​The 2026 MLB Draft kicks off with Day 1 in Philadelphia, featuring rounds 1 through 5 and beginning with the Chicago White Sox holding the No. 1 overall pick. Expert mock drafts have UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky and Texas high school infielder Grady Emerson pegged as the top two prospects in this class. The overall field looks to be front-loaded with strong college bats, including Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey, who stands out as a notable standout in the early projections.
Day 1 covers the first four rounds, totaling 135 picks. On July 12, rounds 5 through 20 will be played, culminating ahead of the All-Star festivities. Here is everything you need to know about the 2026 MLB Draft, including schedule details, television and streaming options, and more.
Big weekend for Vanderbilt: analysts are buzzing about whether Vanderbilt’s baseball recruiting class could be the best ever or potentially hampered by MLB Draft outcomes.
Television coverage begins on NBC, airing picks 1 through 10 from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. Central. MLB Network will carry the remainder of the first round from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Central. Streaming options include Peacock, which will show picks 1 through 10, and MLB.com/MLB.TV for the remainder of Day 1, from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Central.
The official start time for Day 1 is 12:00 p.m. Central on Saturday, July 11, in Philadelphia. The Day 1 schedule breaks down as follows: NBC/Peacock will carry picks 1–10 starting at 12:00 p.m. Central; MLB Network/MLB.TV/MLB.com will cover picks 11–40 beginning at 1:30 p.m. Central; and from 3:30 p.m. Central onward, MLB.TV/MLB.com will cover picks 41–135.
Day 2, Sunday, July 12, continues the action with rounds 5 through 20, starting at 10:30 a.m. Central on MLB.com/MLB.TV, continuing the rest of the draft coverage.
Teams listed for Day 1 include the Chicago White Sox, Minnesota Twins, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals, Oakland Athletics, Colorado Rockies, St. Louis Cardinals, Miami Marlins, Texas Rangers, Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, Seattle Mariners, Milwaukee Brewers, and the Atlanta Braves. The draft also features notable selections within several competitive balance rounds, including the New York Mets, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Tampa Bay Rays in Competitive Balance Round A, as well as the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies in the same round. The Atlanta Braves are represented as the Prospect Promotion Incentive pick for Day 1.
This coverage and scheduling information helps fans follow the action as college and high school talent meets the professional stage, with top names like Cholowsky, Emerson, and Lackey drawing considerable attention as the draft unfolds. This recap originally appeared in the Nashville Tennessean, highlighting what channel to watch on the day and providing the essential time and streaming details for first-round coverage.