16 hours ago, DirtySox said:

2 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

It's not Jerry I worry about here, it's the corpse of Tony.

If Jerry doesn’t have sway in this area, then Tony doesn’t matter all that much.

Just now, Chicago White Sox said:

If Jerry doesn’t have sway in this area, then Tony doesn’t matter all that much.

I have zero belief that if Tony tells Chris who to draft, that Chris will tell him no. Maybe it is oversimplifying to say it isn't Jerry, but the front offices previously have been too scared to tell Tony no, to the point of his being forced back in as manager, and I do not believe that this has changed. Why? Because he is STILL hanging around being an influence. A guy like that isn't involved if he say doesn't matter.

BA mock today. Nothing worth calling out on it really. Still Roch. Will share the top 10.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2026-mlb-mock-draft-4-0-first-round-picks-for-every-team-with-a-month-to-go/

1. White Sox — Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA

Bonus Pool: $17,592,100

Slot Value: $11,350,600

Cholowsky finished his career as a .329/.448/.624 hitter with 52 home runs and 41 doubles. In the last three college seasons, he’s one of just 30 players to hit at least 45 home runs. His 11.7% strikeout rate over that same time is the best mark of any hitter on that list. It’s that hit/power combination while boasting a slam-dunk shortstop profile that separates Cholowsky from most college prospects, and it’s why he remains the favorite to be the first player off the board—even if both Emerson and Lackey have compelling cases of their own.

2. Rays — Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian HS, North Richland Hills, Texas

Bonus Pool: $19,009,300

Slot Value: $10,507,000

If the White Sox take someone other than Cholowsky first overall, he would make sense as the favorite here. In the scenario where he’s gone, I think the Rays could lean towards Emerson’s elite lefthanded hitting chops and shortstop profile over Vahn Lackey. I also know there are teams who still believe Cholowsky and Emerson have a bit of separation above Lackey, though that doesn’t matter if the Rays view it differently.

3. Twins — Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech

Bonus Pool: $16,929,600

Slot Value: $9,740,100

Lackey had a tremendous finish to the season. He ended the year with a .397/.519/.772 slash line, 20 home runs and more walks than strikeouts. The Twins should be in a great position to simply take whichever top-three player in the class falls to them. There have been, and will likely continue to be, underslot rumors mentioned with all of the top teams.

No one believes any of the top three teams want to hand out a deal near slot value. Each of the first three picks come with slot values well over the current signing bonus record of $9.25 million. But given the perceived talent gap that Cholowsky, Emerson and Lackey have on the rest of the class, it still feels more likely that these three players make up the first three picks in some order.

4. Giants — Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep HS, Miami

Bonus Pool: $17,350,600

Slot Value: $8,988,400

One interesting scenario floated to me about the Giants was about the possibility of them trying to overpay whichever player made it to No. 3 right in front of them. I don’t think it’s likely they can slide the top player in the class three spots if Cholowsky is simply the favorite for all three teams picking in front of them—but what if Lackey is on the board at No. 3 and the Giants are happy to put out a big deal? The Twins are one of the two teams who have never spent over their bonus pool. Then again, just three years ago, they picked fifth in a draft with five clear top players, and signed Walker Jenkins to an overslot deal.

I’ve continued to hear Lombard’s name associated with the Giants more than Jackson Flora or Eric Booth Jr., so he remains the pick.

5. Pirates — Jackson Flora, RHP, UC Santa Barbara

Bonus Pool: $19,130,700

Slot Value: $8,336,500

This feels like the most likely spot to see the first pitcher come off the board. But given how the Pirates have drafted in recent years, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them interested in either of the top high school hitters who could be available—Eric Booth Jr. and Jacob Lombard. Pittsburgh could also be a possible landing spot for Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron, who has had a few big games in the regionals and super regionals and would fit in with their high-risk, high-reward track record in recent years.

6. Royals — Gio Rojas, LHP, Stoneman Douglas HS, Parkland, Fla.

Bonus Pool: $15,954,000

Slot Value: $7,746,100

I get the feeling Kansas City would prefer Jacob Lombard to Eric Booth Jr. if they had their pick of the two. Whether they would take the top high school pitcher in Rojas over Booth with both on the board is something I’m less confident about. There’s no doubt Kansas City has had a lot of boots on the ground to scout Rojas all spring, though. Florida righthander Liam Peterson has some decent buzz, and Kansas City might be one of the teams intrigued by his pure stuff, but I still think that might be too high for him. He’s more likely to be drafted in between their first and second picks.

