2026 MLB Mock Draft 2.0: Roch Cholowsky, Grady Emerson, Vahn Lackey Battle to Go No. 1
The 2026 MLB draft is just more than two weeks away and teams are finalizing their boards and planning their picks. While the top three players in the class have been set for months, the order in which they are selected on July 11 could be changing as intriguing developments have popped up over the past few weeks. ,
UCLA's Roch Cholowsky has been the projected top pick for almost a year, but he has competition. Rumors suggest the White Sox could go in another direction. In the end, they may not. The rest of the first round is loaded with college position players and arms, while the high school ranks aren't as loaded as we've seen in the past.
There are 25 picks in the first round this year after five teams exceeded the competitive balance tax threshold for the second time. The Mets, Yankees, Phillies, Blue Jays and Dodgers all saw their first picks drop 10 spots as a result.
Here's our second 2026 mock draft.
1. Chicago White Sox: Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA
Cholowsky has been projected as the top pick since he hit .353 with a 1.109 OPS and 23 home runs as a sophomore in 2025. He did nothing to diminish that status this year, as he slashed .320/.452/.636 with 21 home runs and 60 RBIs. The 21-year-old is 6'2" and 200 pounds and has outstanding raw power to mix with good swing decisions-he's walked more than he's struck out in college. He has average speed, but should stick at shortstop thanks to a plus arm, paired with good actions and instincts. Cholowsky isn't the lock to go No. 1 that he was a few months ago, but I'm keeping him here.
2. Tampa Bay Rays: Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech
A shakeup at the top. The Rays have a decision to make here. Do they go with the massive upside and longer development curve of Grady Emerson, or take their catcher of the future in Lackey? I've flipped this back and forth a dozen times, but I'm going with the catcher. Lackey is 6'2" and 215 pounds and possesses excellent all-around ability behind the plate. He finished 2026 hitting .397 with a 1.291 OPS, 20 home runs and 15 stolen bases while walking more than he struck out. He'll need to add lift to his swing to produce more power as he ages, but he should develop faster than most backstops.
3. Minnesota Twins: Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian HS (TX)
The Twins have the easiest job in the draft: take whichever of the top three falls. In this case, they'll land a potential five-tool shortstop who could legitimately go No. 1. The 18-year-old has excellent bat control and makes great decisions at the plate. His left-handed swing generates hard contact to all fields, and more power is likely to come as he matures. While not a speedster, he has enough quickness to handle shortstop and possesses a plus arm. He would have been the No. 1 pick in a lot of draft classes over the past decade.
4. San Francisco Giants: Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep HS (FL)
The Giants desperately want Cholowsky or Emerson to fall, but I can't see that happening. They'll settle for a prep shortstop with a ton of upside. Jacob Lombard is the son of former big leaguer George Lombard and the brother of 2023 first-rounder George Lombard Jr. He's a 6'3" shortstop with serious athleticism, speed and a ton of raw power. He will swing and miss some out of a righty stroke that can get out of whack, but he's smart at the plate. He'll likely stick at shortstop long-term, with good actions and a solid arm. He doesn't have the right-now tools of the top three, but there's a lot to like here and a lot of projection.
5. Pittsburgh Pirates: Tyler Bell, SS, Kentucky
Bell has been rocketing up draft boards this spring after he slashed .343/.510/.608 for the Wildcats . He's a switch-hitting on-base monster who should add more home run power and could likely stick at short, with a good arm and instincts. He has a torn labrum in his non-throwing arm and will need surgery that could knock him out for a while. I'm projecting the Pirates to cut a deal with him and save money to go big with the 34th pick.
6. Kansas City Royals: Jackson Flora, UC Santa Barbara
The Royals are in on high school position players, but Flora is far and away the best pitcher in this draft class. If he falls here, Kansas City would absolutely snag him. Built like a workhorse, he's a 6'5" righty who can run his fastball into triple digits, and has an upper-70s sweeper and a developing changeup. He'll also mix in an upper-80s slider as well. Flora finished his junior season 12–0 with a 1.06 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and 133 strikeouts in 102 innings. This could be the steal of the draft.
