White Sox Weigh 3 Prospects for No. 1 Pick in 2026 MLB Draft
Updated
Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jul 1
White Sox Weigh 3 Prospects for No. 1 Pick in 2026 MLB Draft
3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jul 1
Summary
July 11’s No. 1 overall pick has narrowed to three names for Chicago: UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey and Texas prep shortstop Grady Emerson.
Cholowsky is viewed as the safest choice and the class’s consensus top player, with an all-around shortstop profile that could move quickly and fit a White Sox club now leading the AL Central.
Lackey offers a higher-upside college alternative after posting a 1.291 OPS with 20 homers and 15 steals, though teams still see more defensive development ahead behind the plate.
Emerson brings the cleanest long-term upside as a polished high school shortstop, but his prep status could slow his path compared with college options as Chicago balances ceiling against timeline.