The Chicago White Sox won the MLB Draft Lottery on Tuesday at the Winter Meetings in Orlando, earning the No. 1 overall selection in the 2026 draft. This marks their first top pick since selecting Harold Baines in 1977 and only the third in franchise history. White Sox GM Chris Getz called it an honor and a huge responsibility.
Lottery Results and Impact
The White Sox entered the lottery with the highest odds at 27.73% among the 18 non-postseason teams and secured the top spot, the first time a team with the best odds has won the No. 1 pick in the lottery's four-year history. The lottery, implemented in the 2022-27 collective bargaining agreement to curb tanking, determines only the first six picks. Other lottery winners include the Twins at No. 2, Giants at No. 3, Pirates at No. 4, and Royals at No. 5, with the Orioles at No. 6 based on reverse standings.
The full first-round order features the White Sox first, followed by Twins, Giants, Pirates, Royals, Orioles, Athletics, Braves, Rockies, Nationals, Angels, Cardinals, Marlins, Diamondbacks, Rangers, Astros, Guardians, Red Sox, Padres, Tigers, Mariners, and Brewers. Additional notes include a Braves prospect promotion incentive pick and penalties moving back picks for the Blue Jays, Dodgers, Phillies, Yankees, and Mets due to competitive balance tax issues.
Winners and Losers
Winners include the Rays, who jumped from No. 7 to No. 2—their highest pick since Tim Beckham in 2008—and the Giants and Royals, who advanced into the top six with added bonus pool money. The Giants gained $3.7 million, Rays $3.2 million, and Royals $2.7 million in estimated pools. Losers are the Rockies, ineligible after top picks in 2024 and 2025 despite 119 losses, settling for No. 10, and the Cardinals, bumped from No. 8 to No. 13.
Previous lottery winners were the Pirates (Paul Skenes), Guardians (Travis Bazzana), and Nationals (Eli Willits). The 2026 draft will occur in Philadelphia during the All-Star break.
Top Prospects
Early favorite for No. 1 is UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, who hit .353/.480/.710 with 23 home runs last season. Other contenders include Grady Emerson (SS, Argyle HS, TX), Jacob Lombard (SS, Gulliver Prep HS, FL), Drew Burress (CF, Georgia Tech, 44 HR in two seasons), and Justin Lebron (SS, Alabama, .327/.425/.593 with 30 HR and 24 SB).