How do you throw 101 mph?
- Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 25, 2026
Jackson Flora takes you through it, step by step.
One of the best descriptions of pitching mechanics you'll see from a college pitcher! pic.twitter.com/eQfgDOYXWu
7. Baltimore Orioles: Derek Curiel, OF, LSU
I could see prep outfielder Eric Booth Jr. going here, but the Orioles have been connected to college bats all spring. Drew Burress makes sense here, but Curiel, a draft-eligible sophomore, fits the mold as well. He has steadily moved up draft boards this spring, as he has some of the best contact skills in the draft with a smooth lefty swing. He was the best hitter on LSU's College World Series title-winning squad in 2025. He finished '26 slashing .353/.431/.526 with six home runs. Given his 6'2" 190-pound frame, more power should come, and he is a solid outfielder with plus speed, though his arm is just average. Curiel feels like a great under-slot candidate here, with Baltimore betting more power develops.
8. Athletics: Ryder Helfrick, C, Arkansas
The A's are in on college bats and arms, and I've got them picking Helfrick here. He's a plus defensive catcher with a good feel for the position at 6'1" and 210 pounds. His righty swing remains power over hit right now, but he had a good junior season. He finished 2026 hitting .283 with a .417 on-base percentage, a .979 OPS and 18 home runs. His advanced approach behind the plate should help him reach the big leagues quickly, and if he can refine his approach against breaking balls, the hit tool should improve.
9. Atlanta Braves: Drew Burress, CF, Georgia Tech
The Braves are looking at college bats and could also pop prep lefty Gio Rojas here, but they've been connected to the local product in Burress all spring. He entered the year as a possible top-five pick and hasn't really done anything to hurt his status; others have just jumped the line. Undersized at 5'8" and 185 pounds, the 21-year-old still has plenty of power. He hit 60 home runs over his three collegiate seasons, finishing this year with 16 while hitting .358 with a 1.130 OPS. He'll stick in center and can run; the only downside here is a lack of projection given his size and age.
10. Colorado Rockies: Eric Booth Jr., CF, Oak Grove HS (MS)
This is a bit of a fall for Booth, who could go as high as No. 4, but the Rockies will gladly snag him here. At 6' and 207 pounds, the Vanderbilt commit has elite speed, a plus hit tool and good raw power. He's also a plus fielder in center who will flash an above-average arm. Booth's swing can get a bit out of whack as he holds his hands away from his body and moves them up and down as a timing mechanism before he locks them to move to the pitch. He still has good bat-to-ball skills despite that. There's a lot of upside here with proper development.
11. Washington Nationals: Chris Hacopian, 2B, Texas A&M
Hacopian could go anywhere in this area of the draft, as several teams are intrigued by his plus hit tool. After two excellent seasons at Maryland, he transferred to Texas A&M this year and took a bit of a step back. Still, he hit .319 with a .983 OPS and 11 home runs. He's strong at 6'1" and 210 pounds, and is a smart hitter at the plate with solid power. He has a below-average range, so he was moved to second and doesn't feature much of an arm. He'll be taken strictly for his bat, which should play.
12. Los Angeles Angels: Hunter Dietz, LHP, Arkansas
Dietz is the top college lefty in the draft and will almost certainly go in this range. He's built like a classic power left-hander at 6'6" and 235 pounds. He pounds the zone with a mid-90s fastball and backs it with a plus slider and curveball. His changeup is a work in progress. He finished 2026 with a 7–4 record, 3.57 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 131 strikeouts in 85 ⅔ innings.
