Overview
- The Dec. 9 lottery fixed the order with the White Sox picking first, Rays second, Twins third, Giants fourth and Pirates fifth, shaping current mock drafts.
- Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter projects UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky to the White Sox at No. 1, citing a 1.320 OPS through 14 games after a .353/.480/.710, 23-homer sophomore year and elite all-around tools.
- A new Sporting News report relaying Reuter’s mock has Tampa Bay targeting Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron at No. 2, highlighting louder raw power, 8 homers and 15 steals with a trimmed strikeout rate in 2026.
- Minnesota at No. 3 is linked to prep shortstop Grady Emerson, whose advanced hit tool, power and defensive ability make him a leading high-school option.
- At No. 14, Miami is projected to consider high-school shortstop Jacob Lombard despite a recent college-heavy approach, with evaluators noting a potential 20/20 profile and a slide after an inconsistent summer; all selections remain media projections, not team decisions.