White Sox win draft lottery, will pick #1 in 2026

[Chimpton]

5 hours ago, Boopa1219 said:

The entire fortune of the organization just changed drastically. The 2025 Sox just had one of the best possible years for a rebuilding team. They found a manager with exciting potential, they identified the foundation of an exciting core of guys, and they landed the first overall pick, in a draft with two elite talents at the top in the best draft class in several years. Rebuilds mean nothing if ownership doesn’t spend the money to augment the roster, but the is rebuild is super promising. 

And there's the problem. 

[Lukakke Appling]

3 hours ago, Chimpton said:

And there's the problem. 

I’m hoping Jerry might be more inclined to sign some decent sized contracts knowing Ishbia is on the hook for the back half.

[southsider2k5]

2 hours ago, Lukakke Appling said:

I’m hoping Jerry might be more inclined to sign some decent sized contracts knowing Ishbia is on the hook for the back half.

Jerry COULD have been doing the deferred spending thing, just  like the Dodgers have perfected too, for the exact same reason.

[Lukakke Appling]

31 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Jerry COULD have been doing the deferred spending thing, just  like the Dodgers have perfected too, for the exact same reason.

Prior to the agreement with Ishbia I believe his son was going to take over the team, which might have been a deterrent for kicking the can down the road. Now that it’s not his son, maybe?

 

I’m expecting him to pull the football away like he’s always seemingly done, but circumstances are a little different. I don’t think this is the off-season they go for it, regardless. 

[southsider2k5]

2 minutes ago, Lukakke Appling said:

Prior to the agreement with Ishbia I believe his son was going to take over the team, which might have been a deterrent for kicking the can down the road. Now that it’s not his son, maybe?

 

I’m expecting him to pull the football away like he’s always seemingly done, but circumstances are a little different. I don’t think this is the off-season they go for it, regardless. 

He had also told his son to sell the team upon his death, so he has been planning for this exact moment for decades, knowing he was doing exactly this, even if he didn't know EXACTLY to who.

[Lukakke Appling]

3 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

He had also told his son to sell the team upon his death, so he has been planning for this exact moment for decades, knowing he was doing exactly this, even if he didn't know EXACTLY to who.

I think having an agreement in place is important, as opposed to hypotheticals. Whether that results in more spending remains to be seen. I’m not holding my breath, just think it’s noteworthy. 

[zisk]

15 hours ago, Lukakke Appling said:

I’m hoping Jerry might be more inclined to sign some decent sized contracts knowing Ishbia is on the hook for the back half.

That sounds exactly like something JR would do.

[caulfield12]

The only things that will drive up the franchise valuation are:

1) new stadium deal

2) young star talent on cost-controlled deals for favorable rates...Montgomerys Teel Cholowsky etc.

Ofc right now none of those guys (or Shane Smith) deserve even a Maikel Garcia deal as of yet.

3) extended winning/playoff appearances/2-2.25 million attendance and trending back up.

Edited Tuesday at 03:54 AM by caulfield12

[Chick Mercedes]

23 hours ago, Lukakke Appling said:

I think having an agreement in place is important, as opposed to hypotheticals. Whether that results in more spending remains to be seen. I’m not holding my breath, just think it’s noteworthy. 

If I’m Ishbia, I’m wanting a cleared deck and a clean slate as much as possible before I take over the spending. Maybe we will see modesty as the plan out of deference to the agreement 

[Boopa1219]

On 12/15/2025 at 2:50 AM, Chimpton said:

And there's the problem. 

I think they will, especially with new ownership but even if that’s not the case, I trust FO to use money more wisely than the last regime 

[Chick Mercedes]

Unless the Sox are an American League juggernaut already by the time Ishbia takes over and there’s no need, gotta figure he makes a big splash in free agency at least once right away.

[chitownsportsfan]

I enjoy how annoyed he is here. They had 7 guys drafted on the rule 5 that year? Covid or not that is crazy depth. 

https://www.mlb.com/rays/video/carlos-rodriguez-on-rule-5-draft

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

On 12/15/2025 at 7:33 PM, zisk said:

That sounds exactly like something JR would do.

Sure but not really if the plan is to sell the team when he dies he might be on the hook for all of a long term deal if he lives longer than expected and the 2029 sale to Ishbia's falls through because JR is still around. It also seems like slightly more than  the bare minimum is being allocated to players now. It's a stretch to even imagine $90M spent on players this year and they havent signed anyone to a 3 year + deal since Getz was hired.

Indications are he hardly wants to be on the hook for 2 year contacts unless  the player can be traded. 

Plus even less likely with the good possibility of paying players through a lengthy work   stoppage in 2027 which he doesnt like doing. 

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

On 12/14/2025 at 1:39 PM, southsider2k5 said:

But it would be a Getz victory,  so you would be ok.

Any Getz victory is a White Sox victory. Are you not OK with that ?

[southsider2k5]

4 hours ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

Any Getz victory is a White Sox victory. Are you not OK with that ?

Yes Master.

[kitekrazy]

So I'm assuming they want someone athletic enough to play CF.

[DirtySox]

13 minutes ago, kitekrazy said:

So I'm assuming they want someone athletic enough to play CF.

They will be interested in the best player available. That's currently Roch Cholowsky a SS at UCLA. He's one of the most exciting position players we've seen in recent years.

Edited 4 hours ago by DirtySox

[Chicago White Sox]

34 minutes ago, kitekrazy said:

So I'm assuming they want someone athletic enough to play CF.

At the moment, I would expect Cholowsky at the 1.01 and then us trying to push a couple of prep players down to our second & third selections.  One those kids may be a CF type, but you can’t really draft for need early in the draft.  Getz will likely have to address CF in the near term in a different fashion.

[southsider2k5]

4 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

At the moment, I would expect Cholowsky at the 1.01 and then us trying to push a couple of prep players down to our second & third selections.  One those kids may be a CF type, but you can’t really draft for need early in the draft.  Getz will likely have to address CF in the near term in a different fashion.

It almost has to be Thome, doesn't it?

[Y2Jimmy0]

39 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

It almost has to be Thome, doesn't it?

I don’t think so. They can aim much bigger than that. 

[Timmy U]

34 minutes ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

I don’t think so. They can aim much bigger than that. 

Depending on how 1-1 goes can’t they try to push preps down to 2-2 and 3-2? I could imagine Thome as an overslot 3rd rounder if he doesn’t blow up this spring. Good bat, but limited athleticism and uncertain future position does not scream rocketing up draft boards.

[southsider2k5]

52 minutes ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

I don’t think so. They can aim much bigger than that. 

In the 2nd or 3rd rounds?  Sounds like exactly where he is projected.

[Y2Jimmy0]

43 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

In the 2nd or 3rd rounds?  Sounds like exactly where he is projected.

I think they can land a top 25 player at 42 with their bonus pool space. They’ll be able to exceed $4 million in the 2nd round if they’d like. I think there are players with much more upside than Thome who are realistic now. 

[chitownsportsfan]

14 minutes ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

I think they can land a top 25 player at 42 with their bonus pool space. They’ll be able to exceed $4 million in the 2nd round if they’d like. I think there are players with much more upside than Thome who are realistic now. 

Interesting. I spitballed top 30ish type guy that would fall because of demands but top 25ish is even better.

[caulfield12]

Take the most athletic collegiate SS or CFer (preference) with at least an above average hit tool and plus defense.