​The 2026 MLB Draft kicks off on Saturday with the opening 135 picks spread across four rounds in a two-day, 20-round framework. The Dodgers head into the proceedings with two selections on the first day, a result of their winter spending and negotiating decisions that affected their draft stock. Notably, Los Angeles forfeited their second-round pick after signing closer Edwin Díaz, and they surrendered their third-round pick when Kyle Tucker reached a deal with the Dodgers after both players declined qualifying offers last November. Although their first-round pick would have fallen at 30th overall, the Dodgers ended up with a penalty that pushed that top choice down by 10 spots for exceeding the third competitive balance tax threshold in 2025.
The 40th overall pick is a familiar position for the Dodgers in recent drafts, a slot they have used before to select talent such as catcher Dalton Rushing in 2022 and pitcher Zach Root in 2025. In both cases, their top selection dropped 10 spots due to the prior year’s competitive balance tax, a pattern that underscores the financial mechanics at play in this draft cycle. Historically, the 40th slot has produced mixed results for the Dodgers, with three earlier 40th picks—shortstop Thomas Harris in 1967 and outfielder Don Carroll in 1987 among them—never advancing to the major leagues. As for Rushing, the most notable 40th pick in Dodgers lore is pitcher Luke Hochevar in 2005: Hochevar did not sign with Los Angeles and was instead drafted first overall the following year by the Kansas City Royals, a development that set off a chain of events culminating in Clayton Kershaw becoming available at seventh overall in the 2006 draft.
Here’s how the top portion of the draft unfolds: the club’s first selection sits at 40th, followed by the 4th round’s 132nd overall pick. The draft coverage begins at 10 a.m. PT on NBC and Peacock, then shifts to MLB Network for picks 11 through 40. MLB Network’s coverage is tentatively slated to run through about 1:30 p.m. PT, meaning the Dodgers’ initial pick should land right around that time. After the initial slate of 40 picks, the remaining selections are streamed. MLB.com and MLB.tv will carry the picks from 41 through 135, with coverage tentatively scheduled to continue through roughly 4:45 p.m. PT. Given there are 135 total picks, the Dodgers’ fourth-round selection—No. 132—should come sometime near 4 p.m., depending on the pace of the broadcast.
Draft coverage schedule, in brief:
– 10 a.m. PT: Pre-show, picks 1–10 (NBC, Peacock)
– 11:30 a.m. PT: Picks 11–40 (MLB Network, MLB.com, MLB.tv)
– 1:30 p.m. PT: Picks 41–135 (MLB.com, MLB.tv)
This structure positions the Dodgers to have their first official selection just as the network coverage transitions, with the overall event set to span the morning into the early afternoon, ending after the 135th pick. The 2026 draft, featuring the Dodgers’ two Day 1 selections and two additional rounds’ worth of talent on the second day, will continue to shape the team’s long-term plans as it navigates the intricate tax implications and strategic choices that mark modern player development.