The MLB draft will begin in four days, and we’ll finally learn who the Chicago White Sox will select first overall. It’s the third time in history, and first since taking Harold Baines in 1977, that the White Sox have this opportunity. With how well the team is playing at the moment, hopefully it’ll be a few more decades before the White Sox have the first overall pick again.
At Sox Machine, we’ve been covering the MLB draft weekly since mid-February with college baseball’s opening weekend. This post is worth bookmarking, as it’ll include details on the draft from a White Sox perspective and links to previous reports, rankings, and mock drafts. Keep in mind that we are firmly in “Lying Season.” Lots of gossip, whispers (gossipers), and actual intel, otherwise known as “Draft Dope,” will be shared in the upcoming days. It’s hard to sort out what’s real or not as teams and agents try to position themselves in ideal situations. Whether that’s getting the prospect they want or, from an agent's point of view, getting their client into the best possible environment for their future development, and with the highest possible bonus.
More draft reports will be coming throughout the week -- position rankings, one final mock draft, the players on the White Sox radar at pick 1, and our final prediction. In addition to the written coverage, we’ll have a YouTube live stream of our reaction to the White Sox pick, with Jim Margalus joining me. Plus, James Fegan will be reporting from Philadelphia at the draft room.
White Sox pick selections and bonus values
Full bonus pool: $20,489,500
| Round | Pick # | Slot Value |
| 1 | 1 | $11,350,600 |
| Comp A | 34 | $2,897,400 |
| 2 | 41 | $2,446,100 |
| 3 | 77 | $1,086,600 |
| 4 | 105 | $747,700 |
| 5 | 137 | $547,700 |
| 6 | 166 | $413,900 |
| 7 | 195 | $325,100 |
| 8 | 225 | $256,500 |
| 9 | 255 | $217,000 |
| 10 | 285 | $200,900 |
Notes:
- MLB teams can spend up to 5 percent over their bonus pool without penalties. Any amount past the 5 percent threshold will incur a 75 percent tax on the amount. If draft spending exceeds additional thresholds, teams could lose future draft picks.
- The Chicago White Sox bonus pool at 5 percent overage is $21,513,975
- After the 10th round, drafted players can sign up to $150,000 without counting against a team’s draft pool. Any player that signs for more than that amount will count against a team’s draft pool.
No. 1 2026 MLB draft prospect
As of Friday, July 10:
- Sox Machine: Grady Emerson
- MLB.com: Grady Emerson
- Keith Law (The Athletic): Roch Cholowsky
- Kiley McDaniel (ESPN): Roch Cholowsky
- Baseball America: Roch Cholowsky
- FanGraphs: Vahn Lackey
- Over-Slot: Vahn Lackey
- Prep Baseball Report: Vahn Lackey
Latest mock draft selections for White Sox
As of Friday, 7/10:
- Sox Machine: Roch Cholowsky
- MLB.com: Roch Cholowsky
- Keith Law (The Athletic): Grady Emerson
- Kiley McDaniel (ESPN): Roch Cholowsky
- Carlos Collazo (Baseball America): Roch Cholowsky
- Eric Longenhagen (FanGraphs): Grady Emerson
- Over-Slot: Grady Emerson
- Prep Baseball Report: Vahn Lackey
MLB Draft Preview with Jim Callis
White Sox first round selections since 2015
| Year | Pick | Bonus | Name | Pos. | School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 8 | $3,470,600 | Carson Fulmer | RHP | Vanderbilt |
| 2016 | 10 | $3,380,600 | Zack Collins | C | Miami |
| 2016 | 26 | $2,128,500 | Zack Burdi | RHP | Louisville |
| 2017 | 11 | $3,700,000 | Jake Burger | 3B | Missouri State |
| 2018 | 4 | $6,411,400 | Nick Madrigal | 2B | Oregon State |
| 2019 | 3 | $7,221,200 | Andrew Vaughn | 1B | Cal |
| 2020 | 11 | $4,547,500 | Garrett Crochet | LHP | Tennessee |
| 2021 | 22 | $3,027,000 | Colson Montgomery | SS | Southridge HS (IN) |
| 2022 | 26 | $2,800,000 | Noah Schultz | LHP | Oswego East HS (IL) |
| 2023 | 15 | $3,900,000 | Jacob Gonzalez | SS | Ole Miss |
| 2024 | 5 | $8,000,000 | Hagen Smith | LHP | Arkansas |
| 2025 | 10 | $6,235,900 | Billy Carlson | SS | Corona HS (CA) |
How to watch the draft
- Pick 1 should be announced around 12:30 PM CT on NBC or Peacock app
- Rest of picks (Rounds 2 - 20) will be streamed on MLB.com, MLB TV, or MLB+
