ATLANTA, GA - JULY 13: Major League Baseball Robert D. Manfred announces Charles Davalan as the forty-first overall pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 2025 MLB Draft presented by Nike at Coca-Cola Roxy on Sunday, July 13, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The 2026 MLB Draft has a different feel to it for many reasons, including the Dodgers having their smallest bonus pool ever and the timing of the festivities themselves.
Rather than starting on Sunday or Monday as has been the norm ever since Major League Baseball moved the draft to align with the All-Star break, this time the draft will start on Saturday. The 20-round affair was shortened from three days to two last year and that schedule remains, which means the 2026 draft will conclude on Sunday, before any of the major league All-Star events have even happened.
Draft bonus pools are derived from the total recommended slot values for every pick through the end of round 10.
Round
Overall pick
Slot value
1
40
$2,504,200
4
132
$575,300
7
223
$260,300
8
253
$218,500
9
283
$201,700
10
313
$191,900
Total
$3,951,500
Every signing bonus from the first 10 rounds count against the bonus pool, plus any signing bonus over $150,000 for any player drafted in the 11th round or later. Teams can spend up to five percent over their draft bonus pool and pay only a 75 percent tax on the overage. Any spending more than five percent over the bonus pool triggers more punitive penalties, including forfeiture of future draft picks. To date, no MLB team under the current slotting system has spent enough to trigger loss of draft picks.
How to watch
The first 135 picks of the draft happens on Saturday, which includes the first four rounds plus all competitive balance rounds, compensation picks, and prospect promotion incentive selections.
Saturday’s television and streaming coverage is fragmented, with NBC and Peacock showing the first 10 picks after a preview show, followed by MLB Network televising picks 11-40, that final selection belonging to the Dodgers.
MLB.com and MLB.tv will stream everything beginning with pick 11 through the end of the 20th round on Sunday. Day 2 is a nonstop ride, with 16 rounds all on one day.
Saturday, July 11 (rounds 1-4) 11 a.m. PT: Picks 1-10 (NBC, Peacock) 11:30 a.m: Picks 11-40 (MLB Network) Streaming from 11th pick through round 4 on MLB.com and MLB.tv
Saturday, July 12 (rounds 5-20) 8:30 a.m. PT: MLB.com, MLB.tv
The Dodgers have two selections on Saturday (first round, 40th overall; and fourth round, 132nd overall), and 14 on Sunday.
After a long delay, the Red Sox made it to New York for their weekend series with the Mets. However, the travel issues caused MLB to push back first pitch from its original 7:15 p.m. start time to 7:50 p.m.
Following their win over the White Sox on Wednesday afternoon, the Red Sox dealt with "multiple plane issues," per Tim Healey of the Boston Globe.
Per Chris Cotillo of MassLive, as of roughly 2 p.m. on Friday, the Sox were set to land at LaGuardia Airport at 4:10 p.m., but eventually landed around 4:40 p.m. and got to CitiField a little after 5 p.m.
"Definitely something I don't think any of us have experienced that before," Red Sox pitcher Garrett Whitlock said before Friday's game. "But hey, that's travel nowadays"
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 4: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves takes the field before the first inning against the New York Mets at Truist Park on July 4, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Casey Sykes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
At least I didn’t have to write “Braves tumble” into St. Louis, though the status of their tumbling remains a distinct possibility. The Braves righted the ship, or at least gave the appearance of righting the ship, a bit in Pittsburgh earlier this week, winning a series for the first time since June 19-21. After starting the season 18-2-1 in terms of series performance, the Braves are just 2-6-1 since (with possibly flipping one of those losses to a tie thanks to a rainout). One of those six recent series losses came against the Cardinals in Atlanta, and the Braves will get a chance to return the favor in St. Louis this weekend, before everyone heads off into the All-Star Break.
The Cardinals did not have a particularly fun time after departing Atlanta. They did take a series from their archrivals, the Cubs… but then lost four of five to the Brewers, putting a sizable dent in their playoff odds (from about 40 percent to about 30 percent). Before the Brewers had their way, the Cardinals held onto the NL’s last playoff spot with a one-game lead over the Marlins; now, they’re three games in what’s become a bit less of a logjam: the three NL Wild Card teams are separated by half a game, with the Braves three games ahead of them… but the Cardinals are part of a second tier of pseudo-contenders a bit further back.
Overall, the Cardinals are 14th in position player fWAR and 21st in pitching fWAR, which doesn’t suggest particularly useful production. However, they have two more wins than suggested by their run differential, and are three wins over what’s indicated by their BaseRuns, so that more or less explains that.
The Braves will have their one “steady” rotation member on the hill for this one, which is good news. But, Chris Sale will need to bounce back a bit, as his most recent outing was one of his worst in a Braves uniform. Sale lasted just five innings against the Mets, allowing two homers and posting a 3/2 K/BB ratio in a blowout win. The performance didn’t really matter in the context of the game, but in a vacuum, it wasn’t great. Sale’s FIP was his second-worst of the season, and his xFIP- for the start was 123 — only the second time this year he’s gone above 100, the only time this season he’s gone above 105, and his fourth-worst mark in any start as a Brave. Sale generally tends to get back to dominance after a poor outing, so there’s no reason to expect anything different here.
Sale has somehow managed to avoid the Cardinals as a Brave thus far, and, in fact, has faced them just twice in his career: once in 2015, and once in 2023. He dominated both times.
On the flip side, the Braves will take aim at 29-year-old Kyle Leahy, whom they didn’t see in Atlanta. Leahy spent 2024 and 2025 pitching long-ish relief for St. Louis, but has ascended to the rotation after some pretty good work in 2025 (1.4 fWAR in 88 innings, though a lot of that coming as a result of a low HR/FB). This season, Leahy’s stats are minorly weird: a 93 ERA-, 99 FIP-, and 101 xFIP- are all consistent, but he has this absolutely horrid xERA. Generally, xERA for pitchers doesn’t mean much because it’s so heavily influenced by the batters a pitcher faces, whose exit velocity tends to be more batter-derived than pitcher-influenced and factors into a large part of xERA… but seeing a guy with very generic peripherals and horrendous contact quality is not rare but still kinda weird, especially considering that Leahy didn’t have any contact management issues in 2024-2025.
Overall, Leahy is a true junkballer (legit six-pitch mix) who gets elite extension that makes his mid-90s fastball play up a bit. His pitch shapes don’t look good on paper, but are mitigated somewhat by him offering a harder set of secondaries than batters are generally used to. He has very good command of his four-seamer, sinker, and curve, while the rest of his arsenal is really more of a junkball-y “hope they get bamboozled” sort of thing. So long as the Braves’ lefties can acknowledge that his changeup is generally in the dirt and avoid looking terrible on it, they may be able to get some good hacks in against his four-seamer and curve.
Because of his profile, Leahy is pretty steady and generally throws up the same type of outing, with variance largely around whether fly balls clear the fence. He had a sky-high HR/FB in April (24 percent), but it then fell to around seven percent in May, three percent in June, and is sitting at zero for July so far. As a result, he’s been on a pretty good run for about seven starts FIP-wise, though it’s included a couple of xFIP-based clunkers. If the Braves can actually noodge his HR/FB up, that’ll bode well. If not, it could be another sad BABIP day for the team, at least until they chase him.
Jul 1, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles infielder Gunnar Henderson (2) removes his batting glove after lining out to second base to end the eighth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images
Two years ago, the Orioles hosted the Royals in the Wild Card round. Baltimore had just finished the regular season 91-71, a drop from their previous 101-61 record in 2023, but still good enough for second place in the daunting American League East and for the top Wild Card spot.
Despite dropping the series in two games to Kansas City, it looked like Baltimore was set up for the future. It wouldn’t have shocked anyone for the Orioles to continue making the playoffs and reaching the ALCS, if not beyond.
Instead, mirroring the Royals’ path, the Orioles bombed in 2025 and don’t look all that much better in 2026. Last year, coming off back-to-back playoff appearances, Baltimore fell to last in the East, finishing 75-87, 19 games back of first place. Manager Brandon Hyde, a mortal enemy of my family, didn’t even last 45 games before being ousted.
