2026 MLB Draft Opens July 11 With No. 1 Grady Emerson and No. 2 Roch Cholowsky
Updated
Updated · MLB.com · Jul 9
2026 MLB Draft Opens July 11 With No. 1 Grady Emerson and No. 2 Roch Cholowsky
3 articles · Updated · MLB.com · Jul 9
Summary
Day 1 of the 2026 MLB Draft starts Saturday in Philadelphia, with the White Sox holding the No. 1 overall pick and a class headlined by shortstops Grady Emerson and Roch Cholowsky.
Emerson, a Texas high school shortstop ranked No. 1, hit .508/.634/.915 this spring with only five strikeouts in 161 plate appearances, giving him the strongest case for the top pick.
Cholowsky, UCLA’s shortstop ranked No. 2, paired back-to-back 20-homer seasons with a 36-to-36 strikeout-to-walk ratio, while Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey sits No. 3 after a .397 season with 20 homers.
Rounds 1-4 will be held Saturday and rounds 5-20 on Sunday, with the prospect pool spanning the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.