With the 2026 MLB Draft approaching, a prominent insider believes White Sox fans should prepare for multiple possibilities.
So much of the attention surrounding the Chicago White Sox recently has been due to the team's performance on the field. The White Sox are playing well above expectations with a 31-27 record. That leaves them just 2.0 games back in the AL Central while holding a wild card spot.
It's been a long time since we've entered June without the MLB Draft being top of mind for White Sox fans. It's a welcome change of pace, though, and an ironic one, really, because in the 2026 MLB Draft, the White Sox have the number one overall pick with an opportunity to change their franchise forever. And there's been plenty of discussion about what they'll ultimately do with that top selection.
So while the current iteration of the White Sox commands all the attention, we're beginning to get a better idea of what the future White Sox might look like. ESPN baseball insider Kiley McDaniel published an updated mock draft this week with a more refined focus on what each team will do and what fans should prepare themselves for.
For the White Sox, McDaniel is still predicting UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky to land on the South Side, but he noted that it now feels more like a 50-50 coin flip than a can't-miss top choice.
"Everyone agrees that Cholowsky would win a coin flip because he's just an easier choice with his proximity to the majors, risk profile and hype," McDaniel writes.
That right there summarizes my personal stance on the issue pretty well, but it doesn't mean the scales won't continue tipping in favor of high school shortstop Grady Emerson. And that's what McDaniel believes White Sox fans should prepare themselves for.
"Don't be surprised if Emerson is the pick here. Seriously, White Sox fans, prepare yourselves mentally that this could happen and don't just assume it's the wrong pick because it's the less famous name," McDaniel writes.
And he makes an excellent point. From the moment the White Sox landed the top pick via the draft lottery, heck, maybe even before then, the thought of Cholowsky in a White Sox uniform has been imprinted in the minds of Sox fans. All of that hype over an extended period of time could lead to anything else feeling like a disappointment. But rest assured that the front office has done its due diligence, and if Emerson is the pick, it'll be because the White Sox believe he's the best player available.
It won't be a money or signing bonus thing. Chris Getz has already told us as much, and whoever gets selected will set a new signing bonus record regardless.
Money, however, could become a factor in the second round if the White Sox try to land Illinois high school shortstop Landon Thome, son of Hall of Famer Jim Thome, who currently works as a special assistant to the GM with the White Sox.
If Chicago can push Thome to No. 41, they'll probably jump at the opportunity.
"For what it's worth, a lot of scouts think the White Sox will end up taking Illinois prep SS Landon Thome at one of their next few picks," McDaniel says.
If they are able to pull something like that off, it's all the more reason to take Cholowsky with the top choice.
A healthy farm system is one with prospects at varying stages of development. Ideally, you'd like to stack talent at every level of the system and have continuous waves of players coming to help the big league club. Cholowsky would be a more immediate reinforcement, but you can live with passing on Emerson's upside if you land a developmental high school bat like Thome, who has a very high ceiling and a chance to follow in his father's footsteps as a dangerous MLB hitter.
The draft will take place from July 11-13 in Philadelphia. It's a little more than a month away, and the possibilities for the White Sox are already becoming clearer.