It didn’t matter.
This season, the Orioles have improved, albeit minimally. Their winning percentage is up, but they remain in the AL East’s cellar, and the playoffs look as far away as they did in 2021, when the Orioles finished an embarrassing 52-110.
Royals fans can relate.
Kansas City Royals (38-56) at Baltimore Orioles (43-51) at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, MD
Royals: 4.31 runs scored/game (20th in MLB), 5.11 runs allowed/game (27th in MLB)
Orioles: 4.55 runs scored/game (13th in MLB), 4.89 runs allowed/game (23rd in MLB)
Pete Alonso, signed away from the Mets in the offseason, leads the Orioles with 2.0 bWAR as he’s slashed .249/.345/.467 with 20 home runs, 67 RBIs, and 56 runs scored. Another offseason acquisition, this time by trade with the Angels, Taylor Ward leads the team in walks with 71, which has boosted his OBP to a career-high .383 as his slugging has dipped to .352, which would be his worst in a full season. Catcher Adley Rutschman, a/k/a The Only Player Drafted Ahead of Bobby Witt Jr., has bounced back from a very down 2025, though his numbers remain across a chasm from what he posted his first two seasons. Shortstop Gunnar Henderson, drafted in the second round of that same 2019 Draft, is struggling. Long ago are the days are finishing fourth in MVP voting, let alone winning Rookie of the Year in 2023. All told, the Orioles feature six regulars who are posting a below-average OPS, chief among them Henderson, but also starting third baseman Coby Mayo, starting right fielder Tyler O’Neill, and starting center fielder Leody Taveras.
It looks like the Orioles will start 27-year-old Brandon Young tonight. The second-year righthander leads the team in wins with seven while posting a solid 3.89 FIP over 77-and-1/3 innings pitched. He doesn’t strike out a lot of batters, but doesn’t walk many, either. Righties Kyle Brandish and Shane Baz are the projected starters for games two and three of the series. Brandish leads the team in strikeouts but also allows 1.1 home runs per nine innings, worst among Oriole starters with at least 10 starts. Baz sports the team’s best FIP at 3.79, but his strikeouts are down while his walks are up. Not a good combination.
The team’s closer, Ryan Helsley, is out, and so 36-year-old Andrew Kittredge picked up the save in yesterday’s 3-2 win over the Cubs. Reliever Tyler Wells picked up the win yesterday despite allowing the go-ahead run to score. He leads Baltimore relievers in innings pitched while Rico Garcia leads them in appearances with 42. Garcia has a WHIP well under one and strikes out over a batter per inning. Righty Yenier Cano leads all relievers with a 2.65 FIP.
I have no idea what to think of this series. As I stated in the opening paragraphs, two years ago it looked like the Royals and Orioles would be facing each other often once the calendar flipped to October. Clearly, things have changed for both teams, and for the worse.
Case in point: this mid-July series, the last before the All-Star break, has zero consequences for either club. What a shame.
Luinder Avila takes the ball for the Royals tonight. First pitch: 6:05 PM local time.
TAMPA, FLORIDA - MARCH 21, 2026: Tate Southisene #19 of the Atlanta Braves in the field during the first inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 21, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
As the Atlanta Braves have worked to return their farm system to its prior glory in recent years, the 2025 draft class could prove to be one of the most important steps in that rebuilding process.
In a departure from its typical draft strategy of loading up on pitchers with their top picks, the Braves instead selected a trio of shortstops, led by high school standout Tate Southisene with the 22nd overall pick.
At just 18 years old, Southisene was one of the youngest players in the Carolina League upon making his debut for the Low-A Augusta GreenJackets in late August. Though he batted just .215 and produced a mere .539 OPS in 66 plate appearances last season, Southisene returned as a much more polished player in 2026.
Southisene scorched his way to a .297/.429/.500 slash line with eight home runs, 30 RBIs, 46 runs scored, and 36 stolen bases in just 51 games for Augusta before earning a June promotion to High-A Rome.
Hailing from a family that includes four brothers either playing pro ball or with aspirations of doing so, baseball is in the blood for Southisene. I caught up with Tate to discuss his first full season in the professional ranks, his hot start, the adjustments he’s made, and the future.
Grant McAuley: What has the last year been like in your life, because it was about this time a year ago that you were preparing for the draft and deciding your route to professional baseball?
Tate Southisene: Yeah, for sure. The past year has definitely been cool. It’s a different experience just being out on my own, playing professional baseball and just kind of getting my feet wet, but I’ve been enjoying every part of it.
GM: Tell me a little about your experience in the Braves organization thus far. Obviously, there’s the draft process: They select you, you sign, and then you head out somewhere to begin your career. What were those first few steps like, and how long did it take you to look around and realize that you’re a professional baseball player?
TS: The Braves have been great. [As an] organization, I appreciate them just giving me a chance out of high school. Those first couple of months of pro ball, getting down to Florida and getting my feet wet, I was able to enjoy that and then also the process. They made it very easy just being able to get out of there and play my game.
GM: Talking to guys over the years, whether it was Spencer Strider, or Michael Harris II, or Austin Riley, the one thing all talked about is that the Braves do such a great job of preparing you for every step you take along the way up the ladder, then ultimately to the big-league level. It just makes it easier because you do feel like, to your point, that you belong, You’re familiar with everything. You know what those expectations are and you’re just going out there and doing a good day’s work.
TS: Yes, for sure. I mean the Braves, like I said, they kind of set out the format for me and their expectations, so I was just able to go out there and play.
GM: Well, tell me a little bit about your own expectations. You got a taste of the of the minor league life last year. You went back to Augusta this year and were off to a very good start, then you get a promotion to Rome. What has the 2026 season been like for you?
TS: It’s been good. Being able to be out there in 2025, just for that short, little month of professional baseball, affiliate ball, I thought it was great for me. To be able to almost go out there and struggle a little bit as a high schooler, I was able to experience the failures and different stuff like that. So, in 2026 and this past off-season, I was able to prepare a lot more and know what’s to come and not just step into the 2026, just brand-new, but having an idea, a good idea, of what it’s like.
GM: That was going to be my next question. You got a little bit of that experience. And as you mentioned, many if not most know that baseball is a game of failure and you can learn a lot from those failures and use that to propel yourself into the off-season. What was your focus on as you were getting ready for your first spring training?
TS: Yeah, put on some weight on, good weight that is. Get bigger, stronger and faster and that stuff. But really with the swing, just make my adjustments. I had a lot of things going on (swing-wise) and I had to be able to slow the game down, really. So, I was able to touch on some things and I felt good going into Spring Training.
GM: Something else that you have on your side that not everybody does is that you come from a baseball family. How much were you able to lean on your brother, Ty, as you were getting ready for this year and talk over what is really kind of the family business?
TS: Having my brother, Ty [to lean on], was great. He’s already gone through it before. This is his second full year now, so last year it was his first full year. Being able to kind of go through the offseason with him and just kind of know what to work on as we were working out together, running together, hitting together, fielding together. We were doing everything together to prepare for the season.
GM: For those who watch Spring Training and may see some games on TV or listen to on the radio, the minor league side of things is a little bit different experience than big league camp, but did you get to be around some of that? What were your impressions of that first full spring training?
TS: That was great. Just being able to make my adjustments during Spring Training and being around everybody. There’s a lot going on, too, but kind of do your own thing, work on your own stuff. Everything’s kind of on your own for the first couple of weeks. Then be able to get into a group setting last couple of weeks of spring training, I thought it was really good.
GM: Yeah, that camaraderie starts in spring training and extends into the season. Walk me through Augusta and how much different it was the second time around with some adjustments you were able to make. Obviously, the bat has been speaking for itself this year, but you’ve also been doing a lot of running. How would you describe the Tate Southisene game?
TS: I think, for me, I can do a little bit of everything, very versatile. I can hit, hit for power, can steal, can field, can throw. I feel like I can impact the game in a lot of ways, even if I’m not hitting the best. Let’s say I take a walk, then I could steal a bag, too. So, I can kind of impact the game in different ways.