7. Orioles — Eric Booth Jr., OF, Oak Grove HS, Hattiesburg, Miss.

Bonus Pool: $13,114,000

Slot Value: $7,327,200

If the board plays out this way, I’m guessing Baltimore is picking between Eric Booth Jr. and Drew Burress. It does seem hard to envision a scenario in which both Jacob Lombard and Booth get much further than this pick. If neither of those high school hitters make it here, I’m hearing a ton of college bats, including Tyler Bell, AJ Gracia, Chris Hacopian and Ryder Helfrick. Both Justin Lebron and Derek Curiel sound like more realistic options than I might have thought a few weeks ago, too.

8. Athletics — Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech

Bonus Pool: $13,840,300

Slot Value: $6,982,600

Once the top six players are off the board, there’s a group of college hitters getting a lot of chatter with the next few picks. Burress might be the frontrunner of that group as a center field defender with three excellent seasons and real tools. His profile has fewer flaws than most of the other college hitters that could be in consideration here, which includes Tyler Bell, Justin Lebron, AJ Gracia, Chris Hacopian and Ryder Helfrick. If Flora isn’t the pick at No. 5, I could see a path to him getting to the A’s at No. 8, and he would make plenty of sense if he was available.

9. Braves — Tyler Bell, SS, Kentucky

Bonus Pool: $15,870,800

Slot Value: $6,675,300

All of the college hitters mentioned with the A’s could make sense for the Braves. Bell seems to be increasingly viewed as a slam-dunk option in the first half of the first round. He’s been connected to most of the teams in the 8-16 range and could have the edge on many of the other college hitters in this tier because he can stick on the dirt. Having a tremendous spring season doesn’t hurt, either.

10. Rockies — Derek Curiel, OF, LSU

Bonus Pool: $15,557,600

Slot Value: $6,393,100

If the Royals don’t take Gio Rojas, the Rockies feel like another strong potential spot for the first high school pitcher in the class. If the board unfolds like how we are projecting it here, I would be torn between Curiel and Helfrick as the top college hitting options for the Rockies.

While a college hitter does seem most likely for Colorado, it’s interesting how often they’ve been linked to high school pitchers like Rojas, Logan Schmidt, Brody Bumila and Carson Bolemon. Perhaps that’s a function of having multiple comp picks in the 30s.

Vahn Lackey

Player Profile

School: Georgia Tech, Bats: R, Throws: R

I had the White Sox with Grady Emerson in my first mock draft, and mentioned Jacob Lombard as well. In this case, nothing has actually changed — I believe their mix still includes those two, and, yes, Roch Cholowsky. It has just sounded a little more like they’re leaning towards Lackey in the last week or so.

2 hours ago, PolishPrince34 said:

Vahn Lackey

Player Profile

School: Georgia Tech, Bats: R, Throws: R

I had the White Sox with Grady Emerson in my first mock draft, and mentioned Jacob Lombard as well. In this case, nothing has actually changed — I believe their mix still includes those two, and, yes, Roch Cholowsky. It has just sounded a little more like they’re leaning towards Lackey in the last week or so.

Where is this from?

1 minute ago, DirtySox said:

Where is this from?

Nm. It's Law. Will post more once off mobile.

The top 10 from the aforementioned Law mock. Might be the first time we've seen any publication have the Sox selecting Lackey.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7345752/2026/06/10/mlb-mock-draft-2026-vahn-lackey-tyler-bell-roch-cholowsky/

1.) White Sox - Vahn Lackey

School: Georgia Tech, Bats: R, Throws: R

I had the White Sox with Grady Emerson in my first mock draft, and mentioned Jacob Lombard as well. In this case, nothing has actually changed — I believe their mix still includes those two, and, yes, Roch Cholowsky. It has just sounded a little more like they’re leaning towards Lackey in the last week or so.

2.) Rays - Tyler Bell

School: Kentucky, Bats: B, Throws: R

Heard this one a few times in the past several days, and since Tampa Bay took Bell out of high school, it’s plausible that they’d still view him in a similar light now that he’s raked for two years in college — this year with a bum shoulder, too. I believe they’d also consider Roch Cholowsky and Vahn Lackey. The Rays might be Jackson Flora’s only real suitor in the top four.

