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2026 MLB Mock Draft 5.0 Predictions for Entire 1st-Round
The 2026 MLB draft is still more than two months away, but with the high school and college seasons in full swing and the College World Series fast approaching, the draft board is starting to take shape.
The Chicago White Sox have the No. 1 overall pick after winning the draft lottery in December at the annual winter meetings. They will be on the clock when the draft festivities kick off on Saturday, July 11.
Ahead is a full mock of the first 40 picks. That allows at least one pick for all 30 teams, as the Mets, Yankees, Phillies, Blue Jays and Dodgers all had their first selection moved back 10 spots as a penalty for exceeding the highest level of the luxury-tax threshold.
In case you missed it: B/R's 2026 MLB Mock Draft 4.0
Nos. 1-3
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1. Chicago White Sox: SS Roch Cholowsky, UCLA
After posting a 1.190 OPS with 23 home runs as a sophomore, Cholowsky has lived up to his billing as the consensus top talent in the 2026 draft class. He is hitting .335/.465/.681 with 18 home runs and an equal number of walks and strikeouts (28) over 48 games. With a strong glove at shortstop and a 60-hit, 60-power offensive profile, he looks the part of a future franchise shortstop.
2. Tampa Bay Rays: C Vahn Lackey, Georgia Tech
With a .371/.491/.682 line and 12 home runs in 47 games, Lackey has gone from top catching prospect in the class to one of the best all-around players in the entire draft while emerging as a virtual lock to go inside the top five. With a rocket arm and strong receiving skills, he is a no-doubt catcher defensively. The spike in offensive impact has rounded out his elite profile.
3. Minnesota Twins: SS Grady Emerson, Fort Worth Christian School (TX)
Emerson is a true five-tool talent with one of the best hit tools in the entire class, smooth actions at shortstop and plenty of room to grow into his 6'2", 180-pound frame to boost his already plus power. If anyone is going to make a serious push to unseat Cholowsky at No. 1 overall, it's probably Emerson.
Nos. 4-6
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4. San Francisco Giants: RHP Jackson Flora, UC Santa Barbara
With a pristine 0.73 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 74.1 innings, Flora has firmly established himself as the top arm in the 2026 college class and the likely first pitcher selected in the draft. His 6'5" frame, electric three-pitch mix and plus command should allow him to move quickly toward a potential frontline ceiling.
5. Pittsburgh Pirates: OF Eric Booth Jr., Oak Grove HS (MS)
An elite athlete with top-of-the-scale speed and a 55-hit, 50-power offensive profile, Booth has been climbing draft boards all spring. With a more polished game during his senior season, his raw tools are becoming easier to believe in long-term. The ceiling here is a potential 20/20 everyday center fielder.
6. Kansas City Royals: 2B Chris Hacopian, Texas A&M
Hacopian has landed at second base in College Station after playing shortstop last season at Maryland. That's probably where he fits best at the next level. That said, it's his 60-grade hit tool and overall offensive polish that make him one of the safest players in the entire class.
Nos. 7-9
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7. Baltimore Orioles: OF Drew Burress, Georgia Tech
Despite a 50-point drop in his slugging percentage, Burress remains arguably the most talented all-around outfielder in this year's deep college crop. A sure-fire future center fielder with 60-grade raw power, he is hitting .367/.481/.643 with 18 doubles, 10 home runs and 45 RBI in 47 games.
8. Athletics: SS Jacob Lombard, Gulliver Prep (FL)
An inconsistent summer on the showcase circuit aside, Lombard remains a 60-power, 65-speed shortstop with dynamic raw tools and one of the highest ceilings in the entire class. With a 6'3", 185-pound frame, he is more physical than his older brother George Lombard Jr., who is currently the top prospect in the Yankees system.
9. Atlanta Braves: LHP Gio Rojas, Stoneman Douglas HS (FL)
Rojas offers the best combination of present polish and future projection among this year's high school pitching class. He has a projectable 6'4", 190-pound frame, advanced pitchability for his age and the makings of three quality pitches, including a fastball that has already been up to 98 mph.
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Nos. 10-12
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10. Colorado Rockies: OF AJ Gracia, Virginia
One of the top bats in the transfer portal last offseason, Gracia is putting up the best numbers of his collegiate career after moving from Duke to Virginia. He is hitting .321/.462/.600 with 12 home runs and 38 RBI in 44 games. While he is likely limited to left field defensively, he has one of the safest bats in the class.