GM: Has there been a coaching focus to elevate your running game? Obviously, you’ve got the speed, but what you do with it is a different story. Has that been a focus there for you and also for the organization to just see how much you can get out of running?
TS: For sure, it was definitely the organization [that] brought it up. We worked on my running form, my stealing form and picking good counts to run on. Yeah, it’s definitely been a focus of mine to just be able to take advantage of my speed.
GM: Talk to me a little bit about your teammates. One of them in particular, Eric Hartman, who you joined up here in Rome, you guys have created a lot of buzz for this team. You were a first-round pick, and then you’ve got somebody who was the very last pick that the Braves made in the 2024 draft class. That’s a unique partnership if you will. What has it been like getting to know Eric and playing with him a little bit more on an everyday basis?
TS: It’s been great. Going up to Augusta last year, Eric was actually the first person I met there. He was to the left of my locker. He walked in and was the first person I met. So, we’ve had a good relationship ever since then. Playing with him in that one month was great and then [to] be able to go down during weight camp, we were working out together. Now, I get to see him in Rome, so that’s been great. He’s a good guy, a good player, great player, really great player.
GM: Now we’ll get to see where your paths take you both as you continue this year. You already know, those in-season promotions can come along. What was your reaction to finding out that you’d be moving up to another level this year and now being able to play with a Rome team alongside Hartman and all these guys on a very exciting squad?
TS: I was very excited about the promotion. I was kind of a little shocked with a change of scenery, for sure. But I’m glad that I’m one step closer to the end goal and just being able to play my game every single day. It’s the same game.
GM: Let me wrap up with this. As we talked about, you’re from a baseball family, what’s the best advice or best support that you’ve gotten from the family?
TS: Just for me, it’s really just [support] mentally. It’s a very mental game, so just stay with your support system and just stick with it every single day.
GM: It is an everyday game and it’s an everyday grind, but you’ve done some pretty good stuff thus far in 2026. Good luck the rest away and thanks for the time.
TS: Thank you. I appreciate it.
In case you missed it, here’s my conversation with rapidly-rising prospect Eric Hartman.
We are just a day a away from learning who the White Sox will make the overall No. 1 pick. But we couldn’t let that happen without tapping the esteemed Reacts voting bloc weigh in. And among the trio of Roch Cholowsky, Grady Emerson and Vahn Lackey there was a clear favorite … position, that is:
What’s interesting is that although White Sox scouts are said to favor Emerson and the front office prefers Lackey, Cholowsky as the presumptive No. 1 has remained so in the majority of mock drafts. Thus our voting base is going with the favorite, and as the most “known” quantity of the three Cholowsky could very well be the pick.
For the record, Brett’s vote went to Vahn Lackey.
Otherwise, the national survey questions involved a sort of mid-year awards preview. At least one name — Shohei Ohtani — was expected. But there are no White Sox bandied about in the mix (heck, if there was a Rookie of the Year poll Munetaka Murakami might have even slipped out of consideration given his missing the past six weeks), so let’s just flop all the surveys at you in sequence:
At least there’s a former White Sox in the mix, however impossible his chances.
Did you miss out on this round of questions? No worry, sign up here to participate in our weekly emailed surveys, and have your White Sox voice be heard!
Day One of the MLB Draft is Saturday July 11th (1pm ET; 12pm CT) on NBC, Peacock, and MLB Network, and will be rounds 1 through 4. Day Two (rounds 5-20) is on MLB.com at 11:30am ET; 10:30am CT. Don’t expect to hear any of these names on Day One, but here are the current players I expect to get drafted at some point before round 20 wraps up.
*Note: Coverage of this years draft will be, in a word, weird. Best to just paste in this nonsense here:
*Note: Like the past two years, there are no current Diamond Dores players either I or any draftnik project to be first rounders. This is a problem, but I would be pretty shocked if Brodie Johnston isn’t a first rounder next year.
Current Players Who May Hear Their Names Called on Day One (Rounds 1-4):
Very likely none, though I could see Holcomb in round 4 as a possibility.
Current Players Who May Hear Their Names Called on Day Two (Rounds 5-20):
#26 Jr. OF Braden “The Hulk” Holcomb
2026 Stats: .352/.434/.621 with 19 2B, 403B, 14 HR, 54 RBI and 6-8 steals.
Though Holcomb was an all-state tight end at Foundation Academy (Winter Garden, Fla.), he preferred to use his physicality on the diamond. He spurned interest from pro teams out of high school to attend Vanderbilt, and he was the Commodores’ best hitter (.352/.434/.621) this spring. There aren’t many college players who can match his size (6-foot-5, 245 pounds) or history of playing five different positions.
Holcomb’s strength gives him well-above-average raw power, and he can drive the ball out of the park to all fields from the right side of the plate. But he doesn’t maximize his pop because he’s way too aggressive, chasing all types of pitches, struggling to make contact on offerings on and off the plate and not catching up to quality velocity. He has 30-homer ceiling but has slugged just .388 with wood bats in two seasons in the Cape Cod League and might not make enough contact to do damage in the Majors.
Holcomb has sneaky athleticism with average speed, and he’ll flash solid run times and steal bases on occasion. He covers enough ground to get the job done on the outfield corners and played a surprisingly adequate center field when he saw action there this spring. He has the solid arm strength for third base but is a stiff defender there, while first base is a viable option.
Prediction: To be honest, a guy with The Hulk’s physical tools and 2026 numbers should be a top 100 prospect chosen in the first three rounds of any draft. In fact, those 2026 numbers scream first round pick, don’t they? I suspect his swing and miss concerns from 2024 and 2025, as well as his defensive position (corner OF or IF, basically) are the reason he’s not ranked as highly, but, frankly, that’s pretty dumb. He’s not some plodding big man with the cement feet of a first baseman/DH. That boy can move, and has a RF arm. Again, I think MLB teams are grossly undervaluing his skillset. That said, I expect Holcomb to still be drafted somewhere around round 5 on Day Two as long as a team matches his signing bonus demands. With NIL money as an option, I’d hazard a guess that if MLB teams don’t offer Holcomb at least 5th round slot value (basically $400k-$550K), Vanderbilt will find a way to keep his power bat in the lineup. In the pre-NIL days, I’d list Holcomb as a 99.999% likely to sign, but now, there is at least a chance he returns.
Chance He Signs With an MLB Team: 90%.
*Note: Braden Holcomb is the only current player ranked in either the MLB top 250 or ESPN top 250, and this has never before happened in the Tim Corbin era. Oof. 2026 truly was a cursed season.
Prediction: Frankly, I’ve expected Connor Fennell to be wearing a Vanderbilt uniform as a senior since he first took the mound in 2025. He’s the classic “college senior starter,” as he can flat out pitch, and is a whale of a competitor, but doesn’t light up the radar guns. If anything, MLB teams have focused even more on velocity in recent years, and poor man’s Aaron Nola types (movement and precision pitchers who struggle to reach 90 mph) aren’t even in most systems any more. I’d bet The Spice is still our Friday Ace in 2027, and spends all offseason trying to get 1-2 more mph out of his arm in the pitching lab to give him a shot at being a senior draftee next year. If things go right, he could have a senior year like Cal State Fullerton’s Thomas Eshelman in 2015 or any number of senior South Cackalacky soft-tossers in 2010 or 2011.
Chance He Signs With an MLB Team: 20%.
#44 Jr. C/DH Colin “Bar Rescue” Barczi
2026 Stats: .263/.341/.576 with 4 2B, 403B, 11 HR, and 28 RBI.
Prediction: Barczi demonstrated light tower power, but injuries kept him from catching for most of 2026. Recent reports are that Bar Rescue just underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum. This means he will not be catching in 2027, but he should be able to hit. As such, it’s probably better for him to have an MLB team pay for his rehab, but if they don’t want to, I’m sure he’ll be welcomed back to DH for the Diamond Dores. Don’t expect him to be able to do any more than that, though.
