2026 MLB Draft Results and Hot Takes for Roch Cholowsky, Grady Emerson, Top Prospects

The Chicago White Sox opened the 2026 MLB Draft on Saturday by selecting Roch Cholowsky with the No. 1 overall pick.

After months of speculation surrounding the top selection, the White Sox chose the UCLA Bruins shortstop, giving manager Will Venable and the organization one of the draft's most polished prospects to bolster the franchise's future.

Grady Emerson went No. 2 overall to the Tampa Bay Rays, giving the club one of the draft's highest-upside high school prospects.

Another prep standout, Jacob Lombard, became one of the biggest surprises of the first round after sliding to No. 14, where the Miami Marlins selected him despite his widespread projection as a top-five pick.

With 25 teams making first-round selections Saturday in Philadelphia, here's a look at every pick from the opening round.

2026 MLB Draft, Round 1

Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images

1. Chicago White Sox: Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA

2. Tampa Bay Rays: Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian High School

3. Minnesota Twins: Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech

4. San Francisco Giants: Jackson Flora, RHP, UC Santa Barbara

5. Pittsburgh Pirates: Derek Curiel, CF, LSU

6. Kansas City Royals: Zion Rose, LF, Louisville

7. Baltimore Orioles: Eric Booth Jr., CF, Oak Grove High School

8. Athletics: Drew Burress, CF, Georgia Tech

9. Atlanta Braves: AJ Gracia, CF, Virginia

10. Colorado Rockies: Tyler Bell, SS, Kentucky

11. Washington Nationals:Chris Hacopian, 2B, Texas A&M

12. Los Angeles Angels: Jared Grindlinger, RF/LHP, Huntington Beach HS

13. St. Louis Cardinals: Trevon Condon, CF, Etowah High School

14. Miami Marlins: Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep High School

15. Arizona Diamondbacks: Ryder Helfrick, C, Arkansas

16. Texas Rangers: Gio Rojas, LHP, Stoneman Douglas High School

17. Houston Astros: Logan Hughes, LF, Texas Tech

18. Cincinnati Reds: Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama

19. Cleveland Guardians: Liam Peterson, RHP, Florida

20. Boston Red Sox: Jake Schaffner, SS, North Carolina

21. San Diego Padres: Coleman Borthwick, 3B, South Walton High School

22. Detroit Tigers: Cameron Flukey, RHP, Coastal Carolina

23. Chicago Cubs: Cade Townsend, RHP, Mississippi

24. Seattle Mariners: Ace Reese, 3B, Mississippi St.

25. Milwaukee Brewers: Trey Ebel, SS, Corona High School

Roch Cholowsky, SS, Chicago White Sox

Ric Tapia/Getty Images

There was little consensus atop the 2026 MLB Draft, with both Cholowsky and Emerson widely regarded as worthy candidates for the No. 1 overall pick.

The White Sox ultimately opted for Cholowsky, the 21-year-old UCLA shortstop whose advanced bat and polished all-around game made him one of the safer selections in the class.

His arrival gives Chicago an enviable collection of infield talen as he joins Colson Montgomery and top prospect Caleb Bonemer. The surplus of young shortstops could eventually lead to position changes as the organization sorts out its long-term infield alignment.

Cholowsky was one of college baseball's most productive hitters during his three seasons with the Bruins, slashing .329 with 52 home runs, 167 RBIs and a 1.072 OPS.

Grady Emerson, SS, Tampa Bay Rays

Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images

Emerson, an 18-year-old left-handed hitter from Fort Worth Christian High School in Texas, entered draft night as a legitimate contender for the No. 1 overall pick. Instead, the standout shortstop is headed to the Tampa Bay Rays.

Tampa Bay adds another high-upside infielder to its farm system as it searches for long-term stability at shortstop. Top prospect Carson Williams has struggled at the plate, striking out 11 times in his first 30 at-bats, making Emerson an intriguing addition to the organization's future plans.

Emerson also continues the Rays' recent trend of investing heavily in high school talent, joining Theo Gillen and Nathan Flewelling from the 2024 draft class and Daniel Pierce, who was selected in 2025.

During his senior season at Fort Worth Christian, Emerson hit seven home runs, drove in 50 runs and slashed .532/.648/1.013. His dominant campaign earned him 2026 Gatorade National Player of the Year honors.

While the Rays have a need at shortstop, Emerson is expected to spend time developing in the minor leagues before competing for a major league role.

Notable Top Prospects

Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images

Vahn Lackey: C, Georgia Tech

The first catcher came off the board right on cue, as the Minnesota Twins selected former Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets standout Vahn Lackey at No. 3.

Lackey was one of the nation's most productive hitters last season, slashing .397/.519/.772 with 20 home runs while drawing more walks than strikeouts, showcasing both his discipline and power at the plate.

The 21-year-old consistently finds ways to reach base, and his strong throwing arm and defensive ability behind the plate give him one of the draft's most complete profiles.

Jackson Flora: RHP, San Francisco Giants

The top pitching prospect in the 2026 MLB Draft is staying in California after the San Francisco Giants selected UC Santa Barbara right-hander Jackson Flora with the No. 4 overall pick.

With San Francisco looking to strengthen its pitching pipeline, Flora gives the organization a frontline arm capable of anchoring its staff for years to come. 

Armed with a fastball that touches 100 mph and a deep arsenal, he entered the draft as the consensus top pitcher available.

Flora dominated during his final season with the UC Barbara Gauchos, going 12-0 with a 1.06 ERA and 133 strikeouts over 102 innings while allowing just 55 hits.

Jacob Lombard: SS, Miami Marlins 

One of the biggest surprises of the first round came when Lombard, widely projected as a top-five pick, slid to No. 14, where the Miami Marlins may have landed one of the steals of the 2026 MLB Draft.

Lombard, an 18-year-old shortstop from Gulliver Prep in Florida, was the fifth high school player selected, with four prep prospects coming off the board ahead of him in an unexpected twist.

Baseball runs deep in the Lombard family. His older brother, George Lombard Jr., is a New York Yankees prospect, while his father, George Lombard, serves as the Detroit Tigers' bench coach, giving the younger Lombard familiarity with the professional game.

Despite hitting .477 with nine home runs during his senior season, scouts questioned his swing-and-miss tendencies, which likely contributed to his draft-day slide. If he can improve his contact rate, Lombard has the tools to emerge as one of the biggest values from the 2026 class.