First Day of Draft Concludes in Philadelphia
The 2026 MLB Draft commenced in Philadelphia, with the first day featuring selections through Round 4. The draft is scheduled to span two days, with the initial round taking place on Saturday.
The Chicago White Sox made the first overall pick, selecting UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky. Following this, the Rays chose Grady Emerson, a shortstop from Forth Worth Christian HS in Texas, as the second pick.
The Minnesota Twins then picked Vahn Lackey, a catcher from Georgia Tech. The San Francisco Giants followed, drafting right-handed pitcher Jackson Flora from UC Santa Barbara.
Other early selections included Derek Curiel, an outfielder from LSU, by the Pittsburgh Pirates, and Zion Rose, an outfielder from Louisville, by the Kansas City Royals.
Notable Selections Across Rounds
The first round continued with several teams making key additions. The Baltimore Orioles selected outfielder Eric Booth Jr. from Oak Grove HS in Mississippi, while the Oakland Athletics picked outfielder Drew Burress from Georgia Tech.
The Atlanta Braves chose outfielder AJ Gracia from Virginia, and the Colorado Rockies drafted shortstop Tyler Bell from Kentucky. The Washington Nationals added second baseman Chris Hacopian from Texas A&M.
The Los Angeles Angels selected Jared Grindlinger, a left-handed pitcher and outfielder from Huntington Beach HS in California. The St. Louis Cardinals picked outfielder Trevor Condon from Etowah HS in Georgia, and the Miami Marlins chose shortstop Jacob Lombard from Gulliver Prep HS in Florida.
Further first-round picks included Ryder Helfrick, a catcher from Arkansas, by the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Gio Rojas, a left-handed pitcher from Stoneman Douglas HS in Florida, by the Texas Rangers.
The Houston Astros selected outfielder Logan Hughes from Texas Tech, and the Cincinnati Reds drafted shortstop Justin Lebron from Alabama. The Cleveland Guardians picked right-handed pitcher Liam Peterson from Florida, and the Boston Red Sox chose shortstop Jake Schaffner from North Carolina.
The San Diego Padres added right-handed pitcher Coleman Borthwick from South Walton HS in Florida. The Detroit Tigers selected right-handed pitcher Cameron Flukey from Coastal Carolina, and the Chicago Cubs picked right-handed pitcher Cade Townsend from Ole Miss.
The Seattle Mariners drafted third baseman Ace Reese from Mississippi State, and the Milwaukee Brewers chose shortstop Trey Ebel from Corona HS in California.
Later Rounds and Blue Jays’ Pick
The Prospect Promotion Incentive Round saw the Braves select outfielder Carter Beck from Indiana State, followed by the New York Mets picking right-handed pitcher Carson Wiggins from Arkansas. The Astros then chose right-handed pitcher Jack Radel from Notre Dame.
In Competitive Balance Round A, the Giants selected 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 drafted right-handed pitcher Blake Bryant from Citizens Christian HS in Georgia.
The Cardinals chose right-handed pitcher Tegan Kuhns from Tennessee, and the Rays selected shortstop Taj Marchand from James Island HS in South Carolina. The White Sox picked shortstop Landon Thome from Nazareth Academy HS in Illinois.
The New York Yankees drafted left-handed pitcher Hunter Dietz from Arkansas, and the Philadelphia Phillies chose shortstop Tyler Spangler from De La Salle HS in California. The Rockies selected catcher Daniel Jackson from Georgia.
Moving into Round 2, the Rockies picked right-handed pitcher Logan Reddemann from UCLA. The Toronto Blue Jays made their first selection at the 39th overall pick, choosing left-handed pitcher Cole Carlon from Arizona State. Their pick was delayed due to exceeding the competitive balance tax surcharge threshold.
The Los Angeles Dodgers concluded the first 40 picks by selecting third baseman Bo Lawrence from Christ Church Episcopal HS in South Carolina. Rounds 5 through 20 are scheduled to continue on Sunday, beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET.
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Source: sportsnet.ca
