Full Breakdown
2026 MLB Draft Mock: Top Prospects and Team Strategies
6/19/2026, 10:20:44 PM
Top Picks
Ahead of the 2026 MLB draft, ESPN analyst Kiley McDaniel’s mock places shortstop Roch Cholowsky (UCLA) with the Chicago White Sox at No. 1, shortstop Grady Emerson (Fort Worth, Texas Christian HS) with the Tampa Bay Rays at No. 2, and catcher Vahn Lackey (Georgia Tech) with the Minnesota Twins at No. 3. The mock adds Jackson Flora (Giants), Jacob Lombard (Pirates) and Eric Booth Jr. (Royals) to top ten.
Context
McDaniel’s mock departs from typical forecasts by reflecting the players he would select for each club, and it was released as the College World Series finals began. Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter issued a mock with the same three prospects, swapping Emerson to No. 1 and Cholowsky to No. 2.
Prospects
Cholowsky entered spring as the frontrunner for No. 1, posting a .320/.452/.636 line with 21 homers in 60 games. Emerson, a high-school shortstop from Fort Worth, Texas Christian, is a top-three prospect, though his stats were not released. Lackey posted a .397/.519/.772 slash line with 20 homers in 60 games and can shift to third base. Kentucky shortstop Tyler Bell is mentioned as a possible discount pick within the first five selections.
Official Statements
McDaniel says the White Sox favor college players, making the Cholowsky-Lackey choice strategic. He notes either prospect would serve Chicago well, with Cholowsky offering a potentially quicker rise through the minors. For the Twins, he calls the No. 3 pick low-risk because the team can simply take the remaining top prospect. He also highlights the Rays’ deep farm system, which lets them gamble on a high-school shortstop like Emerson.
Criticism
Reuter’s mock puts Emerson at No. 1 and lists Gio Rojas at No. 9 for the Braves, a player absent from McDaniel’s top ten. He also places Tyler Bell at No. 8 for the Athletics, whereas McDaniel projects Bell at No. 21 to the Padres. These variations highlight the lack of consensus on rankings beyond the top three.
Conflicts
The main discrepancy is the ordering of the top three: McDaniel lists Cholowsky-Emerson-Lackey, while Reuter lists Emerson-Cholowsky-Lackey. Emerson’s performance data are missing, and Bell’s rumored early selection remains unverified.
Verbatim Quotes
- “There's really no wrong choice.” — Kiley McDaniel
- “leaning” in favor of college players. — Kiley McDaniel
- “easiest pick in the draft” — Kiley McDaniel
- “Cholowsky entered the spring as the frontrunner to go No.” — Kiley McDaniel
- “The Rays are sitting pretty with a 41-30 record and owners of the No.” — Kiley McDaniel
Next Steps
The 2026 MLB draft is scheduled for June, after the College World Series finals. Teams will make their selections as the draft approaches.
