The 2026 MLB Draft is now four weeks away. Five years ago, MLB pushed the draft back from the first week of June to the All-Star break to better market the event, and it will remain there moving forward, though many executives don't like it. The two-day draft begins Saturday, July 11, this year.
This is the fourth draft with MLB's lottery system. In the past, the draft order was the reverse order of the previous year's standings, which was nice and easy. Now, picks 1-6 are assigned via lottery, picks 7-18 are the remaining non-postseason teams in the reverse order of the previous year's standings, and picks 19-30 are postseason teams in order of their playoff finish.
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 in 1977.
The Giants also won big on lottery day, 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 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.
After our first 2026 MLB mock draft (May 29), here is our first update to reflect the latest chatter, speculation, and rumors.
1. White Sox: SS Roch Cholowsky, UCLA
UCLA's season ended abruptly with a regionals loss two weeks ago, so White Sox fans won't get a chance to see Cholowsky on the national stage at the College World Series. With the draft a month away, Cholowsky remains the favorite to go No. 1, though there are rumors the White Sox could pivot to high school shortstop Grady Emerson. My hunch is that's a "we'll take the other guy if you don't lower your asking price, Roch" leverage play on Chicago's part, which is something we often hear a month out from the draft. Right now, it would be a surprise if anyone other than Cholowsky or Emerson is the No. 1 pick.
May 29 mock pick: Cholowsky
2. Rays: SS Grady Emerson, Fort Worth Christian HS (TX)
In a sense, the Rays have the easiest decision on draft day. Cholowsky and Emerson are the consensus top two prospects in this year's class, so Tampa can simply take whichever one the White Sox don't take. In this mock draft, that's Emerson, who is arguably the highest upside player available this year. Cholowsky is the more polished player and is closer to MLB-ready, though. Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey could tempt the Rays, given the franchise's perpetual search for a quality backstop.
May 29 mock pick: Emerson
3. Twins: C Vahn Lackey, Georgia Tech
Lackey is the best catcher in the draft class and an all-around threat who projects to contribute at the plate while playing strong defense. He also fits Minnesota's M.O. as a player with a high-end hit tool. They've used their last few first-round picks on similar prospects (Walker Jenkins in 2023, Kaelen Culpepper in 2024, Marek Houston in 2025). The Twins would presumably take Cholowsky or Emerson in the unlikely event one falls to No. 3.
May 29 mock pick: Lackey
4. Giants: SS Jacob Lombard, Gulliver Prep (FL)
There is a gap between the Cholowsky/Emerson/Lackey tier and the fourth-best prospect in the draft class. It is an open secret that the Giants covet Cholowsky and have a large enough bonus pool (more than $17 million) to float a record signing bonus offer ($10 million or so?) and see whether that scares away the White Sox, Rays and Twins. That doesn't happen in this mock draft, but it's worth trying if you're San Francisco. Lombard, whose father George Sr. is the Tigers' bench coach and brother George Jr. is the Yankees' top prospect, has been connected to the Giants most heavily outside the big three. He's a do-it-all shortstop with significant upside and perhaps a quicker path to the big leagues than most high schoolers.
May 29 mock pick: Lombard
5. Pirates: RHP Jackson Flora, UC Santa Barbara
This is one of those picks that just makes sense on paper. The Pirates are a very good pitcher development organization, and Flora has the tools (upper-90s fastball and two versions of a slider) to zoom through the minors and help Paul Skenes and the big-league team in short order. Flora is the draft's best pitching prospect. He aligns with Pittsburgh's development strengths, and his timetable fits the team's contention window (i.e. right now). Best not to overthink it.
May 29 mock pick: Flora
6. Royals: LHP Gio Rojas, Stoneman Douglas HS (FL)
Teams are wary of high school pitchers because of the high injury risk and because they don't have as much information (neither traditional scouting nor analytical) about them as they do about college players. Rojas looks the part, though. Size (listed at 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds), stuff (mid-90s fastball, slider, changeup), command, mound presence. Kansas City has a Competitive Balance pick at No. 30 and could cut a below-slot deal with Rojas here, then splurge at No. 30. Rojas would likely welcome such a deal because, if he's not taken here, he might not hear his name called until the late first round. A below-slot bonus at No. 6 is better for him financially than a slot deal at, say, pick No. 20 or beyond.
May 29 mock pick: OF Eric Booth Jr., Oak Grove HS (MS)
7. Orioles: OF Eric Booth Jr., Oak Grove HS (MS)
Booth would not be out of place as a top-five pick and he is right up Baltimore's alley as a toolsy hitter with power potential and plate discipline. They've focused heavily on those two traits early in the draft since POBO Mike Elias took over in November 2018. I suspect the O's would pounce on Booth or Lombard if either falls here, but not Flora. The Orioles haven't taken a pitcher earlier than the second round in the Elias era and there's no reason to think that will change this year.
