2026 MLB Draft Thread...Sox likely a Top 3 pick here

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

On 2/14/2025 at 2:23 PM, caulfield12 said:

To add to the excitement lol...since everytime one looks up at 2025 it's simply maddening to draft tenth.

It is maddening. Stupid Commissioner. Baseball doesn't need an anti tanking rule. Picking the right players in the draft is harder than any other sport already and you instituted a lottery system. That's plenty good enough. No need to punish the worst teams fan bases too. The team being a mess is bad enough. Then you're going to throw in more labor problems to make things worse .The rich and east coast teams will keep spending just the way baseball wants it. God forbid Midwest cities like Milwaukee, KC , Cleveland, Minnesota,Chicago get lucky enough drafting to make the playoffs a few years in a row as they all struggle to pay their stars enough so they don't leave. Bad owners don't need to be rewarded but they already hurt their franchises and their fans enough without MLB stepping in with more gasoline to throw onto the fire. Competitive balance . What a joke.

There's only one reason why the Sox won World Series in 2005. Everything basically had to go right with most of their good players. Not great players. No HOF players on that team. No great Draft choices Internationally or Domestically except some pitcher drafted very late rounds named Buehrle .Crede, Cotts, Rowand were other domestic Sox draft picks who made good in 2005. Frank Thomas was mostly hurt. They were cobbled together into a good team for 1 year . Didn't make the playoffs the year before or the year after.One and done. Typical the Baseball Gods smiling on the Sox once every 100 years stuff.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

On 3/15/2025 at 4:19 PM, caulfield12 said:

https://threequarterslot.com/2025/01/23/2026-mlb-draft-justin-lebron-ss-alabama/

Can't believe Lebron is 6`2" and has that much pop for such a thin frame.

Reminiscent of Alexei Ramirez in 2008 physique-wise.

Different era of course but Ted Williams was the Splendid Splinter. Hands, wrist, forearms, hips ,solid base, weight transfer, barreling it up.

I never read Ted Williams " The Science of Hitting " . Someone must've compared what he said then to today to see how it stacks up against modern thinking. I don't think all that much has changed. Velocity is higher for pitching .Hitters still need great eyesight. Williams was known to have great vision.

[caulfield12]

48 minutes ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

It is maddening. Stupid Commissioner. Baseball doesn't need an anti tanking rule. Picking the right players in the draft is harder than any other sport already and you instituted a lottery system. That's plenty good enough. No need to punish the worst teams fan bases too. The team being a mess is bad enough. Then you're going to throw in more labor problems to make things worse .The rich and east coast teams will keep spending just the way baseball wants it. God forbid Midwest cities like Milwaukee, KC , Cleveland, Minnesota,Chicago get lucky enough drafting to make the playoffs a few years in a row as they all struggle to pay their stars enough so they don't leave. Bad owners don't need to be rewarded but they already hurt their franchises and their fans enough without MLB stepping in with more gasoline to throw onto the fire. Competitive balance . What a joke.

There's only one reason why the Sox won World Series in 2005. Everything basically had to go right with most of their good players. Not great players. No HOF players on that team. No great Draft choices Internationally or Domestically except some pitcher drafted very late rounds named Buehrle .Crede, Cotts, Rowand were other domestic Sox draft picks who made good in 2005. Frank Thomas was mostly hurt. They were cobbled together into a good team for 1 year . Didn't make the playoffs the year before or the year after.One aCotts spent the 2002 season at Single-A Modesto of the California League, winning 12 games in 28 starts. During the off-season, he was traded to the Chicago White Sox in a six-player deal involving relief pitchers Billy Koch and Keith Foulke. nd done. Typical the Baseball Gods smiling on the Sox once every 100 years stuff.

Cotts spent the 2002 season at Single-A Modesto of the California League, winning 12 games in 28 starts. During the off-season, he was traded to the Chicago White Sox in a six-player deal involving relief pitchers Billy Koch and Keith Foulke. 

 

To me 2005 was all about Contreras' brilliance and Jenks' emergence in many ways, but every single member of the roster contributed...El Duque Blum Iguchi Pods Buehrle in relief Uribe Crede.  Cotts and Politte even Hermanson and Shingo earlier.

 

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

2 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

Cotts spent the 2002 season at Single-A Modesto of the California League, winning 12 games in 28 starts. During the off-season, he was traded to the Chicago White Sox in a six-player deal involving relief pitchers Billy Koch and Keith Foulke. 

 

To me 2005 was all about Contreras' brilliance and Jenks' emergence in many ways, but every single member of the roster contributed...El Duque Blum Iguchi Pods Buehrle in relief Uribe Crede.  Cotts and Politte even Hermanson and Shingo earlier.

 

I wasn't sure if Cotts was drafted by the Sox. I just looked at the roster and took my best guess. I left out Brian Anderson because he wasn't a big factor.