11. Washington Nationals: RHP Cade Townsend, Ole Miss
Townsend flashed intriguing raw stuff in a swingman role last season at Ole Miss, but a 13.1 percent walk rate led to an ugly 6.35 ERA in 34 innings. He has slashed that to a 6.2 percent walk rate this spring and broken through as one of the top pitchers in the nation, posting a 2.42 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 73-to-13 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 52 innings.
12. Los Angeles Angels: RHP Cameron Flukey, Coastal Carolina
Flukey missed more than two months with a stress fracture in his rib, and after throwing the ball well in his return to the mound on April 26, he was shelled for six earned runs in 2.1 innings last time out. He was arguably the top arm in the class entering the spring, and still checks a lot of boxes with his strong 6'6" frame, four-plus pitches and polished command. A strong finish could vault him back into the top 10.
Nos. 13-15
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13. St. Louis Cardinals: SS Justin Lebron, Alabama
Frequently mentioned alongside Roch Cholowsky entering the 2026 draft cycle, Lebron has struggled through an inconsistent spring, but he remains a future star if everything clicks into place. He has seen his OPS fall 164 points relative to his electric sophomore campaign, but it's hard to see his 60-power, 60-speed profile at shortstop falling much further down the board.
14. Miami Marlins: C Ryder Helfrick, Arkansas
Helfrick was already widely viewed as the No. 2 catcher in the class entering the spring, but he climbed up the board and comfortably into the teens with a standout junior campaign. He has a 1.035 OPS with 15 home runs in 48 games this spring. He has cut his strikeout rate from 22.5 to 17.5 percent while continuing to show a standout defensive profile.
15. Arizona Diamondbacks: OF Sawyer Strosnider, TCU
Strosnider hit .350/.420/.650 with 34 extra-base hits as a true freshman. He has cemented his 60-power, 60-speed offensive profile this spring while showing more than enough hit tool to maximize his impact. He has more than doubled his walk rate from 8.0 to 19.4 percent this year, refining his approach while logging a .993 OPS and 12 home runs in 47 games.
Nos. 16-18
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16. Texas Rangers: 3B Ace Reese, Mississippi State
The right-handed hitting, bat-first corner infielder with limited defensive value is a risky profile, but Reese is absolutely raking this spring. The 6'4", 220-pound slugger has a .317/.420/.688 line with 19 doubles, 17 home runs and 60 RBI in 49 games, and if a team believes he can stick at third base or handle left field, he could go off the board even earlier.
17. Houston Astros: RHP Liam Peterson, Florida
Peterson racked up 96 strikeouts in 69.1 innings as a sophomore. He has some of the best pure stuff among this year's college arms. The 6'5", 225-pound righty has not taken the step forward with his command this spring that many were expecting, with his walk rate actually climbing from 10.5 to 12.5 percent, but his size and stuff give him one of the highest ceilings of any pitcher on the board.
18. Cincinnati Reds: LHP Brody Bumila, Bishop Feehan HS (TX)
With a towering 6'9", 255-pound frame and elite athleticism for a pitcher his size that helped him star on the basketball court, Bumila has as much helium as any player in the 2026 class. He pitches mostly off an overpowering, triple-digit fastball, but has shown the makings of a slider and changeup. The Texas commit is pure upside, but with a true No. 1 starter ceiling.
Nos. 19-21
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19. Cleveland Guardians: RHP Logan Reddemann, UCLA
Reddemann turned heads with a 25-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 22.1 innings in the Cape Cod League last summer, then transferred from San Diego to UCLA ahead of his junior campaign. The 6'2", 185-pound righty has some of the best command in the class. He has seen a nice uptick in his fastball velocity this spring, sitting in the mid-90s and touching 99 mph.
20. Boston Red Sox: SS Eric Becker, Virginia
In 133 career games as a three-year starter, Becker has hit .351/.452/.612 with 43 doubles, 24 home runs and 136 RBI over 583 plate appearances. He might ultimately fit best in a super-utility role, with experience playing second base, shortstop and third base. His 60-grade hit tool gives him a high floor and everyday potential.
21. San Diego Padres: LHP Logan Schmidt, Ganesha HS (CA)
The Padres have not taken a college player in the first round since Cal Quantrill in 2016. They should be in a prime position to scoop up one of the top prep arms in the 2026 class. Schmidt gave his stock a major boost with improved velocity last summer. He fits a profile they have often targeted as a big left-hander with a strong mix of stuff and polish.