May 29 mock pick: OF Drew Burress, Georgia Tech
8. Athletics: OF Drew Burress, Georgia Tech
Despite an organizational need for pitching, the A's have mostly been connected to college position players this spring, and several good ones will be available here. Burress is the best of those still available in this mock draft. Texas A&M second baseman Chris Hacopian, Virginia outfielder AJ Gracia, Arkansas catcher Ryder Helfrick, and Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron are other possibilities. Burress has no glaring weakness in his game and some believe there is significant power waiting to be untapped via swing adjustments.
May 29 mock pick: OF AJ Gracia, Virginia
9. Braves: SS Tyler Bell, Kentucky
Despite a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder that is likely to require surgery and sideline him into 2027, Bell is getting buzz as a top 10 pick. He would have been considered a slam dunk in that range with a healthy shoulder as a switch-hitter with power and plate discipline, plus the defensive chops to stay at shortstop. There is obvious risk given the shoulder injury, but Bell played through it this spring and performed very well, and the tools are terrific.
May 29 mock pick: RHP Cade Townsend, Mississippi
10. Rockies: 2B Chris Hacopian, Texas A&M
The Rockies are a tough team to pin down ahead of the draft because they have an entirely new front office led by an executive who spent the last decade in the NFL in POBO Paul DePodesta. Hacopian is tough to pin down himself because although he's been one of the best college players of the 2020s, there are concerns about his ground ball swing and future defensive home. He could go in the top 10 or not until the very end of the first round. Colorado has been linked to college players more than high schoolers. Otherwise, we're guessing here.
May 29 mock pick: RHP Cameron Flukey, Coastal Carolina
11. Nationals: OF/LHP Jared Grindlinger, Huntington Beach HS (CA)
Grindlinger is a fascinating prospect. He reclassified out of the 2027 Draft and into the 2026 class, so he's among the youngest players available this summer, and he's a legitimate two-way prospect. He's considered a better prospect as a power-hitting outfielder than as a pitcher, though he would still likely go in the top three rounds if he pitched exclusively. The Nationals are among the teams that have been heavy on Grindlinger the last few weeks, and there's no chance he makes it to their second selection (No. 42), so it's now or never. It's unknown whether Washington or the team that picks him would let Grindlinger continue as a two-way player (my guess is yes).
May 29 mock pick: Grindlinger
12. Angels: RHP Cameron Flukey, Coastal Carolina
The Angels covet quick-moving college players and Flukey should be that, thanks to what might be the draft's best bat-missing combo in his mid-90s fastball and upper-70s curveball. An Angels player was the first player to reach the big leagues from the 2021 (Chase Silseth), 2022 (Zach Neto), 2023 (Nolan Schanuel), and 2024 (Ryan Johnson) Draft classes, and Tyler Bremner (No. 2 pick last year) still has a chance to be the first 2025 draftee to reach the show.
May 29 mock pick: C Ryder Helfrick, Arkansas
13. Cardinals: C Ryder Helfrick, Arkansas
Because of position scarcity, catchers are frequently selected earlier than the public draft prospect rankings would lead you to expect. Helfrick has big right-handed power and the tools that point to a long career as a good defensive catcher who hits near the middle of the order. Things really begin to open up around this pick and the surprises become less surprising.
May 29 mock pick: RHP Liam Peterson, Florida
14. Marlins: SS Justin Lebron, Alabama
Go back about 18 months and Lebron was favored to be the No. 1 pick in 2026. His performances have been uneven since then, though, with a tendency to chase spin out of the zone holding him back. The raw tools are incredible (power, speed, arm) and teams rave about his competitiveness and makeup. Everything but the plate discipline says Lebron belongs in the top five picks. The prospects still available in this mock draft say a college hitter would be the pick here, and the Marlins have shown a willingness to assume plate indiscipline risk to get loud tools under POBO Peter Bendix. Lebron fits.
May 29 mock pick: Lebron
15. Diamondbacks: LHP Cole Carlon, Arizona State
Carlon plays in the Diamondbacks' backyard and has been getting buzz in the middle of the first round the last few weeks. He's a big lefty (listed at 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds) with velocity and feel for spin, though not the consistent ability to find the strike zone. Carlon is an excellent ball of pitching clay and aligns with what the D-backs need to add to the organization.
May 29 mock pick: OF Trevor Condon, Etowah HS (GA)
16. Rangers: OF Derek Curiel, LSU
The Rangers have had a thing for "famous" prospects in the draft (think Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker), which may mean Lebron won't fall beyond this pick. He's off the board in this mock draft, though, so we'll give them Curiel, a bat-to-ball specialist who projects to stay in center field long-term. Believers see him developing 20-homer power and becoming a difference-making leadoff man.