3.) Twins - Roch Cholowsky

School: UCLA, Bats: R, Throws: R

I’m assuming the Twins take the obvious pick, but I have heard that their internal model has Drew Burress at or near the top, and if 1-2 were Cholowsky and Vahn Lackey, then Burress might be the pick.

4.) Giants - Grady Emerson

School: Fort Worth Christian (North Richland Hills, Texas), Bats: L, Throws: R

The rumor here is that the Giants would back up the truck for Emerson, maybe using some of the extra pool money they got by acquiring a pick in the Patrick Bailey trade. I currently don’t think they’d take Jackson Flora. Eric Booth Jr. is a dark horse here.

5.) Pirates - Jackson Flora

School: UC Santa Barbara, Bats: R, Throws: R

This pick is based solely on the scenario that has unfolded above. I imagine this would be an absolute dream for the Pirates, picking fifth and getting the best pitcher on the board.

6.) Royals - Jacob Lombard

School: Gulliver Prep (Pinecrest, Fla.), Bats: R, Throws: R

I’ve heard for a while that the Royals would love to get Grady Emerson or Lombard. If Jackson Flora is available, I think they’d take him. I don’t think they’d take Eric Booth Jr. If everything fell apart, I think they could pick Gio Rojas to sign him at a discount.

7.) Orioles - Eric Booth Jr.

School: Oak Grove HS (Hattiesburg, Miss.), Bats: L, Throws: L

I’ve only heard the Orioles connected with bats, again, although as with the Royals, I wonder if Jackson Flora is the one arm they’d take regardless because he’s too good for the pick. I also think they’re on Drew Burress and Ryder Helfrick, maybe on Derek Curiel.

8.) Athletics - Derek Curiel

School: LSU, Bats: L, Throws: L

I’ve heard the A’s all over the place in terms of player types, and I think they’d take any of the college bats I have going ahead of this pick, or maybe Ryder Helfrick instead of Curiel. If they go with a pitcher, it could be Hunter Dietz, assuming Jackson Flora is long gone.

9.) Braves - Drew Burress

School: Georgia Tech, Bats: R, Throws: R

I’ve heard a billion times that Atlanta wants Burress. They’re also high on Gio Rojas. I’d heard them earlier in the spring with Cade Townsend, but he fell off as the season progressed. If the board blows up entirely, like Burress going at pick three, look for them to cut a deal at this spot.

10.) Rockies - Ryder Helfrick

School: Arkansas, Bats: R, Throws: R

I have heard the Rockies connected with Helfrick, Eric Booth Jr., Hunter Dietz and Eric Becker. I don’t think they could go that wrong here given the needs of the system, but I think their options are much stronger on the college side.

I actually love the Tyler Bell pick at #2. The underlying metrics on him are stupid. If he wasn't injured this season he could have been a top guy. I imagine he would come at a significant discount too at that selection.

Edited June 10Jun 10 by DirtySox

Keith Law tweeted he put Lackey #1 to Sox. (I no longer have an athletic sub)

Oh see above.

I wonder how Law views the 3 hitters since he generally has a strong history evaluating hitters

I do very much hate the idea of the Twins getting Roch.

4 minutes ago, Quin said:

I do very much hate the idea of the Twins getting Roch.

I kind of hate the idea of them getting Roch or Lackey. I think both are going to be a pain in the ass.

New MLB mock via Mayo.

https://www.mlb.com/milb/news/mlb-pipeline-2026-mock-draft-june-11?t=mlb-draft-coverage

1. White Sox: Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA (No. 1)

Yes, this seemed like a slam dunk for so long. Yes, it still very much could happen and there’s no definitive intel to change course for the time being, and many in the industry still feel certain that they’ll stick with the UCLA star. Others think many scouts in the organization prefer Grady Emerson while Vahn Lackey’s performance has moved him more firmly into consideration. One evaluator broke down the odds like this: Cholowsky - 40 percent; Emerson - 40 pct; Lackey - 20 pct.

BA staff draft today. This IS NOT a mock. This is BA writers making selections based off who they would pick if left up to them. Will post the top 10 and 41. Boy do I agree with Jacob.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2026-mlb-draft-baseball-america-staff-draft-3-0-for-top-75-picks/

1. White Sox — Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech

Writer: Jacob

Rationale: This is not an attempt to be contrarian for contrarian’s sake. I genuinely believe Vahn Lackey is the right choice at No. 1. He blends elite athleticism, plus hitting ability and at least average game power at a position that rarely produces players with this kind of offensive profile. There’s been little to suggest he won’t stick behind the plate long term, and he’s as dynamic an offensive threat as any player in the 2026 class. I think a catcher with this kind of robust toolset is a slightly rarer gem than a standout college shortstop.

