The 2026 Major League Baseball Draft officially kicks off today live from Philadelphia, and for the first time since taking Harold Baines back in 1977, our Chicago White Sox hold the #1 overall pick in the draft.

With the largest draft pool in history after the Gonzalez/Eisert deal with Pittsburgh, Chris Getz and the front office are sitting on unprecedented leverage. Use this thread to track the picks, debate, and react with the rest of us draft sickos. Shoutout to @Y2Jimmy0 and the FutureSox crew for providing elite coverage for the entire cycle.

THE 1.1 RADAR: THE THREE-MAN MIX
Mike Shirley has confirmed the Sox have narrowed the first overall pick down to a definitive top tier. While three players are under consideration, it is almost assuredly a two-horse race between Roch and Grady, with a slim outlier chance on Lackey. While I personally order them Lackey, Emerson, Roch, I'm fully on board with any of the three selections. Brief blurbs below for anyone that doesn't pay attention to the MLB draft.

Roch Cholowsky (SS - UCLA): 21-year-old Bruins star heralded as the best college shortstop prospect since Dansby Swanson and Alex Bregman. A former three-star QB with an athletic 6'2", 200-lb frame, Cholowsky is a slam-dunk shortstop with Gold Glove potential (65 Field/60 Arm), elite instincts, and immense body control. Offensively (55 Hit/60 Power), he pairs crisp bat-to-ball skills with an advanced approach that limits strikeouts, hammering velocity and driving loud pull-side power. He represents the highest-floor franchise piece who could rocket to the majors.

Grady Emerson (SS - Fort Worth Christian HS, TX): 18-year-old Texas commit regarded as the absolute best pure hitter in the entire amateur class (65 Hit/50 Power). A historic performer for USA Baseball, the 6'2", 180-lb lefty features a quiet, compact, ultra-efficient stroke that keeps his barrel in the zone forever. Boasting elite barrel feel, an advanced eye, and a clean all-fields line-drive approach, he projects for average-or-better power as his frame matures. He has the middle-infield actions, instincts, and 60-grade arm to remain an above-average shortstop as an elite high-ceiling cornerstone.

Vahn Lackey (C - Georgia Tech): 21-year-old right-handed hitter ready to join the legendary ranks of GT first-round catchers (Varitek, Wieters, Bart, Parada). Standing 6'2", 215 lbs, Lackey offers massive defensive upside behind the dish with an elite arm and supreme athleticism (he famously played all 8 non-pitching positions in a single game this spring). Offensively, he exploded as a junior—slashing .397/.519/.772 with 20 HRs. He offers an incredibly dynamic, premium positional ceiling at 1.1.

BROADCAST INFO & SCHEDULE
**Day 1: Saturday, July 11th (Rounds 1-4)**
* **1:00 PM - 2:30 PM ET:** Picks 1-10 | 📺 **NBC & Peacock**
* **2:30 PM - 4:30 PM ET:** Picks 11-40 | 📺 **MLB Network, MLB.com, MLB.TV**
* **4:30 PM - 7:45 PM ET:** Picks 41-135 | 💻 **MLB.com & MLB.TV**

**TWITTER LEAKS & SPOILERS:**
Picks *will* inevitably leak early on Twitter/X via insiders (Doyle, Passan, Mayo, etc.) before they are read/announced on the broadcast. Posting them in this thread is fine, but use the Spoiler Tag functionality. Spoilers are inevitable. Read/participate in this thread at your own risk if you are going to get upset about it.

THE SOX HISTORIC BONUS POOL
Thanks to the eve-of-the-draft trade shipping Jacob Gonzalez and Brandon Eisert to Pittsburgh for the #34 overall pick, the Sox have historic financial flexibility:

* **Total Draft Bonus Pool:** **$20,489,500** *(The largest single-year allotment in MLB history)*
* **Maximum Spend Limit (with 5% overage):** **$21,513,975**
* **No. 1 Pick Record Slot Value:** **$11,350,600**
* **The Strategy:** Expect the front office to maximize this cash. Pick number 1 won't get slot but will likely break the previous draft record of $9.25 given to Chase Burns/Charlie Condon. I'm personally expecting a bonus of $9.5 to $9.75 million which will afford the ability to re-allocate some of that slot value to further picks. Getting a premium talent locked down at #1 opens up massive over-slot opportunities to buy players away from college commitments at #34, #41, and beyond.

