The Chicago White Sox secured the top pick in the 2026 MLB Draft on Tuesday night, winning the first overall selection for only the third time in franchise history and first since 1977. The White Sox entered the lottery with a 27.73 percent chance after finishing 60-102 last season.
Hall of Famer Harold Baines, whom Chicago selected first overall in 1977, represented the organization on stage at the lottery event. The draft will be held July 11-12, 2026. The White Sox previously held the No. 1 pick in 1971 when they selected Danny Goodwin.
The Tampa Bay Rays emerged as major winners, jumping five spots from seventh-best odds to claim the No. 2 pick. The Minnesota Twins, who had the second-best lottery odds at 22.18 percent, received the third selection.
The San Francisco Giants made the biggest leap, moving up 11 spots from 15th to fourth overall. The Kansas City Royals also gained significant ground, advancing 10 spots to the sixth pick from 16th-best odds.
\"Without question this is an exciting time for the White Sox organization and our great fans,\" White Sox general manager Chris Getz said in a press release. \"We\'ve created momentum and excitement over the past year, and this certainly is another positive development as we continue toward our ultimate goal.\"
Despite finishing 43-119, the Colorado Rockies were ineligible for a top-nine pick due to anti-tanking rules established before the 2023 draft. The Rockies will pick 10th next July after holding the No. 3 and No. 4 selections in the past two drafts.
The St. Louis Cardinals, Miami Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers all dropped five spots from their projected positions. The Cincinnati Reds moved into lottery range at No. 18 after the New York Mets received a 10-spot penalty for exceeding the second luxury tax threshold.
UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky is currently the projected top overall pick by ESPN. Shortstop Grady Emerson out of Fort Worth Christian is slotted at No. 2 ahead of Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron.
2026 MLB Draft Lottery Results:
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