Prediction: The Kranz would probably have preferred to be draft eligible last year, as 2026 was a rough one. Partially because we were short on starting pitching candidates and partially because Corbs tries to give obvious reliever-only pitchers the chance to start in their junior years (see Nick Maldonado et al) so as to, in theory, bump up their draft stock. He’s a reliever and will always be a reliever, despite being able to throw a grab-bag full of different pitches. Luckily for The Kranz, relief pitching is starting to be valued a bit more highly by MLB teams, and further, he has an MLB reliever arm. While he’s not going to be selected Saturday, I’ll stake my claim that whether or not he’s a late round pick on Sunday, he will pitch in a major league bullpen by 2031. If he’s undrafted and/or teams just don’t hit his number, we will gladly welcome him back to the back of our pen in ‘27.
Chance He Signs With an MLB Team: 70%.
Players With No Eligibility Remaining Who May Hear Their Names Called on Day Two (Rounds 5-20) or Sign as an UDFA:
Mike Mancini and Logan Johnstone.
*Note: You can listen to The Tennesseean beat writer Aria Gerson’s thoughts on the draft and the transfer portal additions here if you want.
Te 2026 MLB Draft gets underway at the Pennsylvania Convention Center at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 11 with rounds 1 through 4. Then, on the eve of the 2026 MLB Home Run Derby, rounds 5 through 20 will take place, with the first pick of round five starting at 11:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, July 12.
There remain several questions heading into Saturday's first round, including who the White Sox take with the No. 1 overall pick.Will it be UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, or will it be Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey or will it be Texas high school shortstop Grady Emerson? Or could the White Sox, who have kept their cards close to their chest in the process, go with someone else?
The other is: How does the MLB draft work? In short, it's once again a 20-round draft with the pool of prospects including draft-eligible high schoolers and mostly juniors and seniors at the college level. But there is a greater sense of complexity to it than that. It is a slot draft, meaning it sees MLB executives use different strategies to select and sign their picks over the first 10 rounds. And that is just the tip of the iceberg.
Here's what to know about the MLB draft, why it is a slot draft and the money pool that teams will have at their disposal:
Is the MLB draft a slot draft? What is a slot draft?
Yes, the MLB draft is a slot draft, which means every pick has a specific predetermined slot value associated with it. The slot values for the draft are determined by Major League Baseball and are assigned to every pick through the first 10 rounds of the draft.
But just because a draft pick has a predetermined slot value, it doesn't mean a team has to sign that player to that value. What gives? Well, like free agency, teams negotiate deals with their draft picks and can sign them to a lower value. Teams could also use remaining pool money from a lower signing to overpay a different draft pick, or multiple picks.
One way to look at it is one big game of Monopoly, where teams are strategic and sometimes aggressive with a set pool of money at their disposal, just like how one might be to an entire color block or one of the railroads or even add houses to a property to maximize their value and all-encompassing portfolio.
How much does No. 1 overall pick in 2026 MLB Draft make?
The No. 1 overall pick for the 2026 MLB Draft, which is owned by the Chicago White Sox, has an estimated slot value of $11,350,600 according to MLB Pipeline. That is an increase of $274,700 from what the pick had slotted in value last season when the Washington Nationals took high school shortstop Eli Willits with the top overall pick.
Willits ultimately signed signed for $8.2 million with the Nationals, which was roughly $2.87 million below the total slot value of $11,075,900.
MLB draft bonus pools: How much money do all 30 teams have?
Below is a breakdown of the slot values for all of the picks in the first round according to MLB Pipeline, including the prospect promotion incentive picks:
Below is a breakdown of the slot values for all of the picks in the Competitive Balance Round B, according to MLB Pipeline, including a free agent compensation pick:
67. Red Sox: $1,317,300 (received from Brewers in Caleb Durbin trade)
68. Cardinals: $1,285,500 (received from Mariners in Brendan Donovan trade)
69. Tigers: $1,254,200
70. Reds: $1,223,100
71. Marlins: $1,192,600
72. Cardinals: $1,174,300 (received from Rays in Brendan Donovan trade)
73. Athletics: $1,156,400
74. Twins: $1,138,600
75. Cubs: $1,120,900 (free agent compensation pick for Kyle Tucker signing with the Dodgers)
MLB draft third round slot value
Below is a breakdown of the slot values for all of the picks in the third round, according to MLB Pipeline:
76. Rockies: $1,103,500
77. White Sox: $1,086,600
78. Nationals: $1,069,600
79. Twins: $1,052,700
80. Pirates: $1,035,700
81. Angels: $1,018,500
82. Orioles: $1,003,800
83. Athletics: $988,700
84. Braves: $973,700
85. Rays: $958,500
86. Cardinals: $943,600
87. Marlins: $929,700
88. Diamondbacks: $915,100
89. Rangers: $900,800
90. Giants: $887,000
91. Royals: $872,900
92. Mets: $859,900
93. Astros: $846,900
94. Reds: $833,800
95. Guardians: $823,800
96. Red Sox: $815,700
97. Padres: $808,100
98. Cubs: $800,000
99. Yankees: $792,300
100. Phillies: $784,400
101. Mariners: $778,200
102. Brewers: $770,600
103. Blue Jays: $762,900
MLB draft fourth round slot value
Below is a breakdown of the slot values for all of the picks in the fourth round, according to MLB Pipeline, including several free agent compensation picks:
104. Rockies: $755,300
105. White Sox: $747,700
106. Nationals: $740,500
107. Twins: $733,100
108. Pirates: $725,900
109. Angels: $718,700
110. Orioles: $711,800
111. Athletics: $704,900
112. Braves: $697,700
113. Rays: $691,000
114. Cardinals: $684,300
115. Marlins: $677,500
116. Diamondbacks: $670,900
117. Rangers: $664,500
118. Giants: $658,100
119. Royals: $651,500
120. Mets: $645,100
121. Astros: $638,800
122. Reds: $632,500
123. Guardians: $626,500
124. Padres: $620,300
125. Tigers: $614,500
126. Cubs: $609,200
127. Yankees: $603,500
128. Phillies: $597,400
129. Mariners: $591,700
130. Brewers: $585,700
131. Blue Jays: $581,100
132. Dodgers: $575,300
133. Astros: $569,600 (free agent compensation pick for Framber Valdez signing with the Tigers)
134. Padres: $563,900 (free agent compensation pick for Dylan Cease signing with Blue Jays)
135. Phillies: $558,400 (free agent compensation pick for Ranger Suárez signing with Red Sox)
MLB draft fifth round slot value
Below is a breakdown of the slot values for all of the picks in the fifth round, according to MLB Pipeline:
136. Rockies: $553,100
137. White Sox: $547,700
138. Nationals: $542,200
139. Twins: $536,900
140. Pirates: $532,000
141. Angels: $526,600
142. Orioles: $521,500
143. Athletics: $516,300
144. Braves: $511,400
145. Rays: $506,100
146. Cardinals: $501,300
147. Marlins: $496,400
148. Diamondbacks: $491,700
149. Rangers: $486,800
150. Giants: $481,800
151. Royals: $476,900
152. Mets: $472,500
153. Astros: $467,700
154. Reds: $463,200
155. Guardians: $458,500
156. Red Sox: $454,100
157. Padres: $449,500
158. Tigers: $445,200
159. Cubs: $441,300
160. Yankees: $437,200
161. Phillies: $433,200
162. Mariners: $429,100
163. Brewers: $425,400
164. Blue Jays: $421,300
MLB draft sixth round slot value
Below is a breakdown of the slot values for all of the picks in the sixth round, according to MLB Pipeline:
165. Rockies: $417,400
166. White Sox: $413,900
167. Nationals: $410,300
168. Twins: $406,800
169. Pirates: $403,500
170. Angels: $399,800
171. Orioles: $396,300
172. Athletics: $393,100
173. Braves: $389,900
174. Rays: $386,500
175. Cardinals: $383,400
176. Marlins: $380,200
177. Diamondbacks: $377,000
178. Rangers: $373,800
179. Giants: $370,600
180. Royals: $367,600
181. Mets: $364,600
182. Astros: $361,900
183. Reds: $358,900
184. Guardians: $355,700
185. Red Sox: $352,900
186. Padres: $350,100
187. Tigers: $347,300
