The MLB conducted the first four rounds of the 2026 draft on Saturday in Philadelphia ahead of this year’s All-Star Game.
Below, we share our list of winners and losers from Round 1.
Winners
Chicago White Sox | The suddenly rich White Sox got richer at No. 1 overall. The AL Central leaders grabbed the top college prospect in this year’s class, UCLA Bruins shortstop Roch Cholowsky, giving Chicago one of college baseball’s most productive players over the past three years.
“Cholowsky comes with a high floor and an All-Star ceiling,” ESPN MLB expert Dan Mullen wrote in his evaluation of the pick. This past season, the 2026 Big Ten Player of the Year slashed .320/.452/.636 with 21 home runs and 60 runs batted in for the Bruins, who went 52-8, while showing a keen eye at the plate with as many walks as strikeouts (36). With 2021 first-rounder Colson Montgomery establishing himself as a quality power hitter, offsetting his team-high 116 strikeouts entering Saturday with 23 home runs — the most in the majors among primary shortstops — Cholowsky could be an ideal addition.
The White Sox (49-45) have been among the biggest surprises during the first half of the season, and by taking the top college prospect, they might quickly go from sleeper to giant.
Tampa Bay Rays | Like the White Sox, the Rays added to a division-leading squad with a prime pick, using No. 2 overall to take MLB.com’s top overall prospect, shortstop Grady Emerson from Fort Worth (Texas) Christian HS.