But yes a lot of guys had one of the best years of their careers all at once or at least were productive at just the right moment in time. The stars aligned , whatever you want to call it.  There was no sustained success involved.

[Autumn Dreamin]

This is the guy they threw a 20th round flyer at last year.

[DirtySox]

 

[Boopa1219]

The White Sox short stop of the future 

[peanut33tillman]

3 hours ago, Boopa1219 said:

The White Sox short stop of the future 

If the 2026 draft was tomorrow I’d think Cholowsky is 1.1 He had a ridiculous sophomore year. Drew Burress, Justin Lebron and a couple prep kids in Grady Emerson and Jacob Lombard are my early guys to watch for 26 class for the Sox. Good year to have a likely top 3 pick with it seeming to be much stronger at the top opposed to this 25 class. We’re getting penalized in the right class with this draft luckily. 

[WestEddy]

As far as the draft lottery, am I correct in assuming that the Rockies are still in the lottery, but regardless of where they're picked, they pick 10? So if they're picked first and the Sox 2nd, the White Sox end up with the first pick and the Rockies move down 9 spots? That would increase our chances of getting #1. 

[peanut33tillman]

15 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

As far as the draft lottery, am I correct in assuming that the Rockies are still in the lottery, but regardless of where they're picked, they pick 10? So if they're picked first and the Sox 2nd, the White Sox end up with the first pick and the Rockies move down 9 spots? That would increase our chances of getting #1. 

Not sure I’m understanding your question but Rockies can’t pick inside top 10 in 2026 draft much like Sox for this 25 class. Sox have a 6.5 game lead on the As as the leading team to pick (Top 2 teams have same odds to pick 1st though.) if you’re bored remainder of year root for the As, Pirates and Marlins to win. Rockies will play no factor into Sox picking 1.

[WestEddy]

17 minutes ago, peanut33tillman said:

Not sure I’m understanding your question but Rockies can’t pick inside top 10 in 2026 draft much like Sox for this 25 class. Sox have a 6.5 game lead on the As as the leading team to pick (Top 2 teams have same odds to pick 1st though.) if you’re bored remainder of year root for the As, Pirates and Marlins to win. Rockies will play no factor into Sox picking 1.

But when they pick the slots, are the Rockies in the actual lottery to get picked? Even though they can't pick 1st? Or do just 2 teams have a 18% chance of being picked first (the 2nd and 3rd worst records, and the Rockies just slot in at 10?

[peanut33tillman]

9 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

But when they pick the slots, are the Rockies in the actual lottery to get picked? Even though they can't pick 1st? Or do just 2 teams have a 18% chance of being picked first (the 2nd and 3rd worst records, and the Rockies just slot in at 10?

Rockies just slot in at 10. Same as us last year who had worst record all time and are picking 10. They are Immediately slotted into pick 10 and 1 in all other rounds. They aren’t allowed to pick inside top 10 at all in round 1.

[Sleepy Harold]

1 hour ago, WestEddy said:

But when they pick the slots, are the Rockies in the actual lottery to get picked? Even though they can't pick 1st? Or do just 2 teams have a 18% chance of being picked first (the 2nd and 3rd worst records, and the Rockies just slot in at 10?

So the Rockies will still occupy whatever slot they have, although they'll get skipped wherever they're drawn since they can't pick higher than 10. The Sox actually drew the 6th slot for the 2025 draft, but were ineligible there bc of the rules.

Here's a snippet of the explanation with the link for the full article https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mlb.com/amp/news/mlb-2025-draft-lottery-results.html

Quote

The White Sox and A’s would have qualified for the Lottery based on their 2024 record but were not eligible to participate. The White Sox received a Lottery pick in the 2024 Draft, and they are a “payor club” – a team that gives rather than receives revenue sharing dollars; those clubs are not allowed to have consecutive Lottery picks.

 

The A’s are a “payee club” but landed Lottery picks in 2023 and '24, and payees cannot receive a Lottery pick three years in a row. They entered knowing they would be picking no earlier than 10th or 11th in the 2025 Draft as a result, though the White Sox were pulled for the No. 6 pick before the order was recalibrated.

 

Teams that didn’t earn one of the top six picks were slotted in after the White Sox and A’s in reverse order of standings from the 2024 season.

 

[WestEddy]

36 minutes ago, Sleepy Harold said:

So the Rockies will still occupy whatever slot they have, although they'll get skipped wherever they're drawn since they can't pick higher than 10. The Sox actually drew the 6th slot for the 2025 draft, but were ineligible there bc of the rules.

Here's a snippet of the explanation with the link for the full article https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mlb.com/amp/news/mlb-2025-draft-lottery-results.html

 

Thank you. 

[Y2Jimmy0]

Colorado and Washington are very likely to pick 10 and 11 next year. 

[DirtySox]

It's time for the 2026 cycle!

