MLB Draft: Five candidates to go No. 1 in 2027

On Saturday night, the Chicago White Sox selected UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 MLB draft. Cholowsky joins Sam Antonacci, Chase Meidroth, Colson Montgomery, and Miguel Vargas in Chicago's impressive (and growing) collection of young position player talent. Don't forget about Munetaka Murakami either.

Now that the 2026 Draft is in the books, we can look ahead to next summer's draft, which could very well be held under different rules. The upcoming collective bargaining agreement may change how the draft works, though a significant overhaul is unlikely. Here now are five super duper early candidates to be next year's No. 1 selection.

2026 MLB Draft winners and losers: Georgia Tech gets plenty of buzz, pitchers keep falling down the board

Mike Axisa

1. SS Dylan Seward, Norco HS (CA)

Seward is the prototype. He's a switch-hitter with a direct bat-to-ball swing from both sides, and the expectation is he'll grow into power as he gets older, making him an all-around offensive threat. Seward is a premium athlete with top-of-the-line speed and excellent defensive actions. He tops it off with a good internal clock and baseball instincts. The biggest knocks against Seward are that he's not especially big, so his long-term power projection is only so high, and that his right-handed swing may come to lag behind his lefty swing. Otherwise, he's everything teams want in a potential No. 1 pick.

2. C/2B Gavin Kelly, West Virginia

A versatile player who played second base and catcher this year and all three outfield spots in the past, Kelly slashed .378/.475/.707 with 18 home runs and nearly as many walks (43) as strikeouts (45) in 2026. He's a right-handed hitter with a strong blend of contact skills, power, and plate discipline. 

Defensively, Kelly is reliable on the infield and shows promise in the outfield and behind the plate, where he's inexperienced. He could catch full-time for the Mountaineers next year as senior catchers come off the roster. Kelly's bat and versatility mean it will never be difficult to get him in the lineup. He's expected to be a top 2027 draft pick regardless of the position he plays next spring.

3. SS Brendan Lawson, Florida

Lawson has mashed since the day he arrived in Gainesville. The left-handed hitter put up a .312/.511/.699 line with 19 home runs and more walks (53) than strikeouts (46) this season, and he also hammered elite competition in the wood bat Cape Cod League last summer (.916 OPS). Lawson holds his hands high over his head and has an unusual setup at the plate ...

... but he gets the bat into hitting position on time. It works for him. While his bat is his calling card, Lawson is a solid defender who bounced between first base, second base, and third base last year before moving to shortstop full-time this year.

4. OF Jacob Seamon, Metrolina Christian Academy (NC)

Teams that lean on analytical models in the draft (i.e. most of them) love players who are young for the class, and Seamon will still be 17 on draft day next year. He's a left-handed hitter with bat speed and raw strength that point to significant power down the road. It's possible he'll outgrow center field, though Seamon can run and defend and figures to contribute on both sides of the ball long-term. If he grows into more power next spring, he could hear his name called with the No. 1 pick.

5. RHP Dax Whitney, Oregon State

Had we previewed 2027 draft prospects in mid-April, Whitney would have ranked No. 1. He blew out his elbow on April 24, however, and underwent the combination Tommy John surgery/internal brace procedure, which is becoming standard (they put a new ligament in and reinforce it). When healthy, Whitney was simply electric. He made 11 starts and struck out 104 batters in only 63 innings before the injury.

Whitney touched 100 mph on the regular this spring and backs up his heater with a curveball and a slider, both of which have high spin rates. He also has a changeup, and walked only 18 batters in his 63 innings this spring, a sign of his control and strike-throwing ability. Whitney has legitimate ace upside and is the most touted college pitcher since Paul Skenes.

The timing of his elbow reconstruction means Whitney won't pitch much before the draft next summer, if at all. MLB teams generally feel comfortable with UCL surgery and are willing to roll the dice, though. As long as his rehab goes smoothly, Whitney will still be a high pick next year, possibly even No. 1 overall.