MLB Draft 2026: Which player will the White Sox take with the No. 1 overall pick?
The Chicago White Sox are on the clock.
Frankly, that has been the case for a while now, ever since the South Siders landed the No. 1 pick in the 2026 MLB Draft (1 p.m. ET, July 11) in the December draft lottery. Back then, few would’ve expected the White Sox to be in the midst of an ascendency, well above .500 and atop the American League Central.
The club’s scouts and executives have surely been hard at work over the past few months scouring the amateur baseball universe. There’s a certain responsibility, a certain weight, a certain scrutiny that comes with having the No. 1 overall choice. Whomever the Sox select, that player will carry the label for the rest of his career. And for the team, this moment is a massive opportunity to inject even more high-end talent into a thriving farm system.
Whom will Chicago take?
There are, effectively, three options: UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey and a high school shortstop from Texas named Grady Emerson. The overwhelming industry expectation is that Chicago picks one of those three on draft day, but there’s obviously a chance that general manager Chris Getz and Co. make a shocking pivot.
Let’s run through this very talented trio, highlight what makes each player special and handicap each one’s chances to be the first name called on July 11.
Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA
Background: The son of a former minor-league infielder and longtime amateur scout, Cholowsky was a known commodity during his high school career just outside of Phoenix. Teams had him pegged as a late-first-round type until he removed his name from the 2023 draft to enroll at UCLA. Soon after arriving on campus, Roch blossomed into a no-doubt, program-altering presence. He led the Bruins to the College World Series in his sophomore season, in which he was named a first-team All American. That sent him rocketing up draft boards entering his junior year. Then Cholowsky met, though did not necessarily exceed, expectations in 2026, finishing as a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award, given to the best amateur player in the country. He has been the most famous, consensus top player in this class for a while now.
Skill set: Cholowsky is a do-everything shortstop with a uniquely well-rounded skill set. Teams generally expect him to stick at the position and potentially be above average there at the big-league level. He has raked every step of the way, showcasing a sweet right-handed swing and advanced swing decisions. Some scouts think he’ll need to focus on either power or average in pro ball, which could round down his overall offensive ceiling.You’ll hear comparisons to high-makeup, every-day big-league shortstops such as Dansby Swanson, Trevor Story and Willy Adames.
Why the Sox will take him: It’s the safe pick. The entire industry agrees that Cholowsky will play big-league ball for a long time. That type of player is hard to find. He also fits the White Sox’s expedited competitive timeline and should move swiftly through the minors. Cholowsky’s track record is very difficult to ignore.
Why they won’t: The ceiling isn’t there. It’s easy to see Cholowsky becoming a top-75 player in MLB, but it’s difficult to see him becoming a top-10 player. And teams like upside with the first pick. There’s also some doubt about how Cholowsky’s hit tool will play against better pitching; his obliteration of subpar Big Ten pitching over the past two years isn’t a convincing enough data set for some folks.
Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech
Background: In some ways, Lackey’s journey to the top of this class is the polar opposite of Cholowsky’s. He was very lightly scouted by college programs, let alone pro organizations, coming out of a high school in the Atlanta exurbs. A growth spurt led to a jump in athleticism, eventually putting him on Georgia Tech’s radar during his senior season. Lackey took that opportunity and ran with it, developing into a two-way monster as a Yellow Jacket. He shot up draft boards last fall and completely exploded this spring, finishing the season with a ludicrous 1.291 OPS, 20 homers and 15 steals in the highly competitive ACC.
Skill set: Lackey has the potential to be a difference-maker on both sides of the ball. There were questions about his hit tool entering the 2026 season, but he put those worries to bed by elevating the ball more thanks to a more optimal swing path. He can get a little noisy in the box, with a lot of unnecessary hand movement, but he raked enough at Tech to hold off any major mechanical overhaul for the time being. Like any college backstop, Lackey is going to need refinement behind the dish, particularly when it comes to receiving and ball-blocking. But that should come in time. Clubs love the upward green arrow of his development story and believe there's even more to come.
Why the Sox will take him: He represents the right balance between upside and floor. Lackey just crushed the second-best league in all of college baseball and projects to be an average-at-worst defender at the sport’s most important position.
Why they won’t: Catchers can require more time to develop upon entering pro ball, and given the defensive responsibilities, they tend to offer less offensive production. Lackey’s home yard at Georgia Tech is a particularly electric offensive environment that might have inflated his stats a bit. It’s also a much shorter track record compared to Cholowsky and Emerson.
Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian High School (Texas)
Background: Emerson has been the top player in his class for years now, a fixture on the showcase circuit with about as long of a performance track record as you could expect from a high school player. He spent his first three seasons at a public school in Argyle, Texas, but transferred to Fort Worth Christian for his senior season. Emerson made that move in order to play under former big leaguer Rusty Greer, who also played a role in developing a Texas high school shortstop by the name of Bobby Witt Jr. Emerson is committed to Texas, but it would take an unforeseen circumstance of epic proportions for him to end up on campus.
Skill set: There are no flaws. Emerson might not have the high-end, Lamborghini-like athleticism of a Witt or a Konnor Griffin, but he is supremely polished in all facets of the game. He takes mature at-bats, makes hard contact to all fields and demonstrates a beautiful fluidity on defense. There’s not a ton of effort in the swing, but Emerson can tap into big-time pop if he needs to; he finished second in last year’s high school home run derby. It’s a good baseline, and Emerson should grow into plus power as he gets older and adds strength.
Why the Sox will take him: They think he’s the best player. In 2019, the Baltimore Orioles took Adley Rutschman (a college catcher) over Bobby Witt Jr. (a high school shortstop) in part because they felt more comfortable with his profile. You can see how that story is relevant here.
Why they won’t: There’s more track record and more confidence with a college player. Just two of the past eight first overall picks (Eli Willits in 2025, Jackson Holliday in 2022) were high schoolers. The White Sox are pretty good this season and might not want to wait for Emerson to develop.
