MLB Draft 2026 Live Updates, Results and Highlights From Round 1

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

2. Tampa Bay Rays: SS Grady Emerson (SS, Fort Worth Christian HS)

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

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

5. Pittsburgh Pirates: Derek Curiel (OF, LSU)

6. Kansas City Royals: Zion Rose (OF, Louisville)

7. Baltimore Orioles: Eric Booth Jr. (OF, Oak Grove HS)

8. Athletics: Drew Burress (OF, Georgia Tech)

9. Atlanta Braves: AJ Gracia (OF, Virginia)

10. Colorado Rockies: Tyler Bell (SS, Kentucky)

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

12. Los Angeles Angels: Jared Grindlinger (OF, Huntington Beach HS)

13. St. Louis Cardinals: Trevor Condon (OF, Etowah HS)

14. Miami Marlins: Jacob Lombard (SS, Gulliver Prep HS)

15. Arizona Diamondbacks: Ryder Helfrick (C, Arkansas)

16. Texas Rangers: Gio Rojas (LHP, Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS)

17. Houston Astros: Logan Hughes (OF, 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 HS)

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

23. Chicago Cubs: Cade Townsend (RHP, Mississippi)

24. Seattle Mariners: Ace Reese (3B, Mississippi State)

25. Milwaukee Brewers: Trey Ebel (SS, Corona HS)

26. Atlanta Braves: Carter Beck (OF, Indiana State)

27. New York Mets: Carson Wiggins (RHP, Arkansas)

28. Houston Astros: Jack Radel (RHP, Notre Dame)

29. San Francisco Giants: Carson Bolemon (LHP, Southside Christian HS)

30. Kansas City Royals: Taylor Rabe (RHP, Mississippi)

31. Arizona Diamondbacks: Blake Bryant (RHP, Citizens Christian HS)

32. St. Louis Cardinals: Tegan Kuhns (RHP, Tennessee)

33. Tampa Bay Rays: Taj Marchand (SS, James Island HS)

34. Chicago White Sox: Landon Thome (SS, Nazareth Academy HS)

35. New York Yankees: Hunter Dietz (LHP, Arkansas)

36. Philadelphia Phillies: Tyler Spangler (SS, De La Salle HS)

37. Colorado Rockies: Daniel Jackson (C, Georgia)

38. Colorado Rockies: Logan Reddemann (RHP, UCLA)

39. Toronto Blue Jays: Cole Carlon (LHP, Arizona State)

40. Los Angeles Dodgers: Bo Lowrance (SS, Christ Church Episcopal HS)

The White Sox weren't supposed to have the No. 34 pick until Friday, when they acquired it in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Did they know then that it would turn into a feel-good story?

Maybe not, but using it on Hall of Famer Jim Thome's son, Landon, may have come into play as soon as they used the No. 1 pick on Roch Cholowsky. And since his father has GM Chris Getz's ear as a special advisor, one can only assume he put in a good word for the shortstop out of Nazareth Academy High School in nearby La Grange Park.

38. Colorado Rockies: Logan Reddemann (RHP, UCLA)

Logan Reddemann might not be thrilled to be joining the Rockies organization, and this fate might have been avoided if he hadn't had his stock hurt by arm fatigue. This is nonetheless a gift pick for the Rox, who are getting a strike-thrower with a fastball that gets into the high 90s.

39. Toronto Blue Jays: Cole Carlon (LHP, Arizona State)

The Blue Jays did need some pitching talent in their system, and now here comes a lefty who fanned 133 batters in only 83.2 innings for the Sun Devils this year. Cole Carlon might have the best slider in the draft, and he can hit 98 mph to boot.

40. Los Angeles Dodgers: Bo Lowrance (SS, Christ Church Episcopal HS)

Sorry, MLB, but the Dodgers just got a steal. Bo Lowrance was a borderline top-20 talent coming into the draft, with comps to Freddie Freeman because of the look of his swing. If he sticks at shortstop, the star potential is through the roof.

