2026 MLB Mock Draft 1.0: Roch Cholowsky, Grady Emerson Battle to Go No. 1

Our first stab at projecting the first round of July's draft is led by a pair of shortstops—one who stars for UCLA and another who attends high school in Texas.

UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky has long been projected as the top pick in the 2026 MLB draft. | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

The 2026 MLB draft has a ton of talent at the top and is led by one of the better college crops we’ve seen in years. There is also some intrigue bubbling up in the first five picks as we approach the July 11 start date.

UCLA’s Roch Cholowsky has been the projected No. 1 overall pick for nearly a year after a fantastic showing as a sophomore. While he may still be the top selection, he is now facing competition from Grady Emerson, a prep shortstop out of Texas. The rest of the first round is a bit up in the air, as a strong college class appears to be edging out many of the high school players who usually dot the first round.

It's worth noting that there are 25 picks in the first round this year. Five teams exceeded the competitive balance tax threshold for the second time, so their first picks were moved down 10 spots. The Mets, Yankees, Phillies, Blue Jays and Dodgers were all handed those penalties and will pick later.

Here’s our first stab at a first round mock draft in 2026.

1. Chicago White Sox: Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA

Cholowsky cemented himself as the likely top pick in this draft by hitting .353 with a 1.190 OPS and blasting 23 home runs as a sophomore at UCLA in 2025. He’s followed that up by slashing .338/.463/.707 with 21 home runs this spring. He’s 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-at-best speed, but should stick at shortstop thanks to good actions and instincts, paired with a plus arm. His stranglehold on this spot has weakened this spring, but he's still the likely pick.

2. Tampa Bay Rays: Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian (TX)

Emerson has a chance at having five loud tools and is threatening Cholowsky’s spot atop the draft. A 6'2" prep shortstop with a pretty left-handed swing, the 18-year-old has excellent bat control, makes good swing decisions and creates hard contact to all fields. More power is likely to come. Emerson isn’t going to tear up the base paths, but is quick enough to stick at shortstop as he has good hands, quick movements and a plus arm. In most other classes, he’d be the clear No. 1 pick.

3. Minnesota Twins: Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep (FL)

The Twins shake things up here, selecting the son of George Lombard and brother of 2023 first-rounder George Lombard Jr. The younger Lombard is a 6'3" shortstop with excellent speed who should stick at baseball's premium position long-term. His bat is solid now but a question mark for the future, though he generates good power out of his right-handed swing. If the bat develops as it should, he has franchise cornerstone potential.

4. San Francisco Giants: Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech

Buster Posey selects a catcher out of Georgia here. Imagine that. Lackey has the tools to go as high as No. 2 and is in the middle of an outstanding junior year at Georgia Tech. The lefty is hitting .380 with a 1.193 OPS, 13 home runs and 12 stolen bases. If he can add some lift to his swing, those homer numbers should jump. At 6'2" and 215 pounds, he’s a solidly built catcher who is good at blocking balls and possesses a plus arm.

UC Santa Barbara starting pitcher Jackson Flora is one of the best righties in the draft. | Matt Bush/Special to the Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

5. Pittsburgh Pirates: Jackson Flora, RHP, UC Santa Barbara

Flora is the top pitcher in the class, and it’s not hard to see why when you watch him. He’s a 6'5" righty and uses every bit of his size to his advantage. He possesses a fastball that sits in the 96 mph range and can top 100, and backs it up with an upper-70s sweeper and a developing change. He’ll occasionally flash a harder slider in the upper-80s as well. Flora is peaking at the right time. In 2026, he’s 9–0 with a 1.15 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 103 strikeouts against 28 walks in 78 1/3 innings.

6. Kansas City Royals: Gio Rojas, LHP, Stoneman Douglas HS (FL)

Rojas is the best prep lefty in the class, and at 6'4" and 190 pounds, carries plenty of projection. His fastball can hit the upper-90s, and he follows that with a low-80s sweeper that is a strikeout weapon. He doesn’t have much of a changeup right now, but his size, ability to locate and a track record of success will see him taken in the top 10.

7. Baltimore Orioles: Eric Booth Jr., OF, Oak Grove HS (MS)

Booth is a speedster, an outstanding athlete and is already 6' and 207 pounds. His lefty swing isn’t conventional, as he holds his hands away from his body and moves them up and down as a timing mechanism before locking them as he starts his swing. That setup can cause things to get out of whack, but he does have good bat-to-ball skills when everything lines up. He has decent raw power and should stick in center field with plenty of arm for the position. There’s a ton of upside here, and it would be a shock if he dropped out of the top eight.