ROUND 1 OFFICIAL DRAFT ORDER

1. **Chicago White Sox** ($11,350,600 slot)
2. **Tampa Bay Rays**
3. **Minnesota Twins**
4. **San Francisco Giants**
5. **Pittsburgh Pirates**
6. **Kansas City Royals**
7. **Baltimore Orioles**
8. **Oakland Athletics**
9. **Atlanta Braves**
10. **Colorado Rockies**
11. **Washington Nationals**
12. **Los Angeles Angels**
13. **St. Louis Cardinals**
14. **Miami Marlins**
15. **Arizona Diamondbacks**
16. **Texas Rangers**
17. **Houston Astros**
18. **Cincinnati Reds**
19. **Cleveland Guardians**
20. **Boston Red Sox**
21. **San Diego Padres**
22. **Detroit Tigers**
23. **Chicago Cubs**
24. **Seattle Mariners**
25. **Milwaukee Brewers**
26. **Atlanta Braves**
27. **New York Mets**
28. **Houston Astros**
29. **Cleveland Guardians**
30. **Kansas City Royals**
31. **Arizona Diamondbacks**
32. **St. Louis Cardinals**
33. **Tampa Bay Rays**
34. **Chicago White Sox** *(via PIT - $2,897,400 slot)*
35. **New York Yankees**
36. **Philadelphia Phillies**
37. **Colorado Rockies**


THE RUMOR MILL: TARGETS OUTSIDE OF 1.1

While the world is watching who we take at 1.1, the real action and fun starts at #34. These are the players with major helium or heavy late links who could come into play for the Sox subsequent picks. This list is a mix I've compiled from names we've heard from many different publications as well as names discussed and brought up by the FutureSox crew. Tried to blurb a bit on each of the players for those not in the know. Have I missed any? Feel free to call it out below.

* **Landon Thome (2B - Nazareth HS, Burr Ridge IL):** 18.6-year-old FSU commit and son of HOFer Jim Thome. While he lacks his dad's massive frame (6'0", 185 lbs), he possesses a gorgeous, simple left-handed swing with loose hands and dynamic lower-half torque that projects plus raw power (55) to the pull side. A pure bat-first profile (50 Hit/55 Power) likely destined for second base due to a fringy arm (45), he has major helium as an impact offensive second baseman drawing Brandon Lowe comparisons. Massive local ties.

* **Dominic Santarelli (1B/OF - St. Joseph HS, Pleasant Prairie WI):** 18.8-year-old LSU commit who has been a meteoric riser over the last year. Standing an ultra-physical 6'2", 224 lbs, he possesses elite, jaw-dropping 80-grade raw power with exit velocities north of 113 MPH. He features a short, compact, balanced left-handed swing with direct hands and shocking athleticism that translates to average speed down the line. Defensively, he has soft hands at first base but carries enough functional athleticism to handle a corner outfield spot. A truly intimidating offensive package.

* **Jack Slightom (RHP - Lyons HS, LaGrange IL):** A highly projectable 6'4", 202-lb local product committed to Cincinnati. He will be just 18.2 years old on draft day, making him one of the youngest and fastest-rising cold-weather arms in the Midwest. His fastball already sits 90-93 MPH (touching 96) with heavy ride, tail, and elite extension that jumps on hitters. His primary secondary is a high-spin (2,600 RPM) sweeper in the upper-70s/low-80s, complemented by a mid-80s cutter and a developing changeup. High-ceiling 50-grade role projection.

* **Carson Bolemon (LHP - Southside Christian HS, Greenville SC):** A highly decorated 19.2-year-old Wake Forest commit and back-to-back South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year. The 6'4", 221-lb southpaw possesses a refined, easily repeated delivery, running his fastball up to 97 MPH while sitting 91-94 with a steep downward angle and natural deception. His calling card is a dominant, firm 80-84 MPH power curveball with immense vertical tilt that tunnels perfectly out of his heater path, mixed with an advanced tailing changeup. Composed strike-thrower with a true starter's profile and two-way high school athleticism.

* **Dylan Bowen (SS - Hanover Central HS, St. John IN):** An athletic, high-tempo 19.4-year-old Oklahoma State commit from just across the border in Indiana. He features a premium, advanced hit tool (55) driven by elite hand speed, a whippy right-handed stroke, and a mature all-fields approach. A plus runner (55) who plays with bounce and great range up the middle, his quick transfers and low-to-the-ground actions give him a real chance to stick at shortstop, though an unorthodox arm path could eventually push him to second base. A bit older for a prep bat, but a high-floor offensive middle infielder.

* **Carter Beck (OF - Indiana State):** 21.0-year-old left-handed hitter from Canada and the reigning MVC Player of the Year. Built like an explosive "barrel of gunpowder" at 5'10", 200 lbs, Beck is a darling of analytically minded front offices. He boasts a plus potential hit tool (55) driven by elite hand speed, hard rotation, and standout bat-to-ball skill that minimizes whiffs inside the strike zone. He pairs that contact with serious juice, posting hard-hit rates that belie his size and peak exit velocities exceeding 111 MPH. An above-average runner (55) who plays center field with his hair on fire, he carries a high-energy profile reminiscent of Daulton Varsho.