35. New York Yankees: Hunter Dietz (LHP, Arkansas)

The Yankees must be thrilled about this one. Hunter Dietz probably should have been a top-20 pick, mainly on the strength of his secondary pitches. His velocity is merely OK by the standards of modern top draft picks, but the Yankees have been known to add a few miles per hour to their guys' fastballs.

36. Philadelphia Phillies: Tyler Spangler (SS, De La Salle HS)

De La Salle is a football powerhouse, but it's where Kyle Harrison came from and Tyler Spangler will hope to keep the good vibes going for the baseball program. He's a big shortstop already at 6'3", 195 pounds, so he could fit the mold of a power-first hitter at the position in the long run.

37. Colorado Rockies: Daniel Jackson (C, Georgia)

This is a solid value pick for the Rockies, as Daniel Jackson could have been the third catcher chosen in the first round. He's best known for his huge power, as he's coming off a 32-homer season for the Bulldogs—not quite the 37 that his now-fellow Rockies prospect Charlie Condon hit in 2024, but pretty close.

32. St. Louis Cardinals: Tegan Kuhns (RHP, Tennessee)

This is a terrific value pick for the Cardinals. Tegan Kuhns put himself on the map with a dominant showing in the Cape Cod League last summer, and he tallied 106 strikeouts against 16 walks for Tennessee this summer. He has a plus fastball and curveball.

33. Tampa Bay Rays: Taj Marchand (SS, James Island HS)

The Rays chose Grady Emerson second overall, but that apparently didn't satisfy their hunger for prep shortstops. He's about pure projection, as the Rays might be able to get more out of a bucket of tools that is solid but not exceptional.

34. Chicago White Sox: Landon Thome (SS, Nazareth Academy HS)

Yes, this is the son of Hall of Fame slugger Jim Thome, who works for the White Sox as a special assistant to Chris Getz. He doesn't have as much power as his old man (few ever have), but his future is no worse than that of a utility infielder with a solid bat.

29. San Francisco Giants: Carson Bolemon (LHP, Southside Christian HS)

This is the pick the Giants got in the Patrick Bailey trade, and it's the second pitcher in as many picks for Buster Posey. Carson Bolemon is a unit at 6'4", 215 pounds, and he already has four pitches considered to be above-average.

30. Kansas City Royals: Taylor Rabe (RHP, Mississippi)

Taylor Rabe pitched 76.0 innings this year, and he fanned 105 batters while walking only 15. That looks like a fast-moving pitcher, though some of the homers Rabe was known to give up will hopefully stay inside the yard as a pro.

31. Arizona Diamondbacks: Blake Bryant (RHP, Citizens Christian HS)

Blake Bryant only has 182 pounds on a 6'6" frame, but that should change as he gets older and fills out. As it is, he can already get up to 97 mph with a plus slider.

26. Atlanta Braves: Carter Beck (OF, Indiana State)

This is a way off-the-board pick for the Braves, but at least it's a bet on a bat that played at the college level. In 160 total NCAA games, Carter Beck slashed .345/.432/.611 with 39 home runs.

27. New York Mets: Carson Wiggins (RHP, Arkansas)

Carson Wiggins missed the 2026 season after having internal brace surgery, and he had issues with walks in the one season he did pitch with Arkansas. But like his older brother, Jaxon, he's a big dude with a big fastball that sits in the high 90s.

28. Houston Astros: Jack Radel (RHP, Notre Dame)

Jack Radel is a huge pitcher at 6'5", 250 pounds, and his fastball gets as high as 98 mph. He also added strikeouts annually at Notre Dame, starting with 6.6 per nine innings in 2024 and ending with 11.9 per nine innings in 2026.

The Brewers have a draft formula of going for bats first and waiting on arms until later, so this pick isn't a surprise to that extent. And this is a P.R. win for the Brewers, who drafted Trey Ebel's brother, Brady, just last year.

