The Chicago White Sox are in both an enviable and stressful position by holding the No. 1 pick in the 2026 MLB Draft that begins Saturday.
There’s so many top prospects. Shortstops, catchers, pitchers – oh, my!
What’s a general manager to do?
White Sox GM Chris Getz is on record as saying the plan is to “pick the best position player” regardless of the current needs at the Major League level.
Yet various scouting reports keep flip-flopping on just who and how that top everyday talent may eventually develop. According to MLB.com, high school shortstop Grady Emerson current sits at No. 1 followed by UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky and Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey.
Rated fourth is right-hander Jackson Flora of UC-Santa Barbara. His elite fastball could force the issue for a team that already has a 24-year-old shortstop leading the club in home runs in Colson Montgomery and two rising catchers in Kyle Teal, 24, and Edgar Quero, 23.
For all of the fanfare surrounding power hitters and flashy fielders, a dominant pitcher is often more valuable. A top baseball adage is “Good pitching stops good hitting.” Another aphorism is, “You can never have enough pitching.”
Flora is good with a chance to be great.
In baseball scouting’s 20-80 grade system, Flora’s fastball gets the only 70 grade in any category among the top five prospects in 2026.
An 80 grade is extremely rare, achieved by those who can consistently gear it up to 100 mph such as Jacob Misiorowski, Paul Skenes and Aroldis Chapman.
At 6-foot-5 and a lithe 205 pounds, many scouts forecast Flora to add some oomph to his 96-98 mph heater. They like the spin rate of both his slider-type pitches thrown at 85-87 mph and 77-79 mph and say his overall control, currently rated at 55, should improve as he has smooth mechanics when delivering a pitch.
How Did White Sox Get Here?
Since winning the top selection in the draft lottery at the 2025 Winter Meetings, the franchise’s fortunes have changed remarkably. Following consecutive seasons of 101, 121 and 102 losses, Chicago went into the lottery with the most ping-pong balls available and a 27.7% chance of winning.
They caught a break when the Colorado Rockies, who had MLB’s worst record (43-119) a year ago, were ineligible for the lottery. MLB rules say a team cannot be in the lottery three years in a row. Colorado chose fourth (Ethan Holliday) in 2025 and third (Charlie Condon) in 2024.
Chicago won the top pick, and now the White Sox are winners on the field, too. They lead the American League Central Division with a 47-42 record. That’s six more wins than they had in ALL of 2024 and just 13 fewer than in 2025.
The Tampa Bay Rays, currently atop the AL East at 52-36, also got lottery luck and have the No. 2 choice.
It’s nearly impossible to forecast an MLB Draft due to so many variables such as will a high school player decline signing and go to college, or will an MLB team go for a player it thinks could help as soon as this season or be worth the wait of 2,3 or 4 years of development.
In 2020, the White Sox picked Tennessee left-hander Garrett Crochet at No. 13 in the first round. He began his pro career with six scoreless innings over five relief outing to help Chicago claim a playoff spot.
Nevertheless, here’s a list of the possible first 10 picks:
1. Chicago White Sox: RHP Jackson Flora, UC-Santa Barbara.
2. Tampa Bay Rays: SS Grady Emerson, Fort Worth (TX) Christian HS.
3. Minnesota Twins: C Vahn Lackey, Georgia Tech.
4. San Francisco Giants: SS Roch Cholowsky, UCLA.
5. Pittsburgh Pirates: OF Drew Burress, Georgia Tech.
6. Kansas City Royals: SS Justin Lebron, Alabama.
7. Baltimore Orioles: LHP Gio Rojas, Stoneman Douglas (Parkland FL) HS.
8. Athletics: OF Eric Booth Jr., Oak Grove (MS) HS.
9. Atlanta Braves: SS Jacob Lombard, Gulliver Prep (Pinecrest, FL).
10. Colorado Rockies: OF Derek Curiel, Louisiana State.
Recent No. 1 Picks
Since 2020, there have been immediate stars and possible bust-outs chosen No. 1 overall. In most cases, it is too early to tell as the youngsters have not developed.
2020: Detroit Tigers, 1B Spencer Torkelson, Arizona State. The big slugger got $8,416,300 to sign and was in the majors a year later but has not been all the Tigers envisioned. He has 94 homers but also 657 strikeouts and a .225 average in 605 MLB games. When he’s hot he carries the team; when he’s cold, he buries it.
2021: Pittsburgh Pirates, C Henry Davis, Louisville. He’s dangerously close to being a bust with a .176 average in 203 MLB games over countless callups and send downs the past four years. Signed for $ 6.5 million, the Pirates expected the production he has shown in the minors: .290, 38 homers, 126 RBI in 189 games. Injuries have stymied his development.
2022: Baltimore Orioles, SS Jackson Holliday, Stillwater (OK) HS. He tore through the minors after signing for $8.19 million at age 18. At 20 he was in the MLB lineup prematurely (.189, 69 strikeouts in 60 games). He now shows occasional glimpses of talent between prolonged slumps and some injuries. He’s only 22 and most scouts insist his .224 average and 27 homers in 248 MLB games will improve by leaps and bounds. We’re waiting …
2023: Pittsburgh Pirates, RHP Paul Skenes, Louisiana State. Less than a year after signing for a record $9.32 million, he was the NL starter in the All-Star Game. He went 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA to win Rookie of the Year honors at age 22. Last year, he won the NL Cy Young Award with a 1.97 ERA. In 417 2/3 MLB innings, he has allowed only 306 hits and fanned 505.
2024: Cleveland Guardians, 2B Travis Bazzana, Oregon State. He’s a 2026 AL All-Star after only 59 MLB games. Signed for $8.95 million, his development was slowed by injuries. When injuries hit the big-league club he was promoted and has 7 homers, 27 RBI and 12 steals. He needs work on defense and has been a bit inconsistent on offense, but the hit tool is there to be a star.
2025: Washington Nationals, SS Eli Willits. Signed for $8.2 million out of high school at age 17, he’s on the fast track in the minors. He has 69 runs in 67 games at Class A this year with 12 homers, 50 RBI and 38 steals while playing fine defense.
The White Sox Draft Forecast?
The White Sox have made a remarkable turnaround thus far in 2026, bolstered by shrewd trading and drafting. This upcoming draft could put the icing on the cake for a possibly extended window of winning opportunity for many years.
The nucleus is there and the Chicago White Sox are in prime position to add substantial fuel to a potential powerhouse ball club.