188. Cubs: $344,400
189. Yankees: $341,800
190. Phillies: $338,800
191. Mariners: $335,900
192. Brewers: $333,200
193. Blue Jays: $330,300
MLB draft seventh round slot value
Below is a breakdown of the slot values for all of the picks in the seventh round, according to MLB Pipeline:
194. Rockies: $327,700
195. White Sox: $325,100
196. Nationals: $322,300
197. Twins: $319,600
198. Pirates: $317,100
199. Angels: $314,300
200. Orioles: $311,700
201. Athletics: $310,000
202. Braves: $307,300
203. Rays: $304,800
204. Cardinals: $302,300
205. Marlins: $299,700
206. Diamondbacks: $297,100
207. Rangers: $294,800
208. Giants: $292,300
209. Royals: $289,900
210. Mets: $287,800
211. Astros: $285,400
212. Reds: $283,000
213. Guardians: $280,900
214. Red Sox: $278,700
215. Padres: $276,400
216. Tigers: $274,300
217. Cubs: $272,000
218. Yankees: $270,000
219. Phillies: $267,800
220. Mariners: $266,100
221. Brewers: $264,100
222. Blue Jays: $262,300
223. Dodgers: $260,300
MLB draft eighth round slot value
Below is a breakdown of the slot values for all of the picks in the eighth round, according to MLB Pipeline:
224. Rockies: $258,400
225. White Sox: $256,500
226. Nationals: $254,900
227. Twins: $253,300
228. Pirates: $251,500
229. Angels: $249,300
230. Orioles: $247,900
231. Athletics: $245,800
232. Braves: $244,500
233. Rays: $242,700
234. Cardinals: $241,000
235. Marlins: $239,200
236. Diamondbacks: $237,800
237. Rangers: $236,100
238. Giants: $234,700
239. Royals: $233,400
240. Mets: $232,100
241. Astros: $231,000
242. Reds: $229,700
243. Guardians: $228,600
244. Red Sox: $227,200
245. Padres: $226,300
246. Tigers: $225,300
247. Cubs: $224,100
248. Yankees: $223,100
249. Phillies: $222,200
250. Mariners: $220,900
251. Brewers: $220,400
252. Blue Jays: $219,500
253. Dodgers: $218,500
MLB draft ninth round slot value
Below is a breakdown of the slot values for all of the picks in the ninth round, according to MLB Pipeline:
254. Rockies: $217,800
255. White Sox: $217,000
256. Nationals: $216,100
257. Twins: $215,400
258. Pirates: $214,800
259. Angels: $213,900
260. Orioles: $213,300
261. Athletics: $212,600
262. Braves: $212,000
263. Rays: $211,200
264. Cardinals: $210,600
265. Marlins: $210,200
266. Diamondbacks: $209,500
267. Rangers: $209,000
268. Giants: $208,500
269. Royals: $207,900
270. Mets: $207,200
271. Astros: $206,800
272. Reds: $206,300
273. Guardians: $205,800
274. Red Sox: $205,400
275. Padres: $205,000
276. Tigers: $204,400
277. Cubs: $204,100
278. Yankees: $203,500
279. Phillies: $202,900
280. Mariners: $202,700
281. Brewers: $202,500
282. Blue Jays: $202,100
283. Dodgers: $201,700
MLB draft 10th round slot value
Below is a breakdown of the slot values for all of the picks in the 10th round, according to MLB Pipeline:
284. Rockies: $201,500
285. White Sox: $200,900
286. Nationals: $200,100
287. Twins: $199,900
288. Pirates: $199,500
289. Angels: $199,200
290. Orioles: $198,900
291. Athletics: $198,600
292. Braves: $198,300
293. Rays: $197,900
294. Cardinals: $197,400
295. Marlins: $197,200
296. Diamondbacks: $196,500
297. Rangers: $196,200
298. Giants: $196,000
299. Royals: $195,600
300. Mets: $195,200
301. Astros: $195,000
302. Reds: $194,800
303. Guardians: $194,500
304. Red Sox: $194,000
305. Padres: $193,700
306. Tigers: $193,600
307. Cubs: $193,300
308. Yankees: $193,000
309. Phillies: $192,500
310. Mariners: $192,300
311. Brewers: $191,900
312. Blue Jays: $191,900
313. Dodgers: $191,900
When is 2026 MLB Draft?
The 2026 MLB Draft is scheduled to take place across both Saturday, June 11 and Sunday, June 12 in Philadelphia at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Saturday will consist of rounds 1-4 of the draft, with Sunday consisting of rounds 5 through 20.
Day 1 is set to begin at 1 p.m. ET and run through 7:45 p.m. ET. Day 2 is set to resume at 11:30 a.m. ET and is expected to go until 7:30 p.m. ET.
San Diego Padres pitcher Michael King was expected to become the rotation’s No. 1 starter. But the 2026 campaign has been rough for him. It was good to see King finish the first half with a solid outing.
Now, he must come back with that same mindset when the second half begins next Friday. King has an opportunity to bounce back and turn his season around. But the right-hander must show his true competitive nature on the mound.
Are King’s pitching skills regressing?
We have all heard the talk of his regression, as the Friar Faithful believe King is a “five-and-fly” starting pitcher. The term means a starting pitcher completing five full innings to be eligible for the victory. King only has eight quality starts this season.
The Padres trusted him to put them in a position to win every fifth day. He is a much better pitcher than the first-half results have shown. The second half is the time to silence his critics.
King is 6-7 with a 3.41 ERA in 19 starts. He has surrendered 82 hits and issued 43 walks in 108.1 innings pitched.
His struggles have been failing to record outs against elevated competition, especially the Padres’ main division rival, the Los Angeles Dodgers. King has allowed six earned runs over 10.1 innings pitched in two starts against the team up north. He could not limit the damage from the Dodgers’ potent offensive attack.
What are his in-game troubles?
The problem is the amount of contact given up. King cannot build momentum because he cannot locate his pitches. Too often, he has been victimized by leaving pitches over the plate.
His four-seamer and sinker have been hit the hardest. Neither pitch is offering enough movement to freeze batters in the box. The one positive is that his changeup is inducing soft contact for outs. This season, it is King’s second-most-thrown pitch in starts.
Wins have been hard to come by this season for the Friars. Getting King back on track is a significant hurdle to playing better baseball in the second half. Right now, who besides him would you expect to win a game? The list is not very long at this moment.
The Padres need an innings eater in the worst way. It is time for King to step up and carry the extra load, as the starting rotation is in dire straits.
ATHENS, GA - JUNE 07: Georgia catcher Daniel Jackson(3) with a two run go ahead home run in the 10th inning during the NCAA Super Regional college baseball game between the Georgia Bulldogs vs Mississippi State Bulldogs on JUNE 7, 2026 Foley Field in Athens, GA. (Photo by John Adams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Major League Baseball Amateur draft is rapidly approaching with the Yankees holding the 35th overall selection for their first pick. After swinging widely at the top of the draft for years in the early 2000’s the team has performed better in the scouting, evaluations and development departments over the last seven drafts. As usual the Yankees are picking later than most teams, and in addition they moved down 10 slots due to the penalties for exceeded the Competitive Balance Tax thresholds. This move also leads them to have the third smallest bonus pool at just over $7.3 million, coming in just ahead of the Mets and Dodgers.
Baseball America recently updated their farm system talent rankings, with the Yankees coming in 21st across baseball. The weakness of the system is currently on the position player side, and this is likely where the Yankees will focus. Both MLB.com and Baseball America have seven pitchers ranked among the organization’s top 10 prospects. Especially light on the prospect side is the catching position where neither BA or MLB.com have any catchers among the Yankees top-30 prospects.
Teams will never draft for an immediate need at the Major League level, but they often will focus on a positional group that could use a boost across their system. If the Yankees choose to target catching, they have several very tempting options that, based on recent pre-draft rankings, could be available in their range.
University of Georgia catcher Daniel Jackson is coming off a tremendous season where he was the Golden Spikes award winner as the best player in college baseball. He won the triple crown in the Southeastern conference, hitting .378/.473/.803, with 32 home runs and 26 stolen bases. He was just the third player and first catcher in Division I baseball history to have a 30/25 season.
