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39m ago

MLB Draft Kicks Off in Philadelphia with White Sox Holding No. 1 Pick

The top selection will force Chicago to weigh college readiness against high-school upside while teams navigate an expanded 37-pick first round and new broadcast windows

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Jun 14, 2025; Omaha, Neb, USA; UCLA Bruins shortstop Roch Cholowsky (1) fields a ground ball against the Murray State Racers during the ninth inning at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images
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Overview

  • The 2026 MLB Draft began Saturday, July 11, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center Grand Hall with Day 1 covering Rounds 1–4 and national coverage split between NBC/Peacock and MLB platforms.
  • NBC and Peacock carried picks 1–10 before coverage moved to MLB Network and MLB.com for picks 11–40 and then to MLB.com/MLB.TV/MLB+ for the remainder of Day 1.
  • The Chicago White Sox hold the No. 1 overall pick and have publicly identified UCLA’s Roch Cholowsky, Texas high-school shortstop Grady Emerson and Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey as their primary candidates, with signability and development timeline concerns central to the choice.
  • This year’s first round has 37 selections because of Prospect Promotion Incentive and Competitive Balance Round A awards, while competitive-balance-tax penalties moved some clubs’ picks back and reshaped the order.
  • Day 2 is scheduled for Sunday, July 12, with Rounds 5–20 streaming on MLB.com/MLB.TV/MLB+ where teams will hunt for under-slot bargains, college performers and pitching depth within published slot values and bonus-pool limits.