BA's first way too early mock draft. Obviously will depend on the lottery, but the current order is based off record. Will post the top 5 snippets so people can get familiar with names.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2026-mlb-mock-draft-way-too-early-top-10-picks-for-next-year/

Quote

As for the 2026 class, scouts are quite enamored with it at present. The high school crop of hitters and athletes, in particular, seems exceptional. While the college class is led by a no-doubt 1-1 candidate with a well-rounded profile and great tools, the top college options behind that have a few more question marks as we sit here today. 

Quote

1. White Sox — Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA
Cholowsky won Baseball America’s College Player of the Year award as an underclassman this spring, making him one of just six players in the 44-year history of the award to win in a year that wasn’t his draft year. A proven hitter with power and a plus defender at shortstop, Cholowsky was a high-profile prospect coming out of high school and now has perhaps the most complete and impactful profile in the class. He looks like one of the best college shortstop prospects since Dansby Swanson and Alex Bregman in 2015.

2. Pirates — Grady Emerson, SS, Argyle HS, Flower Mound, Tex.
Emerson is the top high school player in what’s shaping up to be a loaded class that is once again deep at the shortstop position. He’s a natural, instinctive hitter who has a chance for plus hitting ability. He’s also starting to come into more power with a well-rounded supplemental tool set that includes plus speed and the defensive chops to stick at shortstop.

3. Athletics — Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep HS, Miami, Fla.
Lombard is the younger brother of Yankees 2023 first-rounder George Lombard Jr. and is a more advanced prospect at the same age. While Emerson is the more natural hitter, Lombard has tools that are among the most exciting in the class. He’s a double-plus runner, has shown some of the best raw power in the class, and he is a flashy and smooth defender at shortstop who should stick at the position at the next level.

4. Braves — Kevin Roberts Jr., OF/RHP, Jackson Prep HS, Flowood, Miss.
Roberts comes from the same Jackson Prep program in Mississippi that produced 2024 first-rounder Konnor Griffin. He’s young for the class—he’ll be 17 on draft day—but he has huge physicality and upside with a chance to develop plus-plus raw power. He’s a patient hitter who can take a walk and has an arm that should profile nicely in right field. Roberts is a solid two-way player in high school who has been up to 94 mph but has more upside as a hitter.

5. Orioles — Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama
Lebron came out of the gates as one of the hottest hitters in college baseball this spring but cooled off through conference play and ultimately finished with a .316/.421/.636 line with 18 home runs and 17 stolen bases. There are some refinements he’ll need to make with his approach, but he has impressive bat speed and impact ability with sound defense at shortstop and a strong arm. 

 

Edited July 15 by DirtySox

[bmags]

it would rule to get cholowsky, would be really nice to trade for a supp pick because I'm sure we'd end up paying around slot. Seems unlikely he'd not want new record?

[Y2Jimmy0]

1 hour ago, bmags said:

it would rule to get cholowsky, would be really nice to trade for a supp pick because I'm sure we'd end up paying around slot. Seems unlikely he'd not want new record?

A new record would still be significantly under slot. #1 slot will be like $11.5 million next year. Biggest bonus ever is $9.2 million. They could give him $10 million, demolish the record and save $1.5 

[Chicago White Sox]

If we finish with the worst record behind the Rockies, what’s the worse we could pick next year?

[PaleAleSox]

19 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

If we finish with the worst record behind the Rockies, what’s the worse we could pick next year?

Whatever it is, it's what we will land on. 

[HoosierSox]

36 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

If we finish with the worst record behind the Rockies, what’s the worse we could pick next year?

7. The worst outcome would be 6 because we would be locked into the 10th pick the following year as well for being in the lottery. Top 6 are selected via lottery.

[PaleAleSox]

24 minutes ago, HoosierSox said:

7. The worst outcome would be 6 because we would be locked into the 10th pick the following year as well for being in the lottery. Top 6 are selected via lottery.

We will be picking last in 2027 so no big deal. 

[joejoesox]

2 hours ago, HoosierSox said:

7. The worst outcome would be 6 because we would be locked into the 10th pick the following year as well for being in the lottery. Top 6 are selected via lottery.

So the 6 lottery teams automatically pick 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th the following year? order based on worst record to best?

[southsider2k5]

28 minutes ago, joejoesox said:

So the 6 lottery teams automatically pick 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th the following year? order based on worst record to best?

No.  That only applies to 2 years in the top 6 for some,  or 3 years in a row for others 

[Y2Jimmy0]

3 hours ago, Chicago White Sox said:

If we finish with the worst record behind the Rockies, what’s the worse we could pick next year?

7th as was said already. 

44 minutes ago, joejoesox said:

So the 6 lottery teams automatically pick 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th the following year? order based on worst record to best?

 

23 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

No.  That only applies to 2 years in the top 6 for some,  or 3 years in a row for others 

Exactly SS2K. Large market clubs can only have a top 6 pick every other year. Small market clubs can’t 3 years in a row. But since the 3 worst teams are guaranteed to pick no later than 7-9, it pushes the ineligible teams to 10 and beyond.