Jackson is ranked as the 28th-best draft prospect by MLB.com and 37th best by Baseball America. He has been available to the Yankees in a few mock drafts over the past few months and would be an exciting talent to add if he makes it to the Yankees at the 35th pick.
Another strong candidate is Mississippi high school standout Cole Prosek. Prosek is a polished hitter, with present power who finished second nationally with 18 home runs during his high school season. The left-handed hitter makes a lot of contact and projects to bring a solid contact-power mix as he continues to develop. He is listed as either a third baseman or shortstop depending on the scouting report, but the general feeling is that he will not stick as a shortstop in the pros. He recently has started catching and in limited opportunities the scouts believe that he can stick as a catcher.
Another draft strategy is often to follow up on previous successes. In two of the last three drafts, the Yankees have taken high school shortstops, George Lombard Jr. and Dax Kilby, and watched as they quickly showed the traits to become some of the organization’s top prospects. Shortstop is generally a heavily drafted position as the players often can move off of the position and fill defensive needs across the diamond as they integrate into professional baseball.
If the Yankees pursue a prep shortstop they may have their eye on Taj Marchand from James Island, South Carolina. Marchand is projected to have the athletic ability to stick at shortstop while displaying a very good hit tool, with potential for more power. His ability to hit with high exit velocities through the showcase circuit last summer and another strong high school season has Marchand moving up rankings as the draft approaches. Marchand is young for the draft class and will still be 17 on draft day. The 6-foot-2 University of Mississippi commit is ranked as the 37th-best draft prospect by MLB.com and 66th by Baseball America.
The recent history of the Yankees has them leaning more towards hitters in the first round, but in 2024 they went in another direction, drafting pitching early and often. While the team has found success in the later rounds of the draft with players like Cam Schlittler and Will Warren, they could still be looking for an early round arm if the right player is available to them.
One name to keep an eye on is Cade Townsend, a right-handed pitcher from the University of Mississippi. Baseball America flagged Townsend as having a “Cam Schlittler starter pack” back in April based on the metrics of his multiple fastballs with an ability to throw them for strikes. While much shorter than Schlittler, the 6-foot-1 Townsend can hit 97 mph while sitting 95-96 mph through an outing. He has shown a knack for spinning the ball, flashing above average curveballs and sliders, another trait the Yankees have gravitated to in previous drafts.
The Yankees have improved their draft strategy over the last seven editions. Gone are the days of top picks disappearing into the minor leagues, seeming to lose all momentum within a year or two. Since 2019, the Yankees have consistently developed their top picks into MLB-caliber players, or at least solid trade candidates. While there are still steps to be taken in the Yankees player development and acquisition strategy, this weekend we will see the newest Yankees join the mix full of optimism and expectations.
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cubs fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Perhaps they will get some help when injured relievers return, but even that is probably not enough. So earlier this week, I asked you to answer this SB Nation Reacts survey question: Which of a provided list of relievers would you like the Cubs to go after? Or perhaps there’s someone else you have in mind.
Here are the survey results:
By a significant margin, you chose a reunion with 2016 World Series champion Aroldis Chapman. Chapman, who is now 38, is having a pretty good year for the Red Sox. He’s pitched in 29 games covering 27.2 innings and has a 2.28 ERA and 1.229 WHIP. His walk rate is up a bit from last year, but he’s kept the ball in the yard — just one home run allowed to 117 batters faced. He has 19 saves in 21 opportunities — the 19 saves is one more than the entire Cubs pitching staff has this year.
Chapman is making $13 million this year. The Cubs could probably afford to take on a bit less than half of that, and not have to give up a top prospect. (There’s a $13 million mutual option that vests if Chapman throws at least 40 innings this year and passes a post-season physical, so that’s a potential concern.)
Incidentally, you see Chapman wearing No. 44 for the Red Sox, after having worn No. 54 or No. 45 his entire career. Lucas Giolito wore No. 54 for Boston last year and Sonny Gray has it this year. No one has No. 54 for the Cubs this year; the last player to wear it was Ryan Brasier (remember him?) last year. So Chapman could wear the same number he wore for the 2016 World Series champions.
One last note about Chapman that I feel I should address. You likely remember the domestic violence allegations made against him more than a decade ago. Chapman did address those when the Cubs acquired him and, at least as far as I know, nothing like that has happened again. Here’s what I wrote about this issue at the time Chapman was acquired by the Cubs in 2016.
On to the rest of the survey results: You didn’t much like the other choices I had, because second place went to “someone else.” There were a number of choices listed in the comments to the survey article, so feel free to add those here as well.
Here are the results of the four national questions asked this week, which had to do with postseason awards.
This will be an interesting vote if Pete Crow-Armstrong keeps playing the way he is now. Obviously Shohei Ohtani will be a favorite to win, but it’s possible PCA gets enough support to sneak in an MVP award.
This vote was a little closer, and might depend on whether Yordan Alvarez can help lead the Astros to a postseason spot. Otherwise I’d give my vote to Junior Caminero.
You’ll note that Ohtani didn’t appear on this ballot. What sort of vote total would he have received if he had been on the ballot?
As long as things continue the way they have been, I’d think Cam Schlittler might be a unanimous choice.
San Diego, CA - August 17: Gio Rojas pitches for the East team during the Dick's Sporting Goods Perfect Game All-American Classic at Petco Park on August 17, 2025 in San Diego, CA. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
The group over at Overslot Baseball has come out with an interesting and fun new tool ahead of the 2026 MLB Draft, giving us a mock draft simulator to play with, just like there is for the NFL and NBA drafts. I would recommend giving it a try for yourself if you have a few minutes.
This will be the second official mock draft of the season, and likely the final Braves specific one as the players involved are going to remain similar for the next week. I am planning on a full first round mock draft to come ahead of the draft as well based on the information that I am hearing.
The mock draft lasts 10 rounds, and the bonuses listed are their best estimates at what bonuses could look like for some of these prospects. While not perfect, they are mostly pretty reasonable. I will note ahead of time that the player database is not quite the full list of players you will find eligible for the actual draft, and senior signs aren’t going to be as cheap as they will come for the Braves – but this should give you some idea.
In case you missed the first one it can be found here.
Pick 1.9 – Gio Rojas, LHP, Florida HS
This took about 3-4 restarts to get this right. As in guys like Grady Emerson, Jackson Flora, and Eric Booth Jr. fell to this pick. I don’t see that actually happening in the draft, so I didn’t want to pick someone who there is a sub 5% chance the Braves actually select – even if it would be fun to draft one of them.
This draft started out Grady Emerson, Roch Cholowsky, Drew Burress, Jacob Lombard, Jackson Flora, Eric Booth Jr., Vahn Lackey, and Ryder Helfrick as the first eight picks. That gave me a whole list of guys that have been linked to the Braves, namely Chris Hacopian, Tyler Bell, and Gio Rojas. With Burress and Helfrick gone this becomes an easy choice to go underslot to grab Rojas for $5.5M – compared to $6M for both Hacopian and Bell. In reality I would expect Rojas about $500k to $1M cheaper, but that still saves $1.2M on the $6.7M slot. I also like the upside of Rojas more than the other two, so to me this is a win.
Pick 1.26 – Hunter Dietz, LHP, Arkansas
This pick has a $3.6M slot value. The best players on the board are Jared Grindlinger ($5.5M), Cole Carlon, Hunter Dietz, Cade Townsend, and Brody Bumila as pitchers and Ace Reese, Bo Lowrance, and Taj Marchand as the hitters. That’s the group I’m considering here. Dietz is the pick here, even if his $3.8M is $200k over, as he is the best player available – I had him 15th on my board. I had Grindlinger higher, 10th overall – but going $1.7M over would hurt the ability to spend throughout this draft.
Pick 2.48 – Caden Bogenpohl, OF, Missouri State
This pick has a $2.1M slot value. Bumila is there, but his $3.5M asking price is too high. Same for Tyler Spangler and his $4M price tag. That leaves Caden Bogenpohl, Caden Sorrell, Tyson LeBlanc, and more affordable overslot preps like Blake Bowen, Cole Prosek, and James Clark as my best options. Bogenpohl in the choice as a big, athletic, toolsy outfielder with massive power in the tank. I wanted to get him all along and I didn’t think he would be there for the next pick, so taking him now at $1.6M saves $500k. I have saved a total of $1.5M through three picks, as Rojas and Bogenpohl saved $1.7M and Dietz was $200k over.
