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NBC Streams 2026 MLB Draft; White Sox Target Cholowsky

7/10/2026

Summary

White Sox Pick

The 2026 MLB Draft will air live on NBC on July 11, 2026 at 1 p.m. ET.
Chicago White Sox have the No. 1 pick and will likely select UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky.
Tampa Bay Rays hold the No. 2 pick and will likely choose Fort Worth Christian shortstop Grady Emerson.
Minnesota Twins own the No. 3 pick and will likely take Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey.

Summary

Booth Derby

A 10-pick Competitive Balance Tax penalty forces the Phillies’ first pick to be No. 36, the latest since 2012.
Eric Booth Jr., No. 6 prospect, learned to hit baseballs by swinging rocks in his grandfather’s yard and is son of a 1993 34th-round Blue Jays pick.
Booth won the Perfect Game All-American Classic home-run derby with 15 homers, stole home, and is reshaping scouts’ view that Mississippi rarely produces elite hitters.

Summary

Medical-Flagged Prospects

Several high-profile prospects—including Brody Bumila (2025 internal-brace UCL surgery), Logan Reddemann (recent flexor injury) and Cameron Flukey (lingering injury history)—enter the draft with major medical flags.
Jared Grindlinger, a two-way left-hand pitcher/outfielder, will not turn 18 until April 2027 after reclassifying from the 2027 class, delaying his draft eligibility.
Analysts say Bumila and Reddemann could become draft-day steals if their health clears despite injury concerns.

History

Historical Context

In June 8-9 1965, under Commissioner Ford Frick, MLB held its first Rule 4 amateur draft to stop wealthy teams from outbidding rivals, with the Kansas City Athletics selecting Rick Monday first among 813 players. The 2026 draft follows that model, giving the Chicago White Sox the No. 1 pick and the Tampa Bay Rays No. 2, showing how the original order-setting mechanism still drives franchise strategy and player valuation.

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White Sox Pick

The 2026 MLB Draft will air live on NBC on July 11, 2026 at 1 p.m. ET.
Chicago White Sox have the No. 1 pick and will likely select UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky.
Tampa Bay Rays hold the No. 2 pick and will likely choose Fort Worth Christian shortstop Grady Emerson.
Minnesota Twins own the No. 3 pick and will likely take Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey.

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