8. Athletics: Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech

Burress had an explosive freshman year for the Yellow Jackets, hitting .381 with 25 home runs and a 1.333 OPS. The righty followed that up by posting a 1.162 OPS and hitting 19 bombs as a sophomore to solidify himself as the best outfielder in the draft class. He hasn’t shown as much power this season, though he’s hitting .375 with a 1.162 OPS again, and 13 home runs. The 21-year-old is undersized at 5'8" and 185 pounds, but he has plenty of power, good speed and a great eye at the plate. He’s got a good, accurate arm in the outfield.

9. Atlanta Braves: Cade Townsend, RHP, Ole Miss

Townsend is in the mix to be the first college pitcher taken. At 6'1" and 185 pounds, the righty doesn’t have Flora’s projection, but he has a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and can hit 98 mph. He balances that with two high-spin offerings in a slider in the mid-to-high 80s and a low-80s curveball. His changeup is a work in progress, but he’s been good this year for the Rebels, as he’s going 5–2 with a 3.25 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 77 strikeouts against 14 walks in 55 1/3 innings.

Arkansas catcher Ryder Helfrick is a plus defender with power. | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

10. Colorado Rockies: Ryder Helfrick, C, Arkansas

Helfrick is a plus defensive catcher with a feel for the position and a good arm. He also has plus makeup that should help him handle a pitching staff. He’s 6'1" and 210 pounds, and his righty swing is power over hit right now, but he's had a good spring. So far, he has posted a 1.022 OPS with 15 home runs and 51 walks against 42 strikeouts.

11. Washington Nationals: Cameron Flukey, RHP, Coastal Carolina

Flukey was a candidate to be the top pitcher selected, but his stock has cooled as he’s only been on the mound four times this spring and has struggled due to a rib injury. As a sophomore in 2025, he was 8–2 with a 3.19 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 118 strikeouts against 24 walks in 101 2/3 innings. At 6'6" and 210 pounds, he generates good carry on his mid-90s fastball and also features a plus slider and a solid upper-70s curveball. His changeup is a work in progress, but there’s a solid mix here to work with, plus some projection.

12. Los Angeles Angels: Chris Hacopian, 2B, Texas A&M

Hacopian could go anywhere in the top 25 as he’s struggled with injuries this year. He transferred to Texas A&M after two seasons at Maryland, and in 34 games has slashed an underwhelming .296/.390/.533 with eight home runs. He’s a strong 6'1" and 210 pounds, and is a smart hitter at the plate with decent power. He was moved to second due to his below-average range, and he doesn't have much of an arm or speed. The team taking him will believe in his bat-to-ball skills and more power coming eventually.

13. St. Louis Cardinals: Sawyer Strosnider, OF, TCU

Strosnider is athletic and carries a ton of upside in all of his tools, but the results haven’t matched the talent this year. He’s currently slashing .273/.415/.590 with 13 home runs, but it feels like his bat has taken a step back in his draft-eligible sophomore year. The lefty is 6'2" and 200 pounds, and should be able to stick in center field. He has a good arm, speed and plus raw power, but the bat is a question as strikeouts have become an issue this spring.

14. Miami Marlins: Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama

Once thought to be a surefire top-five pick, Lebron’s stock has fallen after questions about his bat surfaced. At a lanky 6'2", Lebron is an outstanding defender at short, and has plenty of raw power and speed. The question is whether he can cut down on his swing-and-miss tendencies. So far in 2026, he’s hitting .266 with a .902 OPS, with 13 home runs and 36 stolen bases, but has 46 strikeouts against 24 walks.

Arkansas starter Hunter Dietz is has great size and projection. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

15. Arizona Diamondbacks: Hunter Dietz, LHP, Arkansas

Dietz is the top college lefty in the draft and could go higher than this. At 6'6" and 235 pounds, he has a workhorse build. He hammers the zone with a mid-90s fastball and has plus offerings in a slider and curveball. His changeup lags behind the others. He has struck out 108 batters in his first 72 2/3 innings this season.

