All hail the pingpong balls.
The fourth MLB Draft Lottery reveal aired Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. CT during the Winter Meetings, hours after the drawing itself took place behind closed doors. But when the cards were turned over on MLB Network, the wait proved worth it for Chicago fans as the White Sox emerged with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 MLB Draft!
The Good Guys entered the day with the best odds at 27.73%, ahead of the Twins, Pirates, Orioles, A’s, and Braves. Those clubs filled in the rest of the top
six, but the final reveal went Chicago’s way, giving them their first No. 1 selection since 1977, when they drafted Hall of Famer Harold Baines.
The lottery system, introduced under the current collective bargaining agreement, aims to discourage tanking by awarding the top six picks through a randomized draw. The format has already reshaped the Draft landscape. Pittsburgh used the first-ever lottery win to select Paul Skenes. Several of baseball’s top prospects — JJ Wetherholt, Max Clark, Walker Jenkins, Eli Willits, Travis Bazzana, and Ethan Holliday — also entered pro ball as lottery picks.
Scouts say the 2026 Draft class is among the strongest in recent years. MLB Pipeline released its Top 100 Draft Prospects list last week, and evaluators noted a more clearly defined top tier of players.
One scouting director said:
“There’s more of a defined top group this year. You’re probably less likely to see a deal get cut at the very top. That usually happens when you don’t like the options in the top five.”
For a White Sox team selecting at No. 1, that is exciting news.
Roch Cholowsky, a dynamic shortstop and one of the most complete athletes in the class, has emerged as an early favorite to go No. 1. Currently rostered at UCLA, Cholowsky has steadily developed into a polished defender with improving power and athleticism.
Scouts cite his plus arm strength, advanced instincts, and ability to impact the game in multiple ways.
“He’s the type of shortstop you can build around,” one evaluator said. “He checks every box.”
Though Cholowsky has been most frequently linked to Chicago, several other players could draw consideration, depending on organizational preference. They include a slew of other shortstops, including Grady Emerson (Prep), Justin Lebron (Alabama), Jacob Lombard (Prep), and Drew Burress (Georgia Tech).
Chicago will pick second in each round from the second through the 20th and does not have any Competitive Balance Round selections.
By securing the No. 1 pick and selecting near the top of every round, the White Sox are positioned for a franchise-altering Draft class. For a club looking to accelerate its rebuild, the combination of lottery luck and a deep prospect pool presents a rare opening.
Now the South Side waits for July 2026 — and for the decision that could shape the organization’s future for years to come.