13. St. Louis Cardinals: Jared Gridlinger, OF/LHP, Huntington Beach HS (CA)
Gridlinger is the best two-way player in the draft and has a legit shot to play both early in his pro career. He's been moving up the board as the draft approaches. The 17-year-old reclassified from 2027 and it appears to have paid off. On the mound, the 6'3" lefty has been up to 96 mph with his fastball, and has a plus changeup followed by an excellent tight slider. At the plate, he's hit over power right now, but he has the build to slug as he ages.
14. Miami Marlins: Sawyer Strosnider, OF, TCU
The Marlins have also been connected to Dietz, Hacopian and prep infielder Bo Lowrance, but Strosnider is the pick here. The draft-eligible sophomore is 6'2" and 200 pounds, and while he had decent college numbers, they didn't match his ability. He has tons of raw power in a sweet lefty swing, slashing .273/.415/.590 with 13 home runs in 2026. The hit tool has to catch up with the rest of them, as he is fast, has a good arm and is a plus fielder. I have the Marlins betting on his power here.
15. Arizona Diamondbacks: Bo Lowrance, 3B, Christ Church Episcopal HS (SC)
Lowrance is moving up the board as the draft approaches, and he's an excellent fit for the Diamondbacks here. The 18-year-old has a wiry frame with room to grow at 6'5" and 200 pounds. He's limited to a corner in the future as a poor fielder who does possess a good arm. He has a swing currently geared for contact, but more power should come as he grows into his body.
16. Texas Rangers: Trevor Condon, OF, Etowah High School (GA)
Condon's film is fun to watch as he has an uber-confident presence in the batter's box from the left side. He has great strike zone discipline, can hammer the ball to all fields and as he fills out his 5'11" frame, he should add power. He'll stick in center with plus range and a good arm, and possesses 70-grade speed. If the power comes, he'll be a really good big leaguer.
17. Houston Astros: Justin LeBron, SS, Alabama
The Astros land the biggest faller in the mock draft. After pounding 18 home runs as a sophomore while slugging .630, LeBron looked like a challenger for the top spot in the draft. He didn't match that hype as a junior, as he struggled at the plate early in the season. He finished 2026 slashing .277/.386/.534 with 16 home runs and 42 steals in 43 attempts, but had 56 strikeouts against 27 walks. He has an excellent combination of power and speed, while he possesses excellent range and instincts at short to go with a plus arm. It's the hit tool people question as his tendency to chase really hurt his stock this season.
18. Cincinnati Reds: Liam Peterson, RHP, Florida
Peterson is a big righty at 6'5" and 225 pounds, and features a fastball that can hit the upper-90s. He'll follow that with a mid-80s slider, a big curveball and a changeup that still needs work. His stuff is there, but the performance didn't match it in 2026. Peterson finished 3–6 with a 4.59 ERA and 1.42 WHIP, but did have 111 strikeouts in 84 ⅓ innings. He has persistent control issues that will need to be ironed out, but someone will bet on his pure stuff. I've got the Reds doing that here.
19. Cleveland Guardians: Ace Reese, 3B, Mississippi State
The Guardians snag the best name in the draft here. Reese is big at 6'4" and 220 pounds, and that shows at the plate, as he blasted 45 home runs over the past two seasons. He has big-time raw power out of his lefty swing, but he also has improving swing decisions as the hit tool is catching up. He'll be at a corner in pro ball and has enough of an arm for third base.
20. Boston Red Sox: Daniel Jackson, C, Georgia
The Red Sox could go several ways here, as they've been linked to most of the college bats in this area of the draft. Jackson became a full-time catcher this year after spending time in the outfield before and thrived. He blasted 32 home runs and stole 26 bases while slashing .379/.473/.803 and winning SEC Player of the Year and the Dick Howser Trophy as the college player of the year. The 21-year-old can hit, has more than enough power, is a plus base runner and has a really good arm. His catching technique lags, but is improving. He has a chance to be one of the best players in this draft; positional fit is the only question.
