After blowing up the bullpen and leaning into an all-out tank to end the 2025 season, the Minnesota Twins will select third in the 2026 MLB Draft. The Twins finished with the fourth-worst record in baseball but had the second-best odds of landing the top pick in the draft thanks to the Colorado Rockies and Washington Nationals being ineligible for a lottery selection.
The Twins made big jumps in the past, but fell a down slot in the first round this season. In a draft year where there’s a clear #1
in UCLA’s Roch Cholowski, Twins fans and executives alike were hoping to jump up to the first pick. However, with a deep crop of college and high school hitters, the Twins will still be able to nab one of the most talented players in the draft. Plus, there’s still a chance Derek Falvey and Co. could try to cut a deal with Cholowski ahead of the draft, but he’s such a talented player that I doubt the White Sox or Rays (selecting first and second, respectively) will allow that to happen.
Assuming Cholowski is taken, the other big name to watch would be Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron. Lebron (not that one) was widely considered the top prospect in this class before Cholowski’s 2025 breakout. Given Falvey’s penchant for college hitters, and shortstops in particular, Lebron (still not that one) would be a safe bet if he’s available at 3. Other college hitters include LSU’s Derek Curiel and Georgia Tech’s Drew Burress.
If they go the high school route, Texas prep SS Grady Emerson could end up being the best prospect in the bunch when all is said and done. It’s also worth mentioning Florida prep SS Jacob Lombard, the younger brother of Yankees top prospect George Lombard Jr. and the son of George Sr., the Tigers’ bench coach. Teams love those athlete genetics. As things stand now, I would expect one of the top three of Cholowski, Lebron (STILL not that one), or Emerson to be the pick.
There’s obviously a lot that can change between now and the draft, starting with an entire college baseball season. No one saw Paul Skenes being the top pick after the 2023 draft lottery, but he played himself into that spot and now might be the best pitcher in the sport. Regardless of what happens, the Twins find themselves in an enviable spot with a top three pick and a sizable draft pool.
