White Sox Favor Vahn Lackey for No. 1 Pick After 1.291 OPS Season

Q: Tomorrow's top pick: Should the White Sox choose the safe college star or gamble on the high-school phenom?

The White Sox should take Roch Cholowsky. At No. 1, the safest path is also the most defensible one. Cholowsky offers the highest floor in this class at a premium position, with a strong three-year UCLA track record, plus defense, low strikeout rates, a .448 career OBP, and enough power to project as an impact everyday shortstop. Multiple major outlets, including MLB Pipeline and ESPN, still favor him, and he fits the White Sox’s stated preference for polished players with strong on-base skills. That does not mean Grady Emerson is the wrong pick. Many evaluators believe the high school shortstop has more upside, and some White Sox scouts reportedly prefer him. Emerson’s left-handed bat, advanced hit tool, and long-term ceiling are real. But the gap is not wide enough to justify adding the extra developmental risk that comes with an 18-year-old, especially when modern draft data still has limits in projecting health, physical growth, and long-term adaptation. This is also a class viewed as thin at the very top, with little separation among the best prospects. In that kind of draft, minimizing miss risk matters. The White Sox have already lived through the fallout of a top-five pick that did not become a franchise cornerstone in Nick Madrigal. With a team now back in contention, Cholowsky’s shorter path and more stable profile make more sense. If Chicago wants the best blend of talent, certainty, and timetable, the college star is the right call.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jul 10

Vahn Lackey entered draft day as the White Sox front office’s preferred choice at No. 1 overall, a sharp rise for the Georgia Tech catcher after he was not an early spring favorite.
The 6-foot-2 junior forced his way into that spot with a .397/.519/.772 line, 20 homers, 78 RBIs and a 1.291 OPS, while stealing 15 of 16 bases and walking 50 times against 38 strikeouts.
Chicago sees more than offense: Lackey won the Johnny Bench Award and ACC Defensive Player of the Year, posted a .993 fielding percentage, and drew strong scouting reviews for his arm, receiving and game management.
Taking a catcher first overall would break from the shortstop-heavy top of this class, but the White Sox view Lackey’s athleticism and defensive value as a strong fit for a rebuild built around premium positions and baseball IQ.
The pick would also test Chicago’s timeline, because even with Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero on the 40-man roster, evaluators believe Lackey could move faster than a typical college catcher.