First Round Highlights in Philadelphia
The 2026 MLB Draft commenced in Philadelphia, with the first round taking place on Saturday. The initial day of the draft covered rounds 1 through 4, setting the stage for subsequent selections.
The Chicago White Sox made the first overall pick, selecting UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky. This marked the beginning of the draft action, which saw a total of 40 picks detailed from the initial rounds.
Following the White Sox’s selection, the Rays chose Grady Emerson, a shortstop from Forth Worth Christian HS in Texas. The Twins then picked catcher Vahn Lackey from Georgia Tech, while the Giants opted for right-handed pitcher Jackson Flora from UC Santa Barbara.
Other notable first-round picks included Derek Curiel, an outfielder from LSU, selected by the Pirates. The Royals picked outfielder Zion Rose from Louisville, and the Orioles chose Eric Booth Jr., an outfielder from Oak Grove HS in Mississippi. The Athletics added outfielder Drew Burress from Georgia Tech to their roster.
The Braves selected outfielder AJ Gracia from Virginia, and the Rockies picked shortstop Tyler Bell from Kentucky. The Nationals drafted second baseman Chris Hacopian from Texas A&M, while the Angels chose left-handed pitcher/outfielder Jared Grindlinger from Huntington Beach HS in California.
The Cardinals selected outfielder Trevor Condon from Etowah HS in Georgia, and the Marlins picked shortstop Jacob Lombard from Gulliver Prep HS in Florida. The Diamondbacks drafted catcher Ryder Helfrick from Arkansas, and the Rangers chose left-handed pitcher Gio Rojas from Stoneman Douglas HS in Florida.
The Astros selected outfielder Logan Hughes from Texas Tech, and the Reds picked shortstop Justin Lebron from Alabama. The Guardians drafted right-handed pitcher Liam Peterson from Florida, and the Red Sox chose shortstop Jake Schaffner from North Carolina.
Rounding out the first round, the Padres selected right-handed pitcher Coleman Borthwick from South Walton HS in Florida. The Tigers picked right-handed pitcher Cameron Flukey from Coastal Carolina, and the Cubs drafted right-handed pitcher Cade Townsend from Ole Miss. The Mariners chose third baseman Ace Reese from Mississippi State, and the Brewers selected shortstop Trey Ebel from Corona HS in California.
Additional Selections and Blue Jays’ Pick
Beyond the initial first round, the draft continued with the Prospect Promotion Incentive Round and Competitive Balance Round A. In the Prospect Promotion Incentive Round, the Braves selected outfielder Carter Beck from Indiana State, the Mets picked right-handed pitcher Carson Wiggins from Arkansas, and the Astros chose right-handed pitcher Jack Radel from Notre Dame.
Competitive Balance Round A saw several more selections. The Giants drafted left-handed pitcher Carson Boleman from Southside Christian HS in South Carolina. The Royals picked right-handed pitcher Taylor Rabe from Ole Miss, and the Diamondbacks selected right-handed pitcher Blake Bryant from Citizens Christian HS in Georgia.
The Cardinals chose right-handed pitcher Tegan Kuhns from Tennessee, while the Rays picked shortstop Taj Marchand from James Island HS in South Carolina. The White Sox selected shortstop Landon Thome from Nazareth Academy HS in Illinois. The Yankees drafted left-handed pitcher Hunter Dietz from Arkansas, and the Phillies chose shortstop Tyler Spangler from De La Salle HS in California. The Rockies concluded this round by selecting catcher Daniel Jackson from Georgia.
The Toronto Blue Jays made their first selection in the second round, picking Cole Carlon, a left-handed pitcher from Arizona State. Their pick was the 39th overall, occurring after their initial slot dropped 10 positions due to exceeding the second surcharge threshold of the competitive balance tax.
The second round also saw the Rockies select right-handed pitcher Logan Reddemann from UCLA as the 38th pick. The Dodgers concluded the first 40 picks by choosing third baseman Bo Lawrence from Christ Church Episcopal HS in South Carolina. Rounds 5 through 20 of the draft are scheduled to continue on Sunday, beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET.
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Source: sportsnet.ca