Pick 3.84 – Jason DeCaro, RHP, North Carolina
This pick has a $974k slot value. Crossing off all of the preps over $2.5M and focusing on Will Adams ($2.2M), Martin Shelar, Andruw Giles, Tyler Putnam, and Ethan Bass ($2M each), and college players like Peyton Bonds and pitchers Jake McCoy, Tommy LaPour, and Jason DeCaro. I really like Adams, but with his price tag I have decided to try to float him down, and grab Carolina’s DeCaro as an arm that I believe might have a little more to gain. He costs just $443k, meaning I am $2M underslot.
Pick 4.112 – Deiten Lachance, C, Oklahoma
This pick has a slot value of $698k. Adams is still there, but the way the draft board looks now looks like there is about to be a run on catchers and I believe the Braves are likely to draft one in this draft. I don’t even consider the options here and right to College World Series star Deiten Lachance, a player who I rank the highest of the group and came away impressed with how he adjusted to the SEC after coming from JUCO this year. Best of all he costs $396k, so we are now $2.3M underslot.
Pick 5.144 – Ryne Barker, 3B, Arizona HS
Slot here is $511k. It’s time to start spending money and I’m targeting an infielder that I like a good amount in projectable Arizona prep shortstop Ryne Barker. I consider him more of a third baseman, and he’s only $1.2M. That means we still have $1.6M to work with.
Pick 6.173 – Will Adams, OF, Alabama HS
Slot here is $390k. I finally grab Adams and end his slide. His price was $2.2M, putting us $200k overslot. However his bat has a chance to be special with the ability to hit for both average and power, just that there are some defensive questions.
Pick 7.202 – Josh McDevitt, RHP, Missouri
Slot is $307k. McDevitt has risen this spring and is a guy I wanted to grab. Getting him for $204k helps, and we are now just $100k overslot.
Pick 8.232 – Connor Shouse, 3B, Texas Tech
Slot is $245k. Shouse is a guy with some upside and at $197k will save about half of that overage.
Pick 9.262 – Lorenzo Carrier, OF, Pitt
Slot is $212k. Carrier is a senior but will cost more than a true senior sign, though his $160k bonus puts us back under. I’ve always been a huge fan of his tool set, it’s just that he struggled to hit. However the strides he has made this spring with the hit tool give some hope that maybe he has some chance – and at this point, with this money, that is all you can ask for. Without true $5k senior signs, this was the best I was able to do with this pick.
Pick 10.292 – Blake Morningstar, RHP, Wake Forest
Slot is $198k. Morningstar is a $150k signing and a relief arm that I like. Without cheap senior signs I wanted ti target a guy the Braves could potentially target in rounds 11-20. Morningstar is that type of pitcher.
Money situation
If this wasn’t a machine where I didn’t have full control, the final 3-4 picks would not have happened. Those are guys I do like, but if I was able to draft four senior signs for $5k each, $20k would have been cheaper than $660k. That’s a savings of $640k when you take that $660k and subtract the $20k to sign the senior signs, so instead of that $11k, the Braves would have $651k for the “Day 3” picks in rounds 11-15.
I do like those players, but pushing them into rounds 11-20 would only cost $60k over the pool limits, so I would potentially be able to get those same players and still have $591k to play with.
Overall Thoughts
This is about as solid of a draft as the Braves could hope for, short of a Booth, Flora, or Lombard sliding to the ninth pick. With no clear cut Top 10 guy available, taking the savings and spreading it around in order to draft seven strong pieces seems like a no brainer to me. Especially when there is potentially more money to work with in the final 10 rounds.
The Braves help restock their pitching with my #11 (Rojas) and #15 (Dietz) players in this draft, and also end up with my #61 (Bogenpohl), #69 (Adams), #93 (Lachance), #103 (DeCaro), and #174 (Barker) ranked players in this draft. If you want to count the other guys, McDevitt was #187, Carrier #261, Morningstar #274, and Shouse #310.
The pitching got a boost, but prep pitcher wasn’t a spot that was hit on, so it would be a target in the final 10 rounds. The catcher spot got a powerful catcher who is arguably the best catcher down on the farm. There is a talented pair of outfielders, a prep shortstop who is likely going to move to third base, and some other pieces with value if you count the rounds 7-10 picks.
OMAHA, NEBRASKA - JUNE 22: The North Carolina Tar Heels stand for the National Anthem before game three of the Division I Baseball Championship against the Oklahoma Sooners held at Charles Schwab Field on June 22, 2026 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Tyler Schank/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) | NCAA Photos via Getty Images
As the Carolina baseball team embarked on a run to the College World Series finals last month, Scott Forbes and his staff were also building a strong class of transfers.
A total of 10 players have committed to join the Tar Heels out of the portal, most of whom did so in June. Since you (understandably) might have been too locked in on the action in Chapel Hill and Omaha to pay attention to recruiting, here’s a quick primer on each of them.
RHP Jake Moss (Penn)
Moss announced he’d be using his final season of eligibility at Carolina back in October (the Ivy League doesn’t allow athletes to compete for more than four years). He stepped into a starting role for the first time this spring, getting the nod for seven games and coming out of the bullpen in four others. He posted a 6.08 ERA with 46 strikeouts and 25 walks in 47.1 innings, and opponents hit .295 against him. He was named to the Ivy League all-tournament team as a junior in 2025.
OF CJ Egrie (Holy Cross)
Egrie was another early pickup, committing to UNC for his final season in November (Holy Cross doesn’t offer graduate degrees). He comes to Chapel Hill after winning back-to-back Patriot League Player of the Year honors and helping Holy Cross reach back-to-back NCAA Tournaments. This season, he put up a conference-best .325 batting average with three home runs and 22 RBI, drew 38 walks, and finished second in Division I with 46 stolen bases. He was caught stealing just twice.
SS Davis Baker (Penn)
Baker announced his commitment on April 8. He was a four-year starter at shortstop for Penn but suffered a season-ending injury just seven games into the 2026 campaign. He was an All-Ivy League selection in each of his first three seasons, earning second team honors as a junior after hitting .277 with eight home runs and 39 RBI. He carries a career fielding percentage of .943.
LHP Joey Ruller (Queens)
Ruller, who will have one year of eligibility, announced his commitment on May 28. He was Queens’ ace this season, starting 14 games and recording a 4.47 ERA with 79 strikeouts and 25 walks in 90.2 innings. Opponents hit .263 against him, a massive improvement from the .342 mark he allowed in 2025.
C Devin Russell (Maryland)
Russell, who will have one year of eligibility, announced his commitment on June 3. He initially split games behind the plate for Maryland this season but became the primary starter late in the campaign. He hit .250 with nine home runs and 26 RBI in 26 games and was named Big Ten Player of the Week after hitting a walk-off grand slam against Indiana on April 12.
SS Jamie Laskofski (William & Mary)
Laskofski announced his commitment on June 6 after a banner sophomore season that saw him named CAA Player of Year. He hit .355 with 13 home runs and 45 RBI, drew 41 walks, and stole 36 bases, including a program-record five in one game (March 22 vs NC A&T). He carries a career fielding percentage of .922.
RHP James Voorhies (Cal State Northridge)
Voorhies (who goes by Jimmy on his social media pages) announced his commitment on June 18. He stepped into the closer role for CSUN as a true freshman this season and earned honorable mention All-Big West recognition after logging five saves with a 3.16 ERA, 46 strikeouts (tied for the team lead), and 14 walks in 42.2 innings. Opponents hit .180 against him.
OF Blaize Johnson (UNC Asheville)
Johnson, who will enter UNC as a junior, announced his commitment on June 24. He was a starter in the outfield in both of his seasons in Asheville and earned first team All-Big South honors as a sophomore, hitting .346 with 11 home runs and 47 RBI and drawing 40 walks.
