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Draft  | Story | 7/11/2026

Immediate Draft Reactions: First Round

Tyler Henninger
Final 2026 MLB Draft Board: Top 500 | Mock Draft: Version 4.0

It's draft day. The first ten picks are going to roll out over the next hour-plus, so that'll give us enough time to type up a quick reaction as to what we thought of each pick. Make sure to keep refreshing as we'll go at least 10 picks deep with our own individual thoughts of each pick. Who's going one? Somebody jumping into the top 10 we didn't foresee? Stay tuned and lock in! 

Chicago White Sox



1:1 Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA 

There was a lot of talk late on if the White Sox would go a different route, but in the end they wind up selecting the top player on the board. Cholowsky was our wire-to-wire No. 1 ranked player on the board. He is a plus defender at shortstop with Gold Glove ability. There is a mix of hit and power ability at the plate that give him massive upside on both sides of the ball. Cholowsky will immediately become one of the best prospects in baseball and should be in Chicago before we know it. 


Tampa Bay Rays

1:2 Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian (TX)

Tampa Bay is able to grab the best prep on the board here with Emerson. Much like Cholowksy, the Texas prep did not waiver from the top of the board, ranking in No. 2 spot throughout the cycle. Emerson may not get to the big leagues as fast as Cholowksy, but the upside is just as impactful. The hit tool stands out and the power will only continue to grow. The glove should stick at shortstop long term. There is five-tool potential from the left-handed hitting shortstop.


Minnesota Twins

1:3 Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech

Vahn Lackey was the biggest riser on our board throughout the spring and cashes in here at pick No. 3. The Georgia Tech backstop has athleticism you don’t see very often behind the plate. Combine that with outstanding catch and throw ability and you got a really good defender manning your staff. Offensively, the bat took massive leaps forward this spring showing a mix of hit and power ability. The Twins are arguably getting the most dynamic player in the class and should walk away very happy with this selection. 


San Francisco Giants 

1:4 Jackson Flora, RHP, UC Santa Barbara

A couple prep bats were in play here, but the Giants go with the top pitcher in the class. Flora quickly separated himself from the rest of the arms on the board this spring. The right-hander possesses massive stuff with immense upside. The fastball works into the triple digits with a deep mix of secondary offerings. There is top of the rotation potential that could move through the Giants’ system fairly quickly.


Pittsburgh Pirates

1:5  Derek Curiel, OF, LSU

The Pirates are the first team to venture down the board a bit here with the selection of LSU outfielder Derek Curiel, who ranked No. 12 on our final rankings. The hit tool is the carrying tool here. There is advanced barrel control and an impressive feel to hit. Curiel slide over to center field this year and should stick there long term. The power has been questioned at times this spring and is what limits the overall ceiling of the profile. It is one of the best pure hit tools in the class that could be in the big leagues fairly soon. 


Kansas City Royals

1:6 Zion Rose, OF, Louisville

The Royals throw the first big curveball here at us with the selection of Zion Rose. There were plenty of talks of an underslot deal here and they will get one with Rose. The outfielder came in at No. 35 overall on our last board, but there are still plenty of tools to like. There is advanced athleticism present with plus speed and obvious upside at the plate. Rose handles the barrel well with big bat speed. It is out first "shock" of the day, but make sense with what we were hearing the Royals were wanting to do with their bonus pool.


Baltimore Orioles

1:7 Eric Booth Jr., OF, Oak Grove (MS)

There were talks of Booth going higher than this, but he winds up in Baltimore here at No. 7 overall. The prep outfielder features a profile that screams upside. Booth is a 70-grade runner with feel for the barrel and power that only continues to grow. There will be some time needed to continue the development, but the profile has extreme upside that could pay off long term.


Athletics

1:8 Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech

Burress is arguably the most productive college player over the past three years and the A's get him here at No. 8 overall. The Athletics have had a lot of success going the college route in recent years and should be in line to do so again. Burress is undersize, but brings big time power production and should stick in center field at the next level. Plenty to like with this selection for Burress. 


Atlanta Braves

1:9 AJ Gracia, OF, Virginia

Gracia was a player that was ranked in the Top-10 on the board most of the cycle, but slipped a bit late in the process. That does not matter here, as the Virginia product winds up a Top-10 selection anyways. The profile has big upside on the offensive side of the ball. There is big power potential from the left side of the plate to go with high on-base ability. Gracia will be a corner outfield profile at the next level, but you are buying the bat here and should get a good underslot deal. 


Colorado Rockies

1:10 SS Tyler Bell, SS, Kentucky

Bell was a 2nd selection out of Kentucky, but opted to go to school and it pays off. The Rockies are getting a well-rounded player with skills on both sides of the ball. It is a switch-hitting bat with a feel to hit and power upside. The glove should stick at shortstop with sound actions shown there. Bell may not wow people with any overly loud tool, but the profile has a high floor and should be able rise through the Rockies' system fairly quick.


Washington Nationals

1:11 Chris Hacopian, SS, Texas A&M

There were talks of Hacopian going higher than this at points late in the cycle, but he winds up just outside the Top-10 here at No. 11 overall. Hacopian has some of the best under-the-hood data of any hitter in the class. There is a strong mix of hit and power ability. You are buying the bat here, as there are considerable questions on where Hacopian ends up defensively.


