The 2026 MLB Draft begins in Philadelphia on July 11, with the Chicago White Sox picking first overall. A promising young franchise that needs an injection into its middling farm system, who will the Southsiders land on? Will it be UCLA’s star shortstop and longtime consensus No. 1 pick Roch Cholowsky? Georgia Tech’s breakout star catcher Vahn Lackey? Or will the White Sox follow in the footsteps of the Washington Nationals last year and pick Texas high schooler Grady Emerson?
All options are on the table for Chicago, which heads into the All-Star break battling for first in the AL Central with the Cleveland Guardians. From there, it’s anyone’s guess. The Tampa Bay Rays will be picking second, the Minnesota Twins third, the San Francisco Giants fourth, and the Pittsburgh Pirates round out the top five.
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The White Sox now face an interesting decision. White Sox amateur scouting director Mike Shirley has indicated the team won’t be rushing anyone to the Bigs, regardless of team success. “Our guys have done a tremendous job in letting the player mature,” Shirley said to MLB.com earlier this season. “Even the 1-1 pick, he’ll tell us when he’s ready. In some ways the development of this, maybe the player doesn’t have to be rushed to support the organization.”
That certainly doesn’t signal a philosophy shift is imminent, though the franchise likely wouldn’t want to tip its hand. The Rays and Twins won’t be moved off their building strategies, and the Giants need to find a way to right the ship in San Francisco.
The slot value at No. 1 overall is $11,350,600, up 2.5% from last season.
USA TODAY Sports will keep you up to date with all the picks made in the 2026 MLB Draft:
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2026 MLB Draft picks tracker
First round
Prospect Promotion Incentive Picks
26. Atlanta Braves
27. New York Mets
28. Houston Astros
Competitive Balance Round A
29. San Francisco Giants
30. Kansas City Royals
31. Arizona Diamondbacks
32. St. Louis Cardinals
33. Tampa Bay Rays
34. Pittsburgh Pirates
35. New York Yankees
36. Philadelphia Phillies
37. Colorado Rockies
Second round
38. Colorado Rockies
39. Toronto Blue Jays
40. Los Angeles Dodgers
41. Chicago White Sox
42. Washington Nationals
43. Minnesota Twins
44. Pittsburgh Pirates
45. Los Angeles Angels
46. Baltimore Orioles
47. Athletics
48. Atlanta Braves
49. Tampa Bay Rays
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50. St. Louis Cardinals
51. Pittsburgh Pirates
52. Miami Marlins
53. Arizona Diamondbacks
54. Texas Rangers
55. San Francisco Giants
56. Kansas City Royals
57. Houston Astros
58. Cincinnati Reds
59. Cleveland Guardians
60. San Diego Padres
61. Detroit Tigers
62. Chicago Cubs
63. New York Yankees
64. Philadelphia Phillies
65. Seattle Mariners
66. Milwaukee Brewers
Competitive Balance Round B
67. Boston Red Sox
68. St. Louis Cardinals
69. Detroit Tigers
70. Cincinnati Reds
71. Miami Marlins
72. St. Louis Cardinals
73. Athletics
74. Minnesota Twins
Compensation Picks
75. Chicago Cubs
Third round
76. Colorado Rockies
77. Chicago White Sox
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78. Washington Nationals
79. Minnesota Twins
80. Pittsburgh Pirates
81. Los Angeles Angels
82. Baltimore Orioles
83. Athletics
84. Atlanta Braves
85. Tampa Bay Rays
86. St. Louis Cardinals
87. Miami Marlins
88. Arizona Diamondbacks
89. Texas Rangers
90. San Francisco Giants
91. Kansas City Royals
92. New York Mets
93. Houston Astros
94. Cincinnati Reds
95. Cleveland Guardians
96. Boston Red Sox
97. San Diego Padres
98. Chicago Cubs
99. New York Yankees
100. Philadelphia Phillies
101. Seattle Mariners
102. Milwaukee Brewers
103. Toronto Blue Jays
Fourth round
104. Colorado Rockies
105. Chicago White Sox
106. Washington Nationals
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107. Minnesota Twins
108. Pittsburgh Pirates
109. Los Angeles Angels
110. Baltimore Orioles
111. Athletics
112. Atlanta Braves
113. Tampa Bay Rays
114. St. Louis Cardinals
115. Miami Marlins
116. Arizona Diamondbacks
117. Texas Rangers
118. San Francisco Giants
119. Kansas City Royals
120. New York Mets
121. Houston Astros
122. Cincinnati Reds
123. Cleveland Guardians
124. San Diego Padres
125. Detroit Tigers
126. Chicago Cubs
127. New York Yankees
128. Philadelphia Phillies
129. Seattle Mariners
130. Milwaukee Brewers
131. Toronto Blue Jays
132. Los Angeles Dodgers
Compensation picks
133. Houston Astros
134. San Diego Padres
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135. Philadelphia Phillies
Fifth round
136. Colorado Rockies
137. Chicago White Sox
138. Washington Nationals
139. Minnesota Twins
140. Pittsburgh Pirates
141. Los Angeles Angels
142. Baltimore Orioles
143. Athletics
144. Atlanta Braves
145. Tampa Bay Rays
146. St. Louis Cardinals
147. Miami Marlins
148. Arizona Diamondbacks
149. Texas Rangers
150. San Francisco Giants
151. Kansas City Royals
152. New York Mets
153. Houston Astros
154. Cincinnati Reds
155. Cleveland Guardians
156. Boston Red Sox
157. San Diego Padres
158. Detroit Tigers
159. Chicago Cubs
160. New York Yankees
161. Philadelphia Phillies
162. Seattle Mariners
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163. Milwaukee Brewers
164. Toronto Blue Jays
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 MLB Draft picks tracker: Who will Chicago White Sox take No. 1 overall?
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