​The 2026 White Sox draft narrative centers on a risky but intriguing bet: the continuation of an imperfect yet promising arms theme, with Cal Scolari becoming the club’s 137th selection. Scolari’s profile is defined by a significant injury history, including Tommy John surgery in high school, a missed senior year in high school, and a missed freshman year in college, followed by just one college season pitched. That combination pushes him toward the tail end of the early rounds, and MLB’s ranking reflected that reality, listing him at No. 192. Yet Chicago was drawn to the upside of his starter potential enough to move forward with him even as other first-day talents remained on the board, such as José Contreras’ son, Joseph, who were passed over in favor of taking Scolari.
During the draft broadcast, MLB analysts labeled this as an aggressive selection, characterizing Scolari as a “redshirt sophomore” with notable velocity and sound mechanics. The pick underscored the White Sox’s belief that his developmental arc could still lead to a viable major-league starter, a path they’re likely to give him a chance to pursue from the outset. In terms of projection, Scolari’s best-pitched offering remains his fastball, graded at about a 50, sitting around 93-94 mph and reaching up to the upper-90s at times. There’s a recurring theme of arm trouble in his career, even after a rebound season at Oregon in 2026, where he appeared in 14 games (12 starts) for 57 innings. That year highlighted a standout five-inning, 10-strikeout performance against Washington in the Big Ten tournament, a reminder of his upside when healthy and in the groove.
However, given the cumulative injuries and a relatively light workload history, the White Sox appear poised to handle Scolari with kid-glove care once he signs, dialing back expectations as they manage his development. The team is likely to push his major-league debut back, with a realistic projection that his professional debut could be delayed to 2027 as part of a cautious progression plan. The 2026 White Sox draft continues to be chronicled in their storied draft storyline, a stream of content that follows the club’s talent evaluation and selections with an eye toward SEO-friendly coverage and reader engagement. In sum, Scolari embodies a high-risk, high-reward element for Chicago: a pitcher with starter potential and an admirable ceiling who arrives with a medical history that necessitates careful, measured development before he can be relied upon as a durable, long-term contributor to the White Sox rotation.