Final 2026 Mock Draft Projects Roch Cholowsky No. 1, Grady Emerson to Rays at No. 2
Updated
Updated · FanGraphs · Jul 11
Final 2026 Mock Draft Projects Roch Cholowsky No. 1, Grady Emerson to Rays at No. 2
3 articles · Updated · FanGraphs · Jul 11
Summary
Roch Cholowsky is projected to go first to the White Sox, with Eric Longenhagen saying Chicago has likely narrowed its choice to Cholowsky and Grady Emerson.
An under-slot deal appears central to that call: pick No. 1 carries an $11.3 million slot, while Cholowsky could sign closer to $9.74 million-$10 million and free money for Chicago’s broader class.
Chicago’s acquisition of the No. 34 pick from Pittsburgh made those savings more valuable, while Longenhagen said teams behind the White Sox increasingly believed the top of the board had tightened.
The mock has Emerson going No. 2 to Tampa Bay and Vahn Lackey No. 3 to Minnesota, with Longenhagen describing the Twins as likely to take whichever of the top three remains.
Beyond the top three, Longenhagen projects Jackson Flora at No. 4, Eric Booth Jr. at No. 5 and a draft shaped by bonus-pool maneuvering, with Kansas City, Atlanta and others tied to under-slot strategies.