The Orioles were left out of the top six in the 2026 MLB Draft Lottery, garnering the seventh overall pick despite having the fourth-best odds of earning the #1 spot.
The O’s had the fourth-worst winning percentage of the eligible lottery teams, with a 9.24% chance of bagging the top pick. But in MLB’s drawing of the six lottery clubs, the Orioles’ name wasn’t picked. Three teams that had worse odds than the Orioles — the Rays (3.03%), Giants (1.01%), and Royals (0.84%) — earned lottery spots at #2,
#4, and #6, respectively.
The White Sox, who had the best odds of getting the #1 pick (27.73%), did indeed earn the top overall selection. The Twins at #3 and Pirates at #5 rounded out the top six. The O’s, with the worst winning percentage of the remaining lottery-eligible teams, were then given the #7 slot.
Two teams with worse winning percentages than the Orioles, the Rockies and Nationals, were ineligible for the lottery and, by rule, could not earn a pick higher than 10th.
The lottery drawing aired live on MLB Network, with one representative from each of the 15 lottery-eligible teams stationed at podiums as the announcements were made, though none of them really needed to do anything except sit there. Longtime outfielder Mike Devereaux represented the Orioles. Former Orioles Harold Baines (White Sox), Brett Phillips (Rays), and Charles Johnson (Marlins) were also on hand as representatives.
If the draft order were still determined solely by reverse order of winning percentage, as it used to be before the draft lottery was instituted in 2023, then the Orioles still would have ended up with the #7 pick. So it all comes out in the wash, I suppose.
If you’re anxious to start thinking about whom the O’s might draft with the seventh pick next July, MLB Pipeline has a way-too-early ranking of some of the top draft prospects.