16. Texas Rangers: Tegan Kuhns, RHP, Tennessee

Kuhns is a fast riser as he’s really come on as the spring has progressed. At 6'3" and 190 pounds, he features a mid-90s fastball that can touch the upper-90s and a plus curveball. He’s still searching for a third pitch, but despite that, the draft-eligible sophomore struck out 95 hitters in 72 innings in 2026.

17. Houston Astros: A.J. Gracia, OF, Virginia

Gracia transferred to Virginia from Duke and is having his best college season. He’s slashing .320/.453/.596 with 13 home runs through 47 games. At 6'3" and 195 pounds, he should generate more power from his left-handed swing as he ages. Gracia’s calling card is his great plate discipline, and that should carry him. He’s not a great runner and doesn’t have a good arm. If a team takes him in this range, it will be banking on him staying in center.

18. Cincinnati Reds: Cole Carlon, LHP, Arizona State

Carlon is built like a power pitcher at 6'5" and 230 pounds, and he throws like one, too. The lefty can get his fastball up to 98, but sits in the mid-90s, and follows that up with a tight, upper-80s slider, and a big curveball that needs work. His changeup isn't anything special now, but he will have just turned 21 on draft day, and there is definitely more to mine here.

19. Cleveland Guardians: Tyler Bell, SS, Kentucky

The switch-hitting Bell is playing through a torn labrum, which may hurt his stock as the draft approaches. A sophomore-eligible prospect, he has five above-average tools, led by his defense and arm at short. He’ll stick there in the big leagues. He’s created buzz this spring from both sides of the plate and is hitting .355 with a 1.126 OPS, with six home runs and 26 RBIs through 33 games. His .535 on-base percentage is absurd.

LSU outfielder Derek Curiel has some of the best contact skills in the draft. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

20. Boston Red Sox: Derek Curiel, OF, LSU

Curiel has some of the best contact skills in the draft out of his lefty stroke. As a draft-eligible sophomore, he’s hitting .346 with a .941 OPS, and has six home runs and 13 stolen bases. He doesn’t generate much power yet out of his 6'2" frame at 192 pounds, but could have more there if he fills out. He’s a good runner and should field his position well in center despite not having a great arm.

21. San Diego Padres: Brody Bumila, LHP, Bishop Feehan HS (MA)

A big prep lefty with big upside and a ton of risk? A.J. Preller may sprint to turn in this pick. The man has a type. The 6'9" Bumila can top 100 mph on his four-seamer, and his slider and changeup both flash plus. There’s plenty of projection here given his size and delivery.

22. Detroit Tigers: Trevor Condon, OF, Etowah HS (GA)

Condon has a great presence in the batter’s box from the left side and commands the strike zone well. He can spray the ball to all fields, and if he grows into his 5'11" frame, more power should follow. His swing features an unconventional pause as he leans back, almost coiling himself as the pitcher winds up. He has outstanding speed and will easily stick in center thanks to his range and good arm.

23. Chicago Cubs: Logan Reddemann, RHP, UCLA

Reddemann has been sidelined with “arm fatigue” for a few weeks, which has sent him down the board a bit, but if he winds up without a serious injury, the Cubs could benefit. In 59 2/3 innings this season, Reddemann is 8–0 with a 2.87 ERA and 84 strikeouts against 11 walks. At 6'2" and 185 pounds, he isn’t imposing, but he’s hit the upper 90s with his fastball and features one of the better changeups among college hurlers in the draft. He’ll flash a slider and a curve, but his cutter has been his out pitch this year.

24. Seattle Mariners: Mason Edwards, LHP, USC

Edwards has risen up draft boards this spring, dominating opposing hitters for the Trojans. In 13 starts, he’s 8–0 with a 1.61 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and a Division I-high 142 strikeouts in 78 1/3 innings. The 20-year-old lefty stands 6'2" and 190 pounds, and has a four-seamer that sits in the low-90s but can hit 95 with some deception. He has a nasty high-spin curve and a changeup that flashes plus. He’s a hot name as the draft approaches and may not last this long.

25. Milwaukee Brewers: Liam Peterson, RHP, Florida

Another college pitcher off the board. Peterson is a big righty at 6'5" and 225 pounds and features a fastball that can hit the upper-90s. He backs that up with a mid-80s slider, a big curveball and a developing changeup. Peterson’s stuff is great, but his numbers don’t match. He’s 1–5 in 13 starts this season with a 4.28 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 88 strikeouts against 34 walks in 67 1/3 innings. Control has been a persistent issue, but someone will bank on his pure stuff.

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