Overview
- ESPN draft analyst Kiley McDaniel, in a mock published Thursday, projected Roch Cholowsky as a narrow favorite for No. 1 and pegged his odds at roughly 55% to 60%.
- The San Francisco Giants traded Patrick Bailey to Cleveland to add the No. 29 pick and about $3.3 million in slot money, pushing their draft pool to roughly $17.4 million.
- With that larger pool, the Giants are rumored to be ready to float an over-slot offer at No. 4 that could entice Cholowsky or Grady Emerson to target San Francisco.
- McDaniel notes Emerson may sign for less than Cholowsky, which could let the White Sox spread savings to over-slot targets with later selections.
- Scouts see Emerson with slightly higher upside and Cholowsky as more polished and closer to MLB, with the draft set for July 12–13 in Philadelphia.