* **Luke Williams (SS/OF - Franklin Regional HS, Murrysville PA):** 18.5-year-old Vanderbilt commit and one of the most explosive, dynamic athletes in the entire 2026 prep class. After an ankle injury sidelined him for most of his junior summer circuit, he returned to dominate his senior season (.465 AVG, 33 SB) and blew up the MLB Draft Combine—posting an elite 3.54-second 30-yard dash, a top-ranked vertical jump, 110 MPH bat speed, and massive arm strength (95 MPH from IF / 99 MPH from OF). A true 70-runner with a high-intent right-handed swing that projects over-the-fence power (45 Power), his raw, multi-positional tools scream high-ceiling 1st-to-2nd round value.

* **Blake Bryant (RHP - Citizens Christian Academy HS, Douglas GA):** 18.9-year-old Clemson commit with a highly projectable 6'5", 180-lb lanky frame. He features a super-quick, athletic arm operating out of a flexible delivery, sitting 91-94 MPH and topping out at 95 with heavy arm-side run that bores directly into right-handed batters. His premier out-pitch is a sweeping low-80s slider that he commands comfortably to both edges of the plate, coupled with a rapidly developing mid-80s splitter that shows huge sinking action. A premier 50-grade projection starter from the Southeast circuit.

* **Ethan Bass (SS/RHP - Glenbrook North HS, Northbrook IL):** 18.7-year-old local product and Wake Forest commit who has been shooting up boards. An absolute wizard in the dirt, Bass features a bouncy, gliding defensive profile (55 Field) with natural footwork and a clean arm (50) that makes shortstop look like an art form, giving him potential for a true plus-or-better glove as a pro. A plus runner (55), he is a renowned dugout leader who plays with a "hair-on-fire" competitive motor. Offensively, a recent upright swing adjustment has unlocked a whippy right-handed path with surging pull-side pop (50 Hit/40 Power). He also touches 92 MPH on the mound with a flashy slider, offering two-way intrigue.

* **Tyler Putnam (RHP - Battle HS, Columbia MO):** A young, ultra-powerful 18.1-year-old Tennessee commit with a physical 6'5", 200-lb frame. Putnam is an electric mover down the mound with an over-the-top delivery that creates elite extension and carry through the zone. His fastball features elite arm strength, having touched an absurd 100 MPH in side sessions, and he maintains his high-90s velocity deep into his outings. While his strike-throwing is currently streaky and his upper-70s 12-to-6 curveball requires further refinement to stay in a starter role, his raw velocity, stamina, and projectable frame offer an incredibly high ceiling.

* **Keon Johnson (SS - First Presbyterian Day HS, Macon GA):** A physical, barrel-chested 18.3-year-old Vanderbilt commit who is an absolute darling for analytical draft models. At 6'2", 195 lbs, Johnson boasts an advanced, disciplined approach with low strikeout rates and elite zone awareness, rarely expanding the chase area. He features a loud right-handed stroke explicitly built to limit ground balls and drive the ball in the air to the pull-side gaps (50 Hit/45 Power). While his high-school shortstop actions and average speed (50 Run/50 Field) may eventually shift his above-average arm to third base, his physical upside and youth make him a highly appealing target.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX LIVE PICK TRACKER

* Round 1, Pick 1 ($11,350,600 slot): Roch Cholowsky (SS)

* Round 1 (CB-A), Pick 34 ($2,897,400 slot): Landon Thome (INF)

* Round 2, Pick 41 ($2,446,100 slot): Cole Prosek (C/INF)

* Round 3, Pick 77 ($1,086,600 slot): Joey Volchko (RHP)

* Round 4, Pick 105 ($747,700 slot): Eric Segura (RHP)

* Round 5, Pick 137 ($547,700 slot):

* Round 6, Pick 166 ($413,900 slot):

* Round 7, Pick 195 ($325,100 slot):

* Round 8, Pick 225 ($256,500 slot):

* Round 9, Pick 255 ($217,000 slot):

* Round 10, Pick 285 ($200,900 slot):

Edited 52 minutes ago52 min by DirtySox

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.

34. White Sox — Jack Slightom, RHP, Lyons HS, LeGrange, Ill.

Bonus Pool: $20,489,500

Slot Value: $2,897,400

Slightom has had huge helium in recent days and the White Sox in particular are a team I’ve heard connected to him. He could fit in this range on talent and the White Sox already had more than enough pool money to sign him. Now they have a historic amount. Landon Thome would make a ton of sense with this pick, too.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2026-mlb-mock-draft-7-0-final-predictions-for-first-40-picks/

Edited 9 hours ago9 hr by DirtySox

Please don't pick a high school kid or a pitcher with the #1.