Nos. 22-25
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22. Detroit Tigers: SS Tyler Bell, Kentucky
Bell did not sign with the Rays as the No. 66 overall pick in the 2024 draft out of high school. The draft-eligible sophomore is a lock to improve on that position after two years on campus. He is hitting .374/.556/.626 this spring. Despite needing to elevate the ball more to tap into his raw power, his hit tool and steady glove give him plenty of value.
23. Chicago Cubs: LHP Mason Edwards, USC
After two years in a swing role, Edwards has been one of the breakout pitchers of the 2026 season. The 6'2", 190-pound southpaw has a 1.74 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 132 strikeouts in 72.1 innings. His 45.1 percent strikeout rate is impossible to ignore. He has raised his stock as much as anyone in the first-round conversation.
24. Seattle Mariners: OF Derek Curiel, LSU
A 60-grade hit tool and clean center field profile defensively give Curiel a high enough floor that his below-average power is less of a concern. A key contributor to last year's national championship team as a true freshman, he is batting .338/.415/.512 with 21 extra-base hits and 12 steals in 50 games this spring.
25. Milwaukee Brewers: OF Caden Sorrell, Texas A&M
Sorrell slugged 12 home runs in 26 games during an injury-shortened sophomore season. He has continued to show plenty of over-the-fence pop this spring with a 1.205 OPS and 21 home runs over 213 plate appearances. There is some swing-and-miss to his game with 55 strikeouts in 45 games, but his 55-power, 60-speed profile gives him major upside to bet on.
Nos. 26-28
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26. Atlanta Braves: SS James Clark, St. John Bosco HS (CA)
PPI pick for Drake Baldwin winning NL Rookie of the Year
With a 55-hit, 60-speed profile and significant helium this spring, Clark has played his way into the first-round conversation. It remains to be seen how much power he will have in the future, as his approach is largely contact-oriented, but he has a strong track record against high-level competition.
27. New York Mets: LHP Carson Bolemon, Southside Christian School (SC)
First pick moved back 10 spots for exceeding top of the luxury-tax threshold
Bolemon was a candidate to be the first pitcher of the board at the start of the spring. Despite an inconsistent senior campaign, he still has the arm talent to be one of the top pitchers in this class. A partial tear that required internal brace surgery in eighth grade means teams will need to be confident in his medicals, otherwise he could make it to campus at Wake Forest.
28. Houston Astros: OF Zion Rose, Louisville
PPI pick for Hunter Brown finishing top-three in AL Cy Young
Rose missed the first month of the 2026 season, but he has turned heads since returning to action, hitting .410/.496/.657 with 15 extra-base hits and 17 steals in 28 games. A 55-hit, 55-power, 55-speed profile gives him the well-rounded offensive value to be a potential steal at the back of the first round.
Competitive Balance A Picks
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Competitive Balance Round A Picks
All teams that have either one of the 10 smallest markets or 10 smallest revenue pools receive an additional pick at the end of the first or second round. The groups of teams alternate between the two rounds each year. These are the only picks that are eligible to be traded.
The Yankees, Phillies, Blue Jays and Dodgers also each received a 10-pick penalty on their first selection for exceeding the second luxury-tax threshold, leaving their first picks as part of the Competitive Balance Round A.
29. Cleveland Guardians: LHP Cole Carlon, Arizona State
30. Kansas City Royals: OF Trevor Condon, Etowah HS (GA)
31. Arizona Diamondbacks: 2B Jarren Advincula, Georgia Tech
32. St. Louis Cardinals: RHP Jack Radel, Notre Dame
33. Tampa Bay Rays: LHP Jared Grindlinger, Huntington Beach HS (CA)
Pick acquired from Orioles in Shane Baz trade
34. Pittsburgh Pirates: SS Tyler Spangler, De La Salle HS (CA)
35. New York Yankees: LHP Hunter Dietz, Arkansas
First pick moved back 10 spots for exceeding top of luxury-tax threshold
36. Philadelphia Phillies: 2B Chris Rembert, Auburn
First pick moved back 10 spots for exceeding top of luxury-tax threshold
37. Colorado Rockies: RHP Tegan Kuhns, Tennessee
Second Round
38. Colorado Rockies: LHP Wes Mendes, Florida State
39. Toronto Blue Jays: OF Aiden Robbins, Texas
First pick moved back 10 spots for exceeding top of luxury-tax threshold
40. Los Angeles Dodgers: RHP Joseph Contreras, Blessed Trinity Catholic HS (GA)
First pick moved back 10 spots for exceeding top of luxury-tax threshold
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