaggy and likely to push Bumila out of the first round. We'll instead mock Lowrance to the Red Sox. They were said to be in on him earlier this spring and he'll come off the board in this range.
June 26 mock pick: LHP Brody Bumila, Bishop Feehan HS (MA)
21. SS Archer Horn, St. Ignatius Prep (CA)
This would make it 10 straight years selecting a high school player in the first round for the Padres. Horn is one of the draft's top risers and is now a good bet to be a first-round pick after being considered a second-rounder much of the spring. He's a left-handed hitter who can really drive the baseball, and he has one of the strongest infield arms in the draft class.
June 26 mock pick: 3B Bo Lowrance, Christ Church Episcopal School (SC)
22. Tigers: SS Tyler Spangler, De La Salle HS (CA)
Spangler entered the spring as a slam-dunk first-round pick, but he missed his senior season with a back injury. He attended the Draft Combine last month and took a physical there, so teams have updated medicals and saw him on the field. The Tigers have used their last few first-round picks on high school hitters with high-end offensive upside (Max Clark in 2023, Bryce Rainer in 2024, Jordan Yost in 2025), and Spangler is up the same alley.
June 26 mock pick: IF/C Cole Prosek, Magnolia Heights HS (MS)
23. Cubs: RHP Logan Reddemann, UCLA
Reddemann was a potential top 10 pick before being shut down with what was vaguely described as "arm fatigue" in mid-April. The Bruins were quickly eliminated in the postseason, so Reddemann never got back on the mound for them even though it was expected to happen at some point. He attended the Draft Combine last month, so he threw for teams and took a physical. The Cubs are unafraid of assuming injury risk to get big upside (Ethan Conrad, last year's first-rounder, had shoulder surgery a few weeks before the draft) and Reddemann offers it.
June 26 mock pick: LHP Hunter Dietz, Arkansas
24. Mariners: RHP Liam Peterson, Florida
The Mariners excel at developing college pitching and there figures to be a lot of it available at this point in the draft. If not Peterson, it could be Arizona State lefty Cole Carlon, USC lefty Mason Edwards, Tennessee righty Tegan Kuhns, or Mississippi righties Taylor Rabe or Cade Townsend. Peterson is not as refined as the typical college starter, but he shows a good fastball and good feel for spinning the ball. It is a very nice ball of pitching clay. The Mariners would be as good a bet as any team to coach him up into a quality major-league starter.
June 26 mock pick: RHP Cade Townsend, Mississippi
25. Brewers: IF/C Cole Prosek, Magnolia Heights HS (MS)
Prosek has more fans within the game than the public draft prospect rankings would lead you to believe. He's a Brewers type in that he has good feel for centering the ball on the bat, a knack for grinding out at-bats, and athleticism that give him a chance to play good defense either behind the plate or somewhere on the infield.
June 26 mock pick: RHP Tegan Kuhns, Tennessee
The Blue Jays, Dodgers, Mets, Phillies, and Yankees each had their first-round pick moved back 10 spots through CBT penalties. The Mets hold the No. 27 pick, the Yankees the No. 35 pick, the Phillies the No. 36 pick, the Blue Jays the No. 39 pick, and the Dodgers the No. 40 pick. Those picks have all been pushed out of the first round proper.
