All articles tagged with #2026 mlb draft
With MLB’s largest-ever bonus pool, the White Sox secured Roch Cholowsky as the No. 1 pick, used Jacob Gonzalez’s trade to expand pool money, and backed the haul with notable late-round signings like Kyle Casteel, signaling a shift to a resource-driven approach under Chris Getz that also spotlights Cole Prosek among their top picks.
White Sox cap a historic No. 1 pick with Roch Cholowsky and add 16 more selections on Day 2 to complete a 20-player draft, guided by a collaborative front office that pairs power-heavy bats with upside arms. Day 2 highlights include Cal Scolari (5th), Alex Weingartner (6th), Clay Burdette (7th), Jayson Jones (8th), Luke Craytor (9th), Matthew Bucciero (10th), Kyle Casteel (11th), Braden Holcomb (12th), Grayson Fitzwater (13th), Isaac Yeager (14th), Cameron Johnson (15th), Darin Horn (16th), Crew McChesney (17th), Jackson Bergman (18th), Jake Berkland (19th) and Connor Fennell (20th). The piece underscores a signing-space, risk-reward approach and a heavy emphasis on developing both hitters and pitchers through a shared evaluation process led by Mike Shirley and the Sox Machine staff.
The White Sox, leveraging a record draft pool, traded Jacob Gonzalez to acquire more bonus money and used the No. 1 pick on Roch Cholowsky while also selecting Landon Thome and Cole Prosek with hefty bonuses. The club emphasizes an enhanced scouting-and-player-development infrastructure—hitting-development chief Ryan Fuller and GM Chris Getz framing a shift from pitching-first to offense-focused depth—as the key driver of this draft strategy, aiming to turn depth and development into major-league impact, though results remain to be seen.
The Chicago White Sox used their second first-round pick in the 2026 MLB Draft to select Nazareth Academy shortstop Landon Thome, the son of former Sox star Jim Thome, continuing a local pipeline after Roch Cholowsky led off the draft. Thome is viewed as a bat-first prospect with power projection; he may move from shortstop in the future, and his development will be guided by his father, who is his hitting coach.
Keith Law's final mock keeps Grady Emerson at No. 1 for the White Sox, with Cholowsky and Lackey still in play; the top of the draft is expected to be college-heavy and teams will weigh high school upside against college performance as the first round unfolds.
MLB Draft Week kicks off with the White Sox holding the first overall pick for only the third time in franchise history. Sox Machine promises ongoing draft coverage, including rankings, mock drafts, and a live-reaction stream, while outlining the draft’s bonus pool, payout rules, and the likely path to Pick 1.
The Boston Red Sox aim to acquire a top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher this offseason through trade or free agency to strengthen their pitching staff for playoff success, with a focus on players who can start high-stakes games and contribute immediately.