2026 MLB Draft Live Updates: Live Picks, Results & Analysis
The 2026 MLB draft is here as the first round kicks off at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday in Philadelphia.
This year's class features three players at the top widely considered to be a tier above the rest of their peers. UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky was long presumed to be the eventual No. 1 pick, but prep shortstop Grady Emerson and Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey have made up ground as the draft has approached. Now, the White Sox have a difficult decision to make with the first pick.
Our final mock draft of the year explored that dilemma and how we see the subsequent picks playing out.
For more draft preview content, scroll past the live blog below.
2026 MLB draft live blog and tracker
2026 MLB draft order
The White Sox have the No. 1 pick, and will be followed by the Rays, then the Twins. Cholowsky, Emerson and Lackey are expected to come off the board in those three picks, but nothing is ever certain when it comes to the MLB draft.
The first day of the draft will cover four rounds and consist of 135 picks. Those include the 120 picks in the first four rounds, and the compensatory, competitive balance and promotion incentive rounds.
Here's a look at the order for the 37 picks before the second round begins. The first round will have 25 picks, then there will be three promotion incentive picks, and nine competitive balance picks.
| PICK | TEAM |
|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago White Sox |
| 2 | Tampa Bay Rays |
| 3 | Minnesota Twins |
| 4 | San Francisco Giants |
| 5 | Pittsburgh Pirates |
| 6 | Kansas City Royals |
| 7 | Baltimore Orioles |
| 8 | Athletics |
| 9 | Atlanta Braves |
| 10 | Colorado Rockies |
| 11 | Washington Nationals |
| 12 | Los Angeles Angels |
| 13 | St. Louis Cardinals |
| 14 | Miami Marlins |
| 15 | Arizona Diamondbacks |
| 16 | Texas Rangers |
| 17 | Houston Astros |
| 18 | Cincinnati Reds |
| 19 | Cleveland Guardians |
| 20 | Boston Red Sox |
| 21 | San Diego Padres |
| 22 | Detroit Tigers |
| 23 | Chicago Cubs |
| 24 | Seattle Mariners |
| 25 | Milwaukee Brewers |
| 26 | Atlanta Braves |
| 27 | New York Mets |
| 28 | Houston Astros |
| 29 | San Francisco Giants |
| 30 | Kansas City Royals |
| 31 | Arizona Diamondbacks |
| 32 | St. Louis Cardinals |
| 33 | Tampa Bay Rays |
| 34 | Pittsburgh Pirates |
| 35 | New York Yankees |
| 36 | Philadelphia Phillies |
| 37 | Colorado Rockies |
2026 MLB draft bonus pools
The Pirates have the biggest bonus pool for the 2026 draft at $19,130,000. That makes sense, since they own four of the first 51 picks. The Rays have the second biggest pool ($19,009,300), while the White Sox ($17,592,100), Giants ($17,592,100) and Twins ($16,929,600) round out the top five.
A look at all the bonus pools is below.
| TEAM | BONUS POOL |
|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Pirates | $19,130,700 |
| Tampa Bay Rays | $19,009,300 |
| Chicago White Sox | $17,592,100 |
| San Francisco Giants | $17,350,600 |
| Minnesota Twins | $16,929,600 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | $16,612,300 |
| Kansas City Royals | $15,954,000 |
| Atlanta Braves | $15,870,800 |
| Colorado Rockies | $15,557,600 |
| Athletics | $13,840,300 |
| Houston Astros | $13,712,700 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | $13,603,100 |
| Baltimore Orioles | $13,114,000 |
| Washington Nationals | $12,278,300 |
| Miami Marlins | $11,960,100 |
| Los Angeles Angels | $11,755,400 |
| Cincinnati Reds | $10,758,500 |
| Texas Rangers | $10,219,200 |
| Chicago Cubs | $9,644,100 |
| San Diego Padres | $9,479,000 |
| Cleveland Guardians | $9,303,700 |
| Detroit Tigers | $9,165,100 |
| Boston Red Sox | $8,219,200 |
| Seattle Mariners | $8,218,200 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | $8,042,900 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | $7,773,000 |
| New York Yankees | $7,342,800 |
| New York Mets | $6,730,900 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | $5,543,100 |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | $3,951,900 |
Roch Cholowsky scouting report
Cholowsky has been projected as the top pick since he hit .353 with a 1.109 OPS and 23 home runs as a sophomore in 2025. He did nothing to diminish that status this year, slashing .320/.452/.636 with 21 home runs and 60 RBIs. The 21-year-old is 6'2" and 200 pounds and has outstanding raw power to mix with good swing decisions-he's walked more than he's struck out in college. He has average speed, but should stick at shortstop thanks to a plus arm, paired with good actions and instincts.
Grady Emerson scouting report
Emerson is a potential five-tool shortstop who could legitimately go No. 1. The 18-year-old has excellent bat control and makes great decisions at the plate. His left-handed swing generates hard contact to all fields, and more power is likely to come as he matures. While not a speedster, he has enough quickness to handle shortstop and possesses a plus arm. He would have been the No. 1 pick in several draft classes over the past decade.
Vahn Lackey scouting report
Lackey is 6'2" and 215 pounds and possesses excellent all-around ability behind the plate. He finished 2026 hitting .397 with a 1.291 OPS, 20 home runs and 15 stolen bases while walking more than he struck out. He'll need to add lift to his swing to produce more power as he ages, but he should develop faster than most backstops.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as 2026 MLB Draft Live Updates: Live Picks, Results & Analysis.
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This story was originally published July 11, 2026 at 10:03 AM.