Rather, the surprise has to do with how Trey Ebel might not have even been a top-100 talent in this draft. He's a hit-over-power guy with below-average speed.

The No. 25 pick has a bonus value of $3,696,000.

The Mariners typically go for college pitchers, but the recent run on those must have made Ace Reese an even easier pick at No. 24. They're clearly thrilled in their war room.

He's listed as a third baseman, but his future is more than likely at first base. Regardless, he's going to have to make his way with his bat, and specifically with his power. He hit 45 home runs across the last two NCAA seasons, establishing a reputation for making ballparks look small.

The No. 24 pick has a bonus value of $3,818,700.

Most pitchers get drafted because of their fastballs. But not Cade Townsend.

He has three plus pitches, and they're his slider, curveball and cutter. That's an awful lot of spin coming at hitters, and it translated to a strikeout rate of 12.0 per nine innings at the NCAA level. And given how badly the Cubs need pitching, one wonders if he could move quickly.

The No. 23 pick has a bonus value of $3,947,600.

The Tigers stand to lose Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize this winter, so getting Cameron Flukey into their system now could loom very large in a few years.

He was a top-20 talent coming into the draft, mostly owing to a mid-to-high 90s fastball that plays up because of the extension he gets from his 6'6" frame. There's a lot to work with there, hence why the Tigers apparently found it easy to overlook a relatively unspectacular college career at Coastal Carolina.

The No. 22 pick has a bonus value of $4,082,700.

The surprise isn't that A.J. Preller went for a prep player in the first round. The surprise is that he drafted Coleman Borthwick as a third baseman.

Though he is a two-way player, he's broadly seen as a right-handed pitching prospect first and foremost. He's already 6'6", 245 pounds, and his fastball and slider both get plus grades.

Evidently, though, the Padres don't want to take the bat out of his hands just yet. He has obvious power potential as a hitter, and he's athletic enough to have played shortstop as a high schooler.

The No. 21 pick has a bonus value of $4,224,700.

This is the first "Who?!" pick of the draft. Jake Schaffner had been ranked much lower on big boards, including No. 75 for MLB Pipeline.

As the broadcast keeps noting, contact hitters are clearly at a premium in this first round. Schaffner is another in that regard, and he's also a plus runner. If the Red Sox unlock more power, this pick will be a steal. If not, he's the new Nick Yorke.

The No. 20 pick has a bonus value of $4,373,900.

When the Guardians draft a pitcher, the rest of MLB shudders in fear. Nobody knows how to develop arms like they do.

This is yet another reason why Liam Peterson's 5.03 ERA at Florida should be disregarded. What really matters is that he can touch the high 90s and break off a plus slider. He also improved his walk rate each year he was with the Gators.

The No. 19 pick has a bonus value of $4,530,500.

A Lebron in Ohio? That sounds about right, and this one also had a chance to go No. 1 in the draft once upon a time.

Why Justin Lebron fell to No. 18 has a lot to do with a curiously mediocre season for the Crimson Tide. He hit only .277 and struck out more than twice as often as he walked. The Reds are banking on plus tools elsewhere, including plus-plus for his speed.

The No. 18 pick has a bonus value of $4,695,500.

This is a reach by the Astros, as Logan Hughes typically ranked well outside the top 20 on most big boards coming into the draft.

He did hit .375 with 18 homers in 55 games for the Red Raiders this year, so the hit and power tools are there. What holds him back is a lack of other tools, as he's a slow runner with a below-average arm. He's a left fielder all the way.

The No. 17 pick has a bonus value of $4,868,600.

Finally, another pitcher comes off the board. And leave it to Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young to make it happen.

Though Young typically prefers college players, Gio Rojas must have been too good to pass up at No. 16. He's a teenager who's 6'4", 195 pounds, with a plus fastball and slider. He'll fit right in with a Rangers farm system that is already loaded with pitchers.

The No. 16 pick has a bonus value of $5,051,900.