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

2 minutes ago, Texsox said:

Please don't pick a high school kid or a pitcher with the #1.

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

5 minutes ago, Texsox said:

Please don't pick a high school kid or a pitcher with the #1.

I assume they go Roch, Thome/pitcher or pitcher/Thome with the first 3 picks.

Joe Doyle final mock.

https://overslotbaseball.com/mock-drafts/mlb-draft-mock-final/

1. Roch Cholowsky SS UCLA

At the end of the day, proximity and appetite for risk might be what prevails in the No. 1 spot. Cholowsky brings a Gold Glove shortstop with enough bat to profile into multiple All-Star games across his career. That's a difficult floor to walk away from, especially if you're Chris Getz or the ownership group in Chicago. Could Grady Emerson ultimately end up the better player? The scouting department in Chicago seems to think so. But Cholowsky is a high bar to clear and an obviously quicker timeline on the Southside. Both Cholowsky and Emerson are represented by The-Team (formerly Wasserman) so they'll undoubtedly work to acquire the largest possible bonus pool between the two players.

34. Landon Thome 2B -Nazareth HS, Burr Ridge IL

When the White Sox acquired the No. 34 pick from the Pirates, there was a short list of players in mind. It's Jack Slightom, it's Dominic Santarelli, it's Blake Bryant, it's Landon Thome. It'll be preps in these spots.

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.

Edited 9 hours ago9 hr by DirtySox

@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/

1.) Roch Cholowsky

34.) Jack Slightom

41.) Dominic Santarelli

77.) Landon Thome

Everyone here on Soxtalk has done a great job debating the merits of the different options for #1. I don’t follow the draft like I used to, but personally, I’m on board for Emerson. Yes, it carries more risk and requires faith in your organization to develop him. BUT I’d rather go for the highest ceiling than the highest floor

Co-signed.

My nepotistic dream is that we are desirable to play for and rather than overpaying actually get slight discounts on the expected draft positions for Thome mlb 34 and Contreras mlb 64 and can draft them at 77 and 105. Hell give their dads raises lol. Dirty Sox very nice write up to get things started!

Edited 7 hours ago7 hr by BamaDoc

If Thome's last name was Smith, he'd be a 4-5th rounder.

Edited 7 hours ago7 hr by Look at Ray Ray Run

1 hour ago, DirtySox said:

Co-signed.

Yeah for all we know someone else goes 34 and he goes 41 or third round

Edited 7 hours ago7 hr by Bob Sacamano

3 minutes ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

If Thome's last name was Smith, he'd be a 4-5th rounder.

That’s what I heard from people who had kids who played Naz this year.

Carlos Collazo still hearing Roch 1.1 at this juncture.

Edited 7 hours ago7 hr by DirtySox

the thome stuff seems bs imo. just a media narrative.

6 minutes ago, fathom said:

That’s what I heard from people who had kids who played Naz this year.

I understand the logic behind the pro-dad bump. You know the kid is going to have access to a ton of connections to improve his game, and he will be given every opportunity to make it work.

I'm just skeptical of whether the bump is actually deserved based on outcomes. It's safe, because if he doesn't pan out you can say "he was Thome's kid.

I've heard similar things from a couple coaches. Good player, not a top tier prospect. Would be better served going to college. But I'm sure we'll hear all about his makeup which is supposed to replace tools i guess.

I'll add that jim being really well liked in baseball circles definitely plays a role too. People are human. Like Jim, root for his kid, see some talent and exaggerate it a bit.

Edited 7 hours ago7 hr by Look at Ray Ray Run

How would anyone value Bolemon? Already had brace procedure a couple years ago and now has real issues with his UCL. I wonder if NIL money may disappear and he could get way less than his projected #24.

6 minutes ago, BamaDoc said:

How would anyone value Bolemon? Already had brace procedure a couple years ago and now has real issues with his UCL. I wonder if NIL money may disappear and he could get way less than his projected #24.

we have too many iffy elbows already would be my take.

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.

Edited 7 hours ago7 hr by DirtySox

2 hours ago, DirtySox said:

Joe Doyle final mock.

https://overslotbaseball.com/mock-drafts/mlb-draft-mock-final/

….”Could Grady Emerson ultimately end up the better player? The scouting department in Chicago seems to think so”…..

Scouts: Emerson is better

Sox front office: Do not want. We are impatient, Jerry is gonna die soon

Ok

Edited 7 hours ago7 hr by Chick Mercedes

@DirtySox - Great stuff as always!

Rocco Maniscalco name bandied about