2026 MLB Mock Draft: Complete first-round projection as White Sox take UCLA star at No. 1
CBS Sports • • sports
Key Points:
- The 2026 MLB Draft will take place over two days starting at 1 p.m. ET on July 11, continuing the recent scheduling before the All-Star break despite mixed reactions from executives.
- The Chicago White Sox won the draft lottery and secured the No. 1 overall pick for only the third time in franchise history, despite having baseball's second-worst record last season.
- The San Francisco Giants moved up from No. 15 to No. 4, their highest pick since 2018, while the Colorado Rockies fell to No. 10 due to rules preventing lottery picks three years in a row.
- Several teams, including the Blue Jays, Dodgers, Mets, Phillies, and Yankees, had their first-round picks penalized and moved back 10 spots due to exceeding the competitive balance tax threshold in 2025.
- Mock drafts project top prospects such as UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky and Texas high school shortstop Grady Emerson as leading candidates for the top picks, with teams weighing talent against signing bonus considerations.
