MLB draft 2026: First four rounds begin in Philadelphia
2026 MLB Draft Commences
The 2026 MLB Draft is set to begin in Philadelphia, featuring the first four rounds of selections. The event is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. ET. Coverage for the initial 10 picks will be available on NBC/Peacock and Fubo, while MLB Network will broadcast picks 11-40.
Among the notable prospects, Tyler Spangler from De La Salle HS has garnered interest from multiple teams, despite not playing this year due to an undisclosed injury and a hazing incident that led to the cancellation of the first five games for his high school team. Additionally, Trey Ebel, son of Dodgers third-base coach Dino Ebel and a Texas A&M commit, is anticipated to be an option on Day 1 of the draft.
Daniel Jackson, a catcher for the Georgia Bulldogs, is considered a unique prospect in the 2026 class. Following a junior season where he batted .379 with 32 homers, 87 RBIs, and 26 stolen bases, Jackson became one of only three players in NCAA Division I History to achieve at least 30 home runs and 25 stolen bases in a single season. He is also the only catcher to accomplish this feat.
Team Strategies and Key Prospects
The Oakland Athletics are reportedly targeting Arkansas catcher Ryder Helfrick with their No. 8 selection if he is available. Helfrick, an East Bay native, grew up supporting the team and has met with them multiple times. The San Francisco Giants, holding the fourth and 29th overall picks, face added scrutiny as they aim to avoid missing the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season.
The Chicago White Sox possess the top pick in this year’s draft, marking the third time in franchise history they have held this position. Previously, they selected Danny Goodwin in 1971 and Harold Baines in 1977. The Pittsburgh Pirates hold the record for the most No. 1 overall picks, with six selections, followed by the New York Mets, San Diego Padres, and Houston Astros, each with five.
Roch Cholowsky, a top prospect, met with the White Sox (No. 1 selection), Rays (No. 2), and Giants (No. 4) at the MLB combine. However, he did not meet with the Twins (No. 3).
The St. Louis Cardinals are poised to make the most selections on Day 1 of the draft, with seven picks. The Houston Astros have six picks, and the Pittsburgh Pirates will make five selections.
Red Sox’s Draft Outlook
The Boston Red Sox hold the No. 20 overall pick in the first round and have 18 additional draft picks through the 20th round. There is no consensus among mock drafts regarding the position the Red Sox will target with their initial selection.
Several prospects have been linked to the Red Sox:
- Chase Brunson, an outfielder from TCU, was predicted by one mock draft. Brunson, a right-handed hitter, batted .304 with 10 home runs and 51 RBIs in 51 games this past season.
- Taylor Rabe, a right-handed pitcher from Ole Miss, was another projection. Rabe, whose fastball can reach triple-digits, posted a 3.55 ERA and struck out 105 batters this past season.
- Bo Lowrance, a high school third baseman from Christ Church Episcopal School, was widely linked to the Red Sox in the months leading up to the draft. He is committed to the University of Virginia.
- Ace Reese, a third baseman from Mississippi State, was also mocked to Boston. Reese, a left-handed power hitter, hit 24 home runs and drove in 74 runs in 62 games, finishing with a .336 batting average.
- Cameron Flukey, a right-handed pitcher from Coastal Carolina, was another predicted pick. Flukey, who missed part of the season due to a stress fracture, posted a 4.13 ERA and struck out 31 batters in seven starts.
- Zion Rose, an outfielder from Louisville, was also projected for the Red Sox. Rose batted .417 with a .491 on-base percentage, six home runs, and 47 RBIs in 36 games this past season.
Jackson Flora, a right-handed pitcher from UC Santa Barbara, showed significant improvement, finishing the season with a 1.06 ERA over 16 starts, striking out 133 batters against 32 walks. Logan Reddemann, a UCLA ace, chose to throw off the mound at the MLB Draft Combine, a rare decision for top prospects.
Of the 65 players participating in the MLB All-Star Game, 20 were first-round selections in the MLB Draft, and 16 were taken within the first five rounds.
The 2025 MLB Draft saw Eli Willits (SS, Nationals), Tyler Bremner (RHP, Angels), and Kade Anderson (LHP, Mariners) as top picks. Only three of the top 10 picks from the 2025 draft—Anderson, Liam Doyle, and Aiva Arquette—have advanced to Double-A.
Four players from Georgia Tech—Vahn Lackey, Drew Burress, Jarren Advincula, and Carson Kerce—are among the top 100 draft prospects.
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Source: nytimes.com
