The Chicago White Sox will select first overall in the 2026 MLB Draft, which begins Saturday, July 11. The team is considering UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky and high school shortstop Grady Emerson as the leading candidates.
Baseball's annual amateur draft starts at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday with the first 10 picks televised on NBC and Peacock. The White Sox earned the top selection after finishing 60-102 last season.
Cholowsky hit .329 with 52 home runs over three seasons at UCLA and is viewed as the most polished college shortstop in years. Emerson, a left-handed hitter from Fort Worth Christian High School in Texas, offers high upside with above-average tools across the board.
Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey remains a distant third option in the discussions. The White Sox could also consider other prospects such as pitcher Jackson Flora or infielder Jacob Lombard, though neither is expected to go first overall.
Slot value for the No. 1 pick is $11.35 million. The draft continues through Sunday with later rounds streamed on MLB.com.
