Top 250 Draft prospects for 2026

Key Points:

• Roch Cholowsky entered 2026 as the leading favorite for the No. 1 overall MLB Draft pick, recognized as the best college shortstop since Troy Tulowitzki and a two-time Big Ten player of the year.
• Despite Cholowsky's strong profile and improved defensive grade, Fort Worth Christian HS shortstop Grady Emerson has overtaken him to rank No. 1 on MLB Pipeline’s updated Draft Top 250 list due to his perceived higher upside and top-tier hitting abilities.
• Emerson, Gatorade’s national high school baseball player of the year, is praised for his advanced hitting skills, power potential, speed, and defensive instincts, drawing comparisons to Royals star Bobby Witt Jr.
• Cholowsky was rated 10th among high school shortstops in 2023 and chose UCLA over signing a first-round deal, whereas Emerson is now considered a top contender for the No. 1 pick straight out of high school.
• While Emerson leads in prospect rankings, Cholowsky remains the slight favorite to be selected first overall by the White Sox, who may prefer Cholowsky’s quicker path to the majors despite scouts favoring Emerson.