The MLB Draft Lottery has concluded, and the draft order is set — no better time for the team's second attempt at mocking out the first round (plus!) of the 2026 MLB Draft
Director of Amateur Scouting, proud to lead and share the team's work. | Check out Path to the Show on Bally Sports Live and College Baseball Now everywhere! | Grateful for family, the Vols, and everyone who reads Prospects Live. | For His Glory.
In the aftermath of not only Will Dodge's incredible Draft Lottery Primer, but the 2026 MLB Draft Lottery itself, the Prospects Live Amateur Team is back on the Mock Draft grind with our second iteration predicting the outcome of this summer's MLB Draft.
Our amateur team came together to prepare this predictive exercise which will, in the course of three months (or less), become increasingly more difficult to justify; players' output on the field ebbs and flows, and with new talent emerging daily, this may not be an incredibly accurate assessment come July 2026.
Either way – it is fun.
The team worked diligently to provide picks for the first 40 selections in the 2026 Draft (including at least one for each team) by considering the teams' recent trends, bonus pools, the pool strength, and even intangibles like new presidents of baseball operations to contend with.
Well, shall we?
Image courtesy Bleacher Report
1.1 - Chicago White Sox – SS Roch Cholowsky
Is it really that obvious? Well…yeah. No need to complicate it from the jump – Roch is the pick, and the best guy in the class and arguably the best collegiate shortstop of the last decade feels as good a place to start as any. Roch is a complete package who hits for average and power, draws healthy walks (45 BB vs. 30 K in ‘25), and makes premium defensive plays at the six. Cholowsky’s huge sophomore season sets the stage for a repeat in his draft year and looks the part of an everyday MLB shortstop with offensive upside and defensive stability. You could make arguments for others, but they’re remarkably futile for the moment. The White Sox got Hall of Famer Harold Baines the last time they picked first – the team should be salivating to have hit “Roch Bottom.”
Director of Amateur Scouting, proud to lead and share the team's work. | Check out Path to the Show on Bally Sports Live and College Baseball Now everywhere! | Grateful for family, the Vols, and everyone who reads Prospects Live. | For His Glory.
Director of Dynasty Content - Canadian born and raised, moved to Arkansas with my wife and two sons Ezra and Ari. Followed and played baseball my whole life; played dynasty for 25+ years.