2. Rays — Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA

Writer: Ben

Rationale: Roch Cholowsky would be my pick at No. 1 overall, so I’ll gladly take the best player in the draft here at No. 2.

3. Twins — Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian HS, North Richland Hills, Texas

Writer: J.J.

Rationale: No need to overthink it here. With a somewhat clear Top 3, I’m happy to pick whoever falls to this spot. Emerson is a pure hitter who should move relatively quickly for a prep bat.

4. Giants — Eric Booth Jr., OF, Oak Grove HS, Hattiesburg, Miss.

Writer: Mark

Rationale: While Carlos’ reporting has consistently tied the Giants to Jacob Lombard, I prefer the other prep bat in this range, Booth, slightly more. They both have contact questions, but it’s hard not to fall in love with a potential top-of-the-scale runner in center field with power potential and a swing that has gotten better over the last year.

5. Pirates — Derek Curiel, OF, LSU

Writer: Carlos

Rationale: With the first three players off the board being no-brainers, I was left in the No. 5 hole hoping Mark didn’t take Eric Booth Jr., who was my preferred player in the next tier. I didn’t get lucky. I don’t want a pitcher here, and I am too scared of Jacob Lombard’s swing-and-miss tendencies, so I decided to go with my favorite bat from the next tier of players in Curiel.

6. Royals — Jackson Flora, RHP, UC Santa Barbara

Writer: Geoff

Rationale: The Royals’ organization has been trending in the right direction for a few years, as they’ve done a better job of identifying talent. The system still lacks a lot of velocity, though. Flora solves that problem. I’m going with who I view to be the best pitcher in the draft with a plus fastball and all the ingredients you look for.

7. Orioles — Trevor Condon, OF, Etowah HS, Woodstock, Ga.

Writer: Jacob

Rationale: With Lackey, Cholowsky, Emerson, Booth and Flora off the board, the next tier of players is easy to shuffle around. Condon gets the nod here. He’s a sparkplug high school center fielder who plays with his hair on fire and brings an exciting blend of athleticism and upside. There’s an unconventional look to the swing and legitimate questions about whether his timing mechanism will translate against professional pitching, but the overall package is easy to dream on. It’s an exciting bag of tools packed into a relentless ball of energy.

8. Athletics — Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep HS, Miami

Writer: Ben

Rationale: I work with some of the nicest people in the game. These guys are so nice they left Jacob Lombard available for me with the eighth overall pick, even taking two other high school players I wouldn’t have considered with a top 10 to let me have him. While I’m excited to get Lombard here, the A’s should not expect other teams to be this generous.

9. Braves — Tyler Bell, SS, Kentucky

Writer: J.J.

Rationale: This isn’t a pick purely for need, because Bell makes sense at pick No. 9. But Bell also fits the Braves’ needs as a sweet-swinging shortstop who could move pretty quickly.

10. Rockies — Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech

Writer: Mark

Rationale: I had Tyler Bell in my grasp, and J.J. swiped him away. No matter. Burress is a perfectly fine consolation and a very fun potential fit at Coors Field.

41. White Sox — Jarren Advincula, 2B, Georgia Tech

Writer: Carlos

Rationale: I’m pretty surprised Advincula is still on the board here. I would have expected him to go closer to pick 30 than pick 40. Yes, he’s not going to give you a ton of power or defensive value, but he’s a real runner, and his hit tool is just better than basically every one else in the class at this stage. This feels like great value.

Edited Monday at 06:58 PM1 day by DirtySox

8 minutes ago, DirtySox said:

BA staff draft today. This IS NOT a mock. This is BA writers making selections based off who they would pick if left up to them. Will post the top 10 and 41. Boy do I agree on with Jacob.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2026-mlb-draft-baseball-america-staff-draft-3-0-for-top-75-picks/

Two GA Tech picks.

Interesting.

No Thome/Contreras. Just picking on talent alone.