Out of the first 15 picks in the draft, only the San Francisco Giants (Jackson Flora at No. 4) used one on a pitcher.

This is not only unusual, but a first in MLB history. It's also unexpected, at least to the extent that prep lefty Gio Rojas was supposed to be off the board by now.

This is the second catcher off the board, and Ryder Helfrick gives the Diamondbacks at least two things to dream on.

He's a gifted defender behind the plate, and his power is seen as above-average. The question is how well he'll hit, especially once he's exposed to pro-level breaking and offspeed pitches.

The No. 15 pick has a bonus value of $5,241,000.

This is a steal. Jacob Lombard entered the draft as arguably a top-five talent, and the Marlins are getting him all the way down at No. 14.

He comes from a baseball family, as his dad (George) played in the majors and his brother (George Jr.) is a star prospect in the New York Yankees system. He has plus speed and power, and the thinking is that he'll be able to stick at shortstop.

The No. 14 pick has a bonus value of $5,444,900.

Chaim Bloom had a good nose for bats when he was running the Red Sox, and it seems he still trusts it from his perch atop the Cardinals' front office.

Condon should be a pure energy source as a pro. He's a plus-plus runner and an above-average defender, with maybe a plus bat as well. He gets Pete Crow-Armstrong comps, though Jarren Duran might be more attainable.

The No. 13 pick has a bonus value of $5,661,300.

The Angels drafted Jared Grindlinger as an outfielder, but his reputation is rightfully as the best two-way player in the draft.

He's generally considered to be a better pitcher than he is a hitter, with a fastball that can touch the mid-90s. He's more of a bat-to-ball type as a hitter, though there may be potential for more power as he fills out a 6'3", 190-pound frame.

Also of note: The Angels picked a high school player in the first round! They had favored high-floor college players who they could promote quickly, so the changeover to John Mozeliak is already having an impact.

The No. 12 pick has a bonus value of $5,889,300.

The Nationals must like Chris Hacopian's bat, because it wasn't his glove that put him on anyone's radar.

He's seen as a below-average fielder with a below-average arm and speed. What he does have is a 60-grade hit tool and at least average power, so the potential to fit the same mold as Jeff McNeil is there.

The No. 11 pick has a bonus value of $6,133,500.

This is Paul DePodesta's first draft pick as the Rockies' president of baseball operations, and it's nothing if not interesting.

Tyler Bell doesn't have a standout tool, yet the floor is undeniably high. He's a switch-hitter with at least average tools across the board, and he hit .343 with a .510 OBP in 41 games with the Wildcats even despite an early shoulder injury.

The No. 10 pick has a bonus value of $6,393,100.

There were five outfielders chosen in the first 10 picks, including five out of the college ranks. That's unusual.

Most of those were reaches, most notably including Zion Rose to the Royals at No. 6. Part of that is the nature of the beast with the MLB Draft, but it'll be interesting to see how history judges these picks.

This is one of those picks where one wonders if the Braves know something the rest of us don't.

AJ Gracia is held back by below-average speed and arm strength, giving him a strict left field profile. He therefore has to hit, which he fortunately did for the Cavaliers this season. In 56 games, he batted .354 with a .489 OBP.

The broadcast dropped Nick Markakis and Brandon Marsh comps on Gracia. With more power, he might be Michael Conforto.

The No. 9 pick has a bonus value of $6,675,300.

The A's just keep stockpiling talented young hitters, and Drew Burress is one who could be ready in time for the move to Las Vegas in 2028.

He's only 5'9", 185 pounds, but he hit 60 home runs in 179 games with the Yellow Jackets, all while batting .357 with a .484 OBP. There's real power in his bat, and he's no worse than average in the hit, run, throw and field columns.

The No. 8 pick has a bonus value of $6,982,600.

The Orioles have liked using early picks on hitters under Mike Elias, and his track record should bode well for Eric Booth Jr.

