The Chicago White Sox hold the No. 1 pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, and honestly, it’s anyone’s guess who they’ll select. The draft runs just two days this year during All-Star Week in Philadelphia, condensing all the franchise-changing decisions into one intense weekend.
Here’s the thing – there are essentially three prospects the White Sox could go with at the top. Grady Emerson, a shortstop from Fort Worth Christian High School in Texas, brings that left-handed bat with legitimate five-tool potential. Then there’s Roch Cholowsky from UCLA, a polished college shortstop who’s drawn praise from scouts across the board.
The third name in the mix? Vahn Lackey, a catcher from Georgia Tech who absolutely raked as a junior, hitting .397/.519/.772 for the Yellow Jackets.
Whatever Chicago does will set the tone for the rest of the first round. Teams are looking to build their future through this draft, and the talent pool seems deep enough to make some franchises very happy.
How to Watch the 2026 MLB Draft
TV Coverage:
• NBC and MLB Network (Day 1)
• Live streaming: DIRECTV, Peacock (Day 1)
• MLB.com, MLB.TV, MLB+ (Both days)
The broadcast setup is a bit split this year. NBC handles the first hour with picks 1-10, then coverage shifts to MLB Network and MLB’s digital platforms for the rest of Day 1. Day 2 (rounds 5-20) streams exclusively on MLB’s platforms.
You can catch the main broadcasts through streaming services like DIRECTV, which offers a free trial and includes all the major sports networks. No contracts, just access to live MLB coverage plus channels like ESPN, FS1, and TNT.
Complete Schedule
| Date | Rounds | Time (ET) | TV channel / Live stream |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., July 11 | 1-4 (Picks 1-10) | 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. | NBC, Peacock, DIRECTV |
| 1-4 (Picks 11-40) | 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. | MLB Network, DIRECTV, MLB.com, MLB.TV, MLB+ | |
| 1-4 (Picks 41-135) | 4:30 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. | MLB.com, MLB.TV, MLB+ | |
| Sun., July 12 | 5-20 | 11:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. | MLB.com, MLB.TV, MLB+ |
The Philadelphia Convention Center hosts everything during All-Star Week, which should create a pretty electric atmosphere for the prospects and their families.
First Round Draft Order
| Pick | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago White Sox |
| 2 | Tampa Bay Rays |
| 3 | Minnesota Twins |
| 4 | San Francisco Giants |
| 5 | Pittsburgh Pirates |
| 6 | Kansas City Royals |
| 7 | Baltimore Orioles |
| 8 | Athletics |
| 9 | Atlanta Braves |
| 10 | Colorado Rockies |
| 11 | Washington Nationals |
| 12 | Los Angeles Angels |
| 13 | St. Louis Cardinals |
| 14 | Miami Marlins |
| 15 | Arizona Diamondbacks |
| 16 | Texas Rangers |
| 17 | Houston Astros |
| 18 | Cincinnati Reds |
| 19 | Cleveland Guardians |
| 20 | Boston Red Sox |
| 21 | San Diego Padres |
| 22 | Detroit Tigers |
| 23 | Chicago Cubs |
| 24 | Seattle Mariners |
| 25 | Milwaukee Brewers |
| 26* | Atlanta Braves |
| 27* | New York Mets |
| 28* | Houston Astros |
| 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 |
* Prospect Promotion Incentive picks
** Competitive Balance Round picks
The Braves, Giants, and Royals all get extra first-round picks through various MLB programs, which gives them additional chances to land impact talent. Meanwhile, teams like the Yankees and Phillies get their competitive balance selections after missing the main first round due to their recent success.
What makes this draft intriguing is how the top tier seems pretty fluid. After those three consensus top prospects, there’s a group of players who could go anywhere in the top 10 depending on team needs and preferences. That unpredictability should make for compelling viewing, especially with the condensed format putting more pressure on each decision.
