DirtySox

I've mentioned it before. But having Bonemer and Roch together in AA/AAA and potentially on the same timeline will be great fun. Might see them both in 2027. Awaits Lip coming in to tell me there won't be a 2027 Season.

Rays pick is in. Unsure if people care about spoilers for other teams.

Oof. Now I like it less.

Me likey right-handed hitter.

Since the bubble has been burst it seems.

Pick is in.

When they acquired the additional pick I was kind of assuming a college arm somewhere early. Plenty to be had at 34. Maybe Radel.

This. Probably not picking very high in the draft for a bit after this one. It's why I'm a little less torn up about trading Gonzo than some other folks for a draft pick. The farm needs a huge influx of talent with a sustainability focus at this point, and they are in a position to do just that.

Correct. We are in the pre-draft portion.

I know this is in jest, but that was definitely a thing teams did a few years ago. Glad we stopping doing this as a whole because it never really worked.

Hearing some rumors about Flora to the Rays at 2. 👀

Taylor Blake Ward with a final mock. Still Roch on top. Has Thome to the White Sox at 34. Probably because Slightom going to the Royals at 30. Feel like the pocket is being picked. https://www.thesportingtribune.com/2026/07/11/2026-mlb-mock-draft-3-0-final-predictions

I'm so happy for him. 🥹

I think some folks who maybe don't follow the MLB draft aren't aware of some of its intricacies. There's a whole lot of intel, gamesmanship, and pool manipulation going on. You can't just look at each pick individually and say was this player the best available at this slot? Especially in rounds past the first. One needs to look at the draft in totality for the first 10 rounds. If the Sox take Thome at 34 or 41 it doesn't necessarily mean they view him as the best player on the board with those picks. They might value him as the 75th best player on their board, and still take him early because they know the player they value as the 30th best player will still be around for subsequent picks because of bonus demands, whereas Thome might not last that far. This allows them to grab a player they like in Thome with perhaps a player they love at 41 or 77 because they know that second player will last. TLDR: The draft is all about gamesmanship. Taking Thome early isn't a reach; it's a strategic sacrifice. It allows the Sox to secure two highly coveted players that they otherwise perhaps couldn't, even if the order they draft them in looks strange on paper.

Carlos Collazo still hearing Roch 1.1 at this juncture.

@Capn12 Can we lock this thread and point to the new one?

Co-signed.

@Y2Jimmy0 Posted his final mock yesterday. It's how I see it going as well if Slightom makes it to 34. The pivot will be interesting if he doesn't. https://www.futuresox.net/2026/07/10/2026-final-mlb-mock-draft/

Joe Doyle final mock. https://overslotbaseball.com/mock-drafts/mlb-draft-mock-final/ In this mock he has Slightom getting snatched up at 30 to the Royals. I think it's assuredly Slightom at 34 if still there. Doubt he lasts to 41.

You don't have to worry about a pitcher. No chance Flora goes first, and there isn't another arm worthy of 1.1.

Wow. Big get for Duke. Nawrocki (my guy) withdrew yesterday as well.

Catching up on some last minute Mock edits from last night/this morning. BA still has them on Roch. That hasn't changed. They link the White Sox to Slightom with the newly acquired pick #34. I think that tracks. I feel like Slightom is a higher risk of being snatched up before Thome so they want to nab him at 34. https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2026-mlb-mock-draft-7-0-final-predictions-for-first-40-picks/

I made an official thread for today. https://www.soxtalk.com/forums/topic/124664-official-2026-mlb-draft-thread-day-1-picks-discussion/