RHP Preston Crowl (Virginia Tech)
Crowl, who’s entering his fourth year of college, announced his commitment on June 25. He was a major piece of Virginia Tech’s bullpen this season, pitching 47.1 innings across 24 games and leading the team with five saves. He made a brief appearance against Carolina in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals, facing three batters in the eighth inning (Macon Winslow took him deep for a two-run home run). He finished the year with a 7.61 ERA, 48 strikeouts, and 26 walks. Opponents hit .279 against him.
RHP Scott Doran (Coastal Carolina)
Doran, who will enter UNC as a junior, announced his commitment on June 26. He was primarily a bullpen arm in both of his seasons at Coastal Carolina, although he did get two starts this year–including a six-inning outing against Ole Miss on March 1 in which he allowed two earned runs on four hits with five strikeouts and two walks. He ended the season with a 4.76 ERA, 39 strikeouts, and 12 walks in 28.1 innings. He was credited with two saves, and opponents hit .196 against him.
The Athletics (41-52) and White Sox (47-45) open a three-game series tonight at Rate Field in Chicago, with both clubs looking to stop recent slides and head into the All-Star Break feeling better about their respective seasons.
The White Sox were swept by the Red Sox earlier this week. Yesterday Boston completed the sweep with a 2-1 win over the ChiSox. Anthony Kay was sharp, allowing four hits and two runs over 5.1 innings but was bettered by Patrick Sandoval who gave up just one run over 4.1 innings in his first appearance in two years following Tommy John surgery followed by a few setbacks. Caleb Durbin provided the offense with a fourth inning home run. The White Sox scored just two runs in the three-game series and have now lost six of their last eight games. The Athletics also enter this series having struggled to score recently. They scored just four runs in their three-game series against the Tigers. Not surprisingly, they lost all three. The A’s have now lost six in a row and nine of their last ten games.
Tonight’s pitching matchup looks to favor Chicago. The White Sox will send right-hander Sean Burke (5-4, 3.56 ERA) to the mound. Burke has quietly been one of Chicago's most consistent starters this season, striking out 106 batters in 98.2 innings while posting a strong 1.22 WHIP. He takes the mound having won four consecutive decisions. In his most recent start on July 4 against Cleveland, Burke was dominant, allowing just one run on seven hits over six innings while striking out 11 and walking none in a 3-1 White Sox victory. Oakland counters with left-hander Jacob Lopez (4-3, 7.04 ERA). Lopez has struggled with command and consistency, posting a 1.84 WHIP. His last appearance came July 7 against Detroit, when he allowed four runs on five hits over three innings while striking out four in a 6-2 Athletics loss.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game Details and How to Watch: Athletics vs. White Sox
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The Latest Odds: Athletics vs. White Sox
The latest odds as of Friday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Athletics (+139), Chicago White Sox (-168)
Spread: Athletics +1.5 (-148), White Sox -1.5 (+122)
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers and their Stats: Athletics vs. White Sox for July 10
Athletics: Jacob Lopez Season Totals: 53.2 IP, 4-3, 7.04 ERA, 1.84 WHIP, 42K, 34 BB
White Sox: Sean Burke Season Totals: 98.2 IP, 5-4, 3.56 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 106K, 33 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Athletics vs. White Sox
Nick Kurtz is without a hit in his last 5 games (0-18)
Kurtz has homered 1 time since June 22
Shea Langeliers is 2-11 over his last 4 games
After hitting .182 in June, Jeff McNeil is 3-15 in July
Sam Antonacci was 4-10 in the series against the Red Sox
Colson Montgomery was 2-4 yesterday to snap an 0-8 skid
Chase Meidroth was 2-10 in the series against the Red Sox
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Athletics vs. White Sox
The White Sox are 53-39 on the Run Line this season
The Athletics are 44-49 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 52 times in Chicago’s 92 games this season (52-38-2)
The OVER has cashed 41 times in the Athletics’ 93 games this season (44-46-3)
Expert picks & predictions: Athletics vs. White Sox
Rotoworld Bet Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Athletics and the White Sox:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the White Sox on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the White Sox on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 9.0.
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Jun 13, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Detroit Tigers center fielder Matt Vierling (8) breaks his bat against the Cleveland Guardians during the seventh inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
The unofficial first half of the season wraps up with a three-game series in Detroit. For whatever reason, recent Phillies teams haven’t done well in “getaway” games, so I’m worried that they might just try to coast through what is somewhat of a “getaway” series. I’m especially pessimistic about Sunday’s game when about half the roster will be looking ahead to All-Star festivities while facing one of the best pitchers in baseball.
Opposition research: Matt Vierling
When the Phillies traded Matt Vierling (along with Nick Maton and Donny Sands) to the Tigers in exchange for Gregory Soto and Kody Clemens, it seemed like a sensible trade. Soto was a lefthanded reliever with two All-Star appearances under his belt, and thanks to the 2022 trade for Brandon Marsh, Vierling was mostly limited to a bench role. (As for the others, Maton never amounted to much, while Clemens had his moments.)
The Philadelphia Phillies are acquiring Gregory Soto and Kody Clemens from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for Nick Maton, Matt Vierling and Donny Sands, per @jonmorosi and @JSalisburyNBCS pic.twitter.com/13H0uWtSTr
However, Soto could never find consistency in Philadelphia, while Vierling established himself as a solid, if unspectacular everyday player for the Tigers. Ironically, the Phillies spent years searching for a righthanded platoon complement for Marsh, and Vierling seemed like he would have been a good fit for that role.
The last two seasons have not been kind to Vierling. He spent most of 2025 on the Injured List with a variety of ailments and was limited to 31 ineffective games. He’s been healthier in 2026, but the on-field results have been bad. He’s batting just .199 with five home runs, and his once solid defense in the outfield has gone downhill.
The Phillies could still use another right-handed hitting outfielder, and Vierling is likely very available for a low price. But based on recent performance, it doesn’t seem like he’d be any sort of upgrade on what they already have.
Based on the reactions of Tigers fans, if Vierling was to be traded, they wouldn’t miss him.
I like Matt Vierling as a human but he has one of the worst swings ive ever seen i cant believe it sometimes works
I loathe seeing Matt Vierling in the line up. LOATHE it.
— SledgeHammer Horror (@SledgeHammerHor) July 7, 2026
The next Tigers PR tweet i’m looking forward to seeing :
“Matt Vierling has been designed for assignment and The Detroit Tigers have selected the contact of Max Clark from Toledo “ #RepDetroitpic.twitter.com/MMQ1c0r5Pj
Since their last World Series win in 1984, the Tigers have made it to the Fall Classic twice, winning a grand total of one game across those series. And it sure doesn’t look like that drought is going to end in 2026.
The Phillies’ roster is top heavy (a few stars are carrying an overall subpar roster), but at least those stars have the team in playoff position. The Tigers have three All-Star position players to go along with one of the better starting rotations in the AL, and they’re still seven games under .500.
This comes after a season when they lost 13 of their 16 final games to blow a 10 game lead in the AL Central. (Yes, they still made the playoffs and even won a series, but who cares? That’s still embarrassing.)
The Tigers are likely to trade ace Tarik Skubal because they don’t think they can retain him when he hits free agency in a year. It seems funny that they’d be stingy with Skubal after handing Miguel Cabrera a lifetime achievement contract over a decade ago. (I’d advise Phillies fans not to look at the last few years of Cabrera’s career if you don’t want to have nightmares about the tail end of the Harper/Turner/Schwarber era.)
The bloated, excessive, unnecessary, history-ignoring, common-sense-disregarding Miguel Cabrera contract. Column: http://t.co/lztmoIZhBw
Last week’s answer: In game six of the 1980 World Series, Pete Rose had three hits. EbbyCalvinLaLoosh answered correctly.
This week’s question: The first Phillies vs. Tigers game in history was a 7-2 Detroit win at Tiger Stadium. What former first round draft pick took the loss in that game?
Additional thought about the series
Even with Zack Wheeler on the mound, I have almost no hope for the Phillies winning on Sunday. As mentioned, this team often seems to play poorly in the final game of road trips. Add in the fact that this is the final game before the All-Star Game in Philadelphia, and that lowers their chances even more. And finally, they’ll be facing Skubal, which means I’d put their over under on runs scored in the game at one.