3 hours ago, DirtySox said:

BA staff draft today. This IS NOT a mock. This is BA writers making selections based off who they would pick if left up to them. Will post the top 10 and 41. Boy do I agree on with Jacob.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2026-mlb-draft-baseball-america-staff-draft-3-0-for-top-75-picks/

I have firmly planted my feet in the ground on Lackey being the best player in this class. Passing on him would be a mistake; even moreso when there's chatter about him being cheaper.

Ah, mock draft season, the most useless "no battle plan survives first contact with the enemy" type stuff.

Hey @Y2Jimmy0 . I know you are often in the loop on the Sox interest in the local guys. Hearing anything on Dom Battista? How about Ethan Bass? Battista sounds super interesting to me. Sounds like all the tools are there but the in game performance hasn't clicked just yet. Could be a dude for the player development side.

53 minutes ago, DirtySox said:

Hey @Y2Jimmy0 . I know you are often in the loop on the Sox interest in the local guys. Hearing anything on Dom Battista? How about Ethan Bass? Battista sounds super interesting to me. Sounds like all the tools are there but the in game performance hasn't clicked just yet. Could be a dude for the player development side.

Heard a few weeks ago that Dom is 3-6 round, but I think he had an injury this year. Don’t quote me on that.

6 minutes ago, fathom said:

Heard a few weeks ago that Dom is 3-6 round, but I think he had an injury this year. Don’t quote me on that.

Hamate. He was in the Combine article today for Over-Slot.

Dom Battista, OF, Oswego East

The hamate is a brutal injury for a hitter. It saps a player of all their strength. Battista lost an opportunity to really show off this spring after his gave way.

The summer of 2025 was a good one for him, and his Super 60 showing gave evaluators a meaningful reference point to lean on. The résumé isn't blank. But hamate injuries raise questions that only live at-bats can answer, and Battista has never been a player whose high school league statistics did the selling for him. The tools have always been there, but those tools have been invisible this spring.

That's what makes the batting practice and workout sessions at the combine important. It's an opportunity to Battista to showcase what he is when back close to full strength. Show the bat speed. Show the raw power. Let evaluators walk away with something fresh in their memory. For a player whose spring was essentially erased, the combine is a big supplement to the evaluation.

1 hour ago, DirtySox said:

Hey @Y2Jimmy0 . I know you are often in the loop on the Sox interest in the local guys. Hearing anything on Dom Battista? How about Ethan Bass? Battista sounds super interesting to me. Sounds like all the tools are there but the in game performance hasn't clicked just yet. Could be a dude for the player development side.

Haven't heard Battista specifically but also haven't asked. Where's he committed to? They know Bass very well from their Area Codes team. Outside of Landon Thome; Jack Slightom of Lyons Township is a name I'd keep an eye on and Gavin Swartz from Normal could be an option as well.

15 minutes ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

Haven't heard Battista specifically but also haven't asked. Where's he committed to? They know Bass very well from their Area Codes team. Outside of Landon Thome; Jack Slightom of Lyons Township is a name I'd keep an eye on and Gavin Swartz from Normal could be an option as well.

UIC commit it seems. Ranked 325 at BA for this class. They have him as a 4 star. 295 on Over-Slot.

Scouting Report

Bats: L, Throws: R

Battista simply looks like a hitter when he enters the box. The rhythm, waggle and setup are befitting of a confident hitter that expects to succeed. He employs many of the mechanical traits that some of the better hitters do. And the athletic tools in the outfield stand out too,

Battista sets up with a closed front shoulder, his weight anchored into his back hip with a moderately high hand set. Battista has a moderate stride forward and does a very nice job staying behind the baseball and his front side in his swing. He lags the barrel well and creates impressive bat speed, rotating hard and late. There's some power projection in Battista's swing, and he's beginning to show it as he's matured into his frame. He's quick, twitchy and explosive through the zone with some feel to use the opposite field. At his best, the whole operation is reminiscent of a player like Jake McCarthy. That said, finding consistency in his swing on a day-to-day basis will be important in his development going forward.

Battista is a plus runner who gets out of the box and up to full speed with pace. His speed plays in the field too. It's above average arm strength that fits in any of the three outfield positions, however centerfield will likely be his home until the speed and/or instincts are replaced by a more premium player.

Battista is an exciting prospect. There are some unpolished components, but the athleticism and tools are fairly apparent. He's a bit undersized, but the hand and bat speed are certainly impressive for a player of his build.

Thanks for the intel. Nice to talk about some players other than the usual suspects with 1.1