​The 2026 MLB Draft is set to begin today at 12 PM CDT, and it marks another pivotal step forward for the future of Cardinals baseball. Last year, the Cardinals kicked off their pipeline upgrade with a high-octane barrage on day 1, adding two University of Tennessee hurlers in Liam Doyle and Tanner Franklin, a dynamic left-handed-hitting prep standout in Ryan Mitchell, and a powerful college left-handed first baseman in Jack Gurevitch. This season, St. Louis holds six of the top 86 picks and will be particularly active on day 1 as they continue stocking their farm system with promising young talent. The selections include 13, 32, 50, 68, 72, and 86.
The Cardinals also enter draft weekend with one of the larger bonus pools, a benefit largely due to securing their comp A pick and the two comp B picks acquired in the Brendan Donovan trade. Here are the top 10 MLB Draft bonus pools for 2026:
1. White Sox: $20,489,500
2. Rays: $19,009,300
3. Giants: $17,350,600
4. Twins: $16,929,600
5. Cardinals: $16,612,300
6. Pirates: $16,233,300
7. Royals: $15,954,000
8. Braves: $15,870,800
9. Rockies: $15,557,600
10. Athletics: $13,840,300
Day 1 coverage is scheduled for Saturday, July 11, with rounds 1 through 4. The broadcast slate includes:
– 1:00–2:30 p.m. ET: Preview show and selections 1–10, available on NBC and Peacock
– 2:30–4:30 p.m. ET: Picks 11–40, streaming on MLB Network, Peacock, MLB.com, MLB.TV, and MLB+
– 4:30–7:45 p.m. ET: Picks 41–135, accessible via Peacock, MLB.com, MLB.TV, and MLB+
This guide provides the essential “when, where, and how” to follow the draft live. While the Cardinals’ selections, and the motivations behind each pick, will be revealed by the team and its scouts, the what is the draft itself—the strategic exercise of adding impact talent to the organization’s pipeline.
This thread will be updated throughout the day as new picks come in, with the comments section serving as a forum to discuss information as it unfolds. I’ll be your VEB guide, delivering timely updates, analysis, and context as the Cardinals maneuver through day 1. Expect a substantial amount of content, as I aim to bring you comprehensive coverage from start to finish.
A note on scheduling: I want to apologize to everyone who anticipated my conversation with Joe Doyle of Overslot Baseball. Scheduling conflicts prevented us from conducting or rescheduling that discussion before the draft began, as many shows across baseball had him booked over the past 72 hours. Joe will join us at a later date. If you have questions at any point today, I’ll do my best to answer, provide context, or connect you with industry contacts who have deeper knowledge of these players. This will help maximize SEO relevance and keep you informed with quality, crowd-sourced insights as the draft unfolds.