​The 2026 MLB Draft is set to unfold, with a group of elite prospects from both high school and college poised to learn where their professional journeys will begin. At the top of the projected order sits the Chicago White Sox, who are followed closely by the Tampa Bay Rays at No. 2 and the Minnesota Twins at No. 3. Among the draft’s standout talents are UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, Texas high school shortstop Grady Emerson, and Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey. White Sox vice president of amateur scouting Mike Shirley told ESPN that all three players are under serious consideration for the No. 1 pick, adding a layer of anticipation to the opening selections of the draft.
This year’s draft features 37 first-round picks, a number boosted by MLB’s Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI) and the Competitive Balance Round A. A team earns a PPI pick if a preseason top-100 prospect makes the Opening Day roster and either wins Rookie of the Year or finishes in the top three in MVP or Cy Young voting. In addition, MLB designates Competitive Balance Round A picks to teams from either the 10 smallest markets or the 10 smallest revenue pools, helping to level the playing field in the early rounds.
As the draft proceeds, the first-round selections will be spread across a wide array of organizations, with fans watching to see how the board develops and which teams pull the trigger on their anticipated targets. The list of clubs slotted for the opening round includes the Chicago White Sox, the Tampa Bay Rays, the Minnesota Twins, and several other franchises such as the San Francisco Giants, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Kansas City Royals, the Baltimore Orioles, the Oakland Athletics, the Colorado Rockies, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Miami Marlins, the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Texas Rangers, the Houston Astros, the Cincinnati Reds, the Boston Red Sox, the San Diego Padres, the Chicago Cubs, the Seattle Mariners, the Milwaukee Brewers, the Atlanta Braves, the New York Mets, the New York Yankees, the Philadelphia Phillies, and the San Diego Padres again in the projected order.
This draft configuration and the surrounding storyline promise plenty of intrigue as teams weigh the immediate impact of top-tier talent against long-term development potential. With the No. 1 pick still in flux among elite contenders, the decision at the top of the order could redefine the trajectory of several organizations as they plan for the coming seasons. The full draft will be broadcast this afternoon on NBC and MLB Network, giving fans a front-row seat to the unveiling of a new class of professional stars.