May 29 mock pick: LHP Hunter Dietz, Arkansas
17. Astros: OF AJ Gracia, Virginia
The best players still available in this mock draft are college hitters and Gracia stands out from the pack thanks to his plate discipline, high-end contact skills, and outfield instincts. The Astros have a Prospect Promotion Incentive pick at No. 28 for Hunter Brown finishing top three in last year's Cy Young voting, so they have a big bonus pool to play with. They could pay a bonus in line with the top 8-12 picks to someone like, say, Flukey or Hacopian if they make it here, which doesn't happen here but could on draft day.
May 29 mock pick: OF Sawyer Strosnider, TCU
18. Reds: LHP Brody Bumila, Bishop Feehan HS (MA)
Bumila is a 6-foot-9 lefty who throws 101 mph and has already had his elbow cut into once, though he had the internal brace procedure rather than full-blown Tommy John surgery. He is climbing draft boards and now getting buzz in the middle of the first round as teams have gotten to see more of him since surgery. The Reds hit a home run with a similar prospect in Hunter Greene, who was another high schooler with extreme velocity.
May 29 mock pick: LHP Gio Rojas, Stoneman Douglas HS (FL)
19. Guardians: 3B Ace Reese, Mississippi State
The Guardians can't afford to buy power in free agency, so they've begun to draft it in the first round (Chase DeLauter in 2022 and Jace LaViolette in 2025). Reese has hit some titanic home runs in college and his power potential is on par with anyone else in the draft class. There are swing-and-miss concerns and he's not long for third base, but this late in the first round, you won't find many players who can change a game with one swing like Reese.
May 29 mock pick: 2B Chris Hacopian, Texas A&M
20. Red Sox: 3B Bo Lowrance, Christ Church Episcopal School (SC)
The Red Sox have been connected to Lowrance as much as any team picking in the back half of the first round can be connected to a single player. He could come off the board earlier than this, perhaps in the 10-15 pick range, but he's available in this mock draft, so we'll send him to Boston. The old adage is don't miss the guy in your backyard. If the Red Sox buy into that, they won't pass on Bumila if he gets here.
May 29 mock pick: Lowrance
21. Padres: LHP Hunter Dietz, Arkansas
This would be a very against-the-grain pick for GM A.J. Preller's Padres. They've taken a high school player in the first round in the last nine drafts, and they target upside over polish. That would likely point them to Bumila or Rojas, though neither is available in this mock draft. Dietz's stuff has been so electric this spring that he's certain to hear his name called in the first round despite throwing 1 ⅔ innings total from 2024-25. He's a 6-foot-6 lefty with a mid-90s fastball and four other pitches.
May 29 mock pick: LHP Brody Bumila, Bishop Feehan HS (MA)
22. Tigers: OF Trevor Condon, Etowah HS (GA)
The Tigers have used their last three first-round picks on high school hitters (Max Clark in 2023, Bryce Rainer in 2024, Jordan Yost in 2025) and Condon has been a very popular name in the middle of the first round the last few weeks. He's a speedy bat-to-ball guy with a knack for highlight reel plays in center. My hunch is Condon will come off the board before this pick on draft day.
May 29 mock pick: OF Derek Curiel, LSU
23. Cubs: RHP Logan Reddemann, UCLA
UCLA's quick postseason exit meant MLB teams didn't get another chance to see Reddemann. He had been sidelined with what was vaguely described as "arm fatigue" since April 17, though the expectation was he would pitch out of the bullpen at some point in the NCAA tournament. The Cubs are unafraid of injured prospects (last year's first-rounder, Ethan Conrad, had season-ending shoulder surgery before the draft) and, when healthy, Reddemann showed banger stuff that would have fit into the top 10 picks. If the Cubs are comfortable with the medicals, Reddemann is a chance to get a high-upside pitcher much later than the talent dictates.
May 29 mock pick: Cubs: SS Tyler Bell, Kentucky
24. Mariners: RHP Liam Peterson, Florida
The Mariners excel at developing college pitching and Peterson is arguably the top build-a-pitcher college arm in the draft. He's shown mid-90s gas throughout his career and an array of secondary pitches (changeup, curveball, slider) that are all tantalizing, but inconsistent. Peterson offers a lot of untapped potential and landing with the Mariners and their pitcher development folks would be a great fit for him at the start of his professional career.
May 29 mock pick: SS Eric Becker, Virginia
25. Brewers: IF/C Cole Prosek, Magnolia Heights HS (MS)
Folks within baseball are higher on Prosek than the public draft prospect rankings would lead you to believe. He's a sweet-swinging lefty with contact skills, power potential, and a plan at the plate. Prosek has spent most of his time at shortstop, though he also caught some this year, and I assume the team that drafts him will give him a chance to stick behind the plate. His uncle, Matt Erickson, played four games with the Brewers in 2004 and is currently Milwaukee's third base coach.
May 29 mock pick: SS Aiden Ruiz, Stony Brook School (NY)
The Blue Jays, Dodgers, Mets, Phillies, and Yankees all 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.