Los Angeles Angels

1:12 Jared Grindlinger, OF, Huntington Beach (CA)

Grindlinger was a late add to the 2026 class after reclassifying. He immediately established himself as one of the top prep players on the board. Grindlinger is a high-end two-way player, but was announced as an outfielder. The bat provides elite contact skills with more power to tap into. There is intriguing upside on the mound as well, but it appears they want to develop him as a bat soon,


St. Louis Cardinals

1:13 Trevor Condon, OF, Etowah (GA)

Condon was guy that just kept climbing up boards this spring and goes here at No. 13 overall to St. Louis. The Georgia prep is an elite competitor with athleticism and tools on both sides of the ball. There is power in the left-handed stick, despite an undersized frame. Condon should stick in center field long term. The profile has a lot of intriguing components and this pick is one that could pay off well long term. 


Miami Marlins

1:14 Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Schools (FL)

The Marlins are able to grab the No. 4 overall player on our final board here with the 14th overall selection. The Miami product gets to stay home and brings a loud tool set with him. Lombard is a supreme athlete with advanced actions at shortstop. There is big power from the right side of the plate. The hit tool has drawn criticism this spring and will be the ultimate determining factor of just how high Lombard's ceiling gets. 


Arizona Diamondbacks

1:15 Ryder Helfrick, C, Arkansas

The Diamondbacks get the No. 9 player on our final board. Helfrick becomes the second backstop off the board and the D-Backs get a good one. He is an advanced defender that receives the ball well and provides strong catch-and-throw. The bat is powerful one that can leave the yard often. Like most, the hit tool has be questioned at times, but the swing decisions and contact rate both improved this spring.


Texas Rangers

1:16 Gio Rojas, LHP, Marjory Stoneman Douglas (FL)

We finally have our first prep arm off of the board and Texas selects the top prep arm in the class. Rojas provides immense upside and could be a steal here when it is all said and done. It is an athletic delivery from the left side with an upper-90's heater and feel for slider. The Rangers get good value here taking the No. 9 overall player on the board. 


Houston Astros

1: 17 Logan Hughes, OF, Texas Tech

The Astros get one of the more well-rounded college hitters in the class here at No. 17. Hughes provides a nice mix of power and on-base ability. There is quality impact off the barrel from the left side of the plate. Feel for the zone allows Hughes to walk at a solid clip and make contact a high rate. The long term defensive home is still to be determined, but there is good value to the bat. 


Cincinnati Reds

1:18 Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama

At one point in the cycle, Lebron was in consideration to go 1.1. Struggles in conference play and a step back defensively caused him to slide, but the upside is just too good to pass on at this point. Lebron is a supreme athlete with the potential to be a plus defender at shortstop. There is power upside at the plate, but the hit tool does come with considerable risk. Lebron has struggled mightily at times and will need to improve at the plate in order to make this pick worth it. If he does though, it could become a steal. 


Cleveland Guardians

1:19 Liam Peterson, RHP, Florida

The Guardians are the perfect landing spot for an arm like Peterson. The right-hander has big time upside, as he features power stuff and feel to spin the baseball. There is some stuff the needs to be cleaned up and the strikes need to improve, but the upside is off the charts. With an organization like Cleveland, that has a strong track record of developing arms, there is a chance Peterson can tap into his ceiling and become the best arm in this class when it is all said and done. 


Boston Red Sox

1:20 Jake Schaffner, SS, North Carolina 

The Red Sox take the Tar Heels shortstop here at No. 20 overall in what should be an underslot deal. Schaffner is a table-setting bat that profiles well at the top of the order. There is advanced contact skills with power that continues to increase. Schaffner shows sound defensive actions with the chance to stick at shortstop. Without a clear top player left on the board, Boston goes this route with a chance to spend overslot later on. 


San Diego Padres

1:21 Coleman Borthwick, RHP, South Walton (FL)

The Padres have had success with the high school pitching demographic and tap back into that market here. Borthwick is the second prep arm off the board and the first prep right-hander to be selected. Borthwick is a physical arm that has been up to triple digits with feel for a slider. He moves well despite a bigger frame and throws strikes at a high rate. The upside is obvious here. 


Detroit Tigers

1:22 Cameron Flukey, RHP, Coastal Carolina

Entering the year, Flukey had a strong chance to be the first arm off the board. A non-arm injury limited his time on the bump, causing him to slider here to No. 22 and giving the Tigers a chance at a potential steal. The right-hander features power stuff with supreme strike throwing. It is a starter profile with high upside and plenty to like. 


Chicago Cubs

1:23 Cade Townsend, RHP, Ole Miss 

Townsend was an arm that just continued to climb up the board this spring. The right-hander finds his landing spot here at No. 23 to the Cubs. The profile has obvious starter upside. It is quality velocity to go with a deep mix that can keep hitters guessing. Townsend could be a fairly quick riser through the system. 


Seattle Mariners
1:24 Ace Reese, 3B, Mississippi State

The Mariners are able to nab the No. 14 player on our board here at 24th overall. The corner infielder provides some of the best raw power in the class. There is a feel to hit, although Reece did struggle at times during conference play. The upside is obvious and the reason why Reece was so high on our board, but because there is not a ton of value on the defensive side, Reece will need to hit in order to make this pick worthwhile. 

Milwaukee Brewers

1:25 Trey Ebel, SS, Corona (CA)

The Brewers make it back to back years in which they select an Ebel brother. The younger Ebel is a sound right-handed hitter with contact skills and a feel to hit. There is fundamentals shown on the defensive side, although it remains to be seen if Trey can stick at shortstop long term. 
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Draft | Story | 8/11/2026

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