He's a plus-plus runner above all, so he should at least develop into a quality defender and a pest on the basepaths. He's also seen as having an above-average hit tool, so the general comp is to Carl Crawford.

The No. 7 pick has a bonus value of $7,327,200.

B/R's Joel Reuter had Zion Rose going No. 28 to the Houston Astros in his final mock, so this is definitely a surprise pick.

Rose did hit .417 with the Cardinals this year, but that was over just 31 games and with just six home runs. He missed time with ankle and hamstring injuries.

To be fair, Rose is seen as having above-average hit and power tools, with big-time bat speed that could mean there's more to unlock as he moves through the Royals' farm system.

The No. 6 pick has a bonus value of $7,746,100.

MLB commissioner has been the center of attention in Philadelphia so far, and not in the most flattering way.

He's been booed every time he's taken the podium, and he somehow mispronounced Roch Cholowsky's name while announcing him as the White Sox's No. 1 pick.

This is arguably the draft's first reach, as Derek Curiel was generally not considered even a top-10 talent coming into the draft.

Either the Pirates disagree, or they think Curiel can arrive soon to help out Paul Skenes and Konnor Griffin. They may be right, as his .349 average in two seasons with LSU points to a very real plus hit tool that could carve a quick path through the minors.

The No. 5 pick has a bonus value of $8,336,500.

Jackson Flora becomes the first pitcher off the board, and the hope for the Giants is that he'll eventually become an ace.

Flora is 6'5", 205-pounder with a fastball that sits in the mid-to-high 90s and touches triple digits. He also throws three breaking balls, plus a kick change that could be a weapon against left-handed bats.

Flora made 16 starts for the Gauchos this year and posted a 1.06 ERA with 133 strikeouts over 102 innings.

The No. 4 pick has a bonus value of $8,988,400.

The first thing to know about Vahn Lackey is that he hit .397 in 61 games for the Yellow Jackets this season.

That's bonkers for any player, much less a catcher who also slugged 20 home runs. And he's no pretender behind the plate, as he's an athletic defender with a strong arm.

The last catcher the Twins took in the first round was Joe Mauer at No. 1 in 2001. He went on to have a Hall of Fame career.

The No. 3 pick has a bonus value of $9,740,100.

With Roch Cholowsky off the board, Grady Emerson at No. 2 was a lay-up for the Rays.

Though he bats left-handed, Emerson is often compared to Troy Tulowitzki as a big, physical shortstop with loud tools across the board. He'll likely need a few years of development coming out of high school, but he should stick at shortstop.

Granted, the Rays might wish they could put Emerson at shortstop tomorrow. They're getting a .598 OPS from the position, worst in the American League.

The No. 2 pick has a bonus value of $10,507,000.

The first pick is in, and it's Roch Cholowsky to the White Sox.

There's a difference of opinion as to whether he or prep shortstop Grady Emerson is the top player in this class, but there's little doubt about Cholowsky's upside. Only his speed isn't a plus tool. He has a ceiling as a right-handed-swinging Corey Seager.

The White Sox already have a star shortstop in Colston Montgomery, and their top prospect (Caleb Bonemer) is also seen as a viable shortstop. As such, someone might have to move to third base or second base at some point.

The No. 1 pick carries a $11,350,600 slot value. According to Joe Doyle of Over-Slot, Cholowsky is expected to sign for around $9.5 million.

There may be no prospects in attendance at the draft, but mascots have made the trip. Unsurprisingly, the Atlanta Braves mascot "Blooper," did not get a warm welcome from the Philadelphia crowd.

Draft coverage has officially begun on NBC and Peacock, and one star has already shown up. Cole Hamels is part of the broadcast as a nod to the host city of Philadelphia, where he was a three-time All-Star and World Series champion for the Phillies.

Notably not in attendance are any players who could actually get drafted on Saturday. This is the second year in a row that the event has gone 0-fer in attracting draft prospects to the event, though there will be live shots of any draft parties that may be going on elsewhere.