21. San Diego Padres: Gio Rojas, LHP, Stoneman Douglas HS (FL)
Rojas is the best prep pitcher in a weak draft for high schoolers. If he falls this far, the Padres will get an absolute steal, but in such a college-heavy draft, it's a real possibility, as his name has been floated in this area. He has a great frame at 6'4" and 195 pounds and can get his fastball into the upper-90s. He also has a low-80s slider that might be the best prep secondary pitch in this class. Rojas will rarely throw his changeup, but it's more advanced than you'd think for how little he uses it. He'll fill up the strike zone and gets high marks for his makeup.
22. Detroit Tigers: Cole Prosek, 3B/C, Magnolia Heights HS (MS)
Prosek might have the best pure prep bat in this class, and he could be a sneaky top-15 pick. He's here for the Tigers and would join their enviable collection of young, lefty hitters with pop. The 19-year-old has an excellent feel for hitting with a compact stroke that allows him to make good contact consistently. He has raw power but should find more in his 6'1", 195-pound frame. He's slow on the base paths and a below-average fielder, though he does have a strong arm. He's toyed with catching and will likely get a shot to keep going in the minors, but he'll hit enough to be fine at third base.
23. Chicago Cubs: Zion Rose, OF, Louisville
The Cubs are in on the college hitting crop, and Rose fits this spot in the draft. He was excellent this year for Louisville, and while his home run numbers dropped, he slugged a career-best .646. Rose finished the 2026 campaign hitting .417 with a 1.137 OPS, with six home runs (down from 13 in 2025) and 24 stolen bases in 27 tries. He's well-built at 6'1" and 200 pounds, and his right-handed swing carries plenty of pop despite the diminished home run numbers. He has plus speed and a good arm, but he's a poor fielder and likely ticketed for left field at the next level.
24. Seattle Mariners: Logan Schmidt, LHP, Ganesha HS (CA)
This is where the prep lefties should start coming off the board, and the Mariners will have their pick of the second tier after Rojas. Schmidt is big at 6'4" and 210 pounds, and can run his fastball into the mid-90s. He features a good low-80s slider and shows solid arm action on his changeup. He has good control, a repeatable delivery and won't turn 18 until late July after reclassifying from 2027.
25. Milwaukee Brewers: Mason Edwards, LHP, USC
The Brewers tend to go safer with their first-rounders and Edwards is as solid as it gets. He had a phenomenal season at USC as he went 8–0 with a 2.07 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and a Division I-best 169 strikeouts in 95 ⅔ innings. The 20-year-old lefty has a good frame at 6'2" and 210 pounds and can hit 95 with his fastball, though he sits in the low-90s with some deception. He has a nasty high-spin curveball and a changeup that flashes as a plus pitch. He's flown up draft boards as the season has gone along.
Supplemental first round
26. Atlanta Braves: Tyler Spangler, SS, De La Salle HS (CA)
27. New York Mets: Will Brick, C, Christian Brothers HS (TN)
28. Houston Astros: Cameron Flukey, RHP, Coastal Carolina
29. San Francisco Giants: AJ Gracia, OF, Virginia
30. Kansas City Royals: Brody Bumila, LHP, Bishop Feehan HS (MA)
31. Arizona Diamondbacks: Taylor Rabe, RHP, Ole Miss
32. St. Louis Cardinals: Tegan Kuhns, RHP, Tennessee
33. Tampa Bay Rays: Aiden Robbins, OF, Texas
34. Pittsburgh Pirates: Carson Bolemon, LHP, Southside Christian HS (SC)
35. New York Yankees: Aiden Ruiz, SS, The Stony Brook HS (NY)
36. Philadelphia Phillies: Caden Sorrell, OF, Texas A&M
37. Colorado Rockies: Cade Townsend, RHP, Ole Miss
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as 2026 MLB Mock Draft 2.0: Roch Cholowsky, Grady Emerson, Vahn Lackey Battle to Go No. 1.
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This story was originally published June 29, 2026 at 6:30 AM.