The White Sox entered the 2026 MLB Draft with the No. 1 overall pick (thanks to winning the draft lottery) and an extra Competitive Balance Round A selection (No. 34) acquired via trade from the Pirates (Jacob Gonzalez and Brandon Eisert). They used it to build a class headlined by the consensus top prospect while adding significant depth, particularly in athletic position players and developmental pitching arms.
The class features a nice mix of high-floor college talent, advanced prep bats, and high-upside sleepers. Director of Amateur Scouting Mike Shirley and the staff emphasized makeup, versatility, and traits that align with the organization’s hitting and pitching development infrastructure.
| Round | Player | Pos | School |
| 1 | Roch Cholowsky | SS | UCLA |
| Comp | Landon Thome | 2B/3B | Nazareth Academy (IL) |
| 2 | Cole Prosek | INF | Magnolia Heights HS (MS) |
| 3 | Joey Volchko | RHP | Georgia |
| 4 | Eric Segura | RHP | Oregon State |
| 5 | Cal Scolari | RHP | Oregon |
| 6 | Alex Weingartner | OF/RHP | St. Augustine Prep (NJ) |
| 7 | Clay Burdette | OF | Xavier |
| 8 | Jayson Jones | 3B | Wichita State |
| 9 | Luke Craytor | RHP | Virginia Tech |
| 10 | Matthew Bucciero | OF | Fairfield |
| 11 | Kyle Casteel | RHP | Butler Area HS (PA) |
| 12 | Braden Holcomb | OF | Vanderbilt |
| 13 | Grayson Fitzwater | 1B | VMI |
| 14 | Isaac Yeager | RHP | Oregon State |
| 15 | Cameron Johnson | LHP | Oklahoma |
| 16 | Darin Horn | RHP | Coastal Carolina |
| 17 | Crew McChesney | OF | BYU |
| 18 | Jackson Bergman | RHP | Indiana |
| 19 | Jake Berkland | SS | Minnesota-Mankato |
| 20 | Connor Fennell | RHP | Vanderbilt |
Round 1, Pick 1: Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA
Quick Scout: The clear top prospect in the class for most of the cycle. Elite defender at shortstop with an advanced, MLB-ready bat. Posted a .320/.452/.636 line with 21 home runs in 2026 (following an even stronger 2025 – .353/.480/.710). High floor, plus makeup, and plus tools across the board.
Projection: Cornerstone shortstop and potential franchise player.
Competitive Balance Round A, Pick 34: Landon Thome, 2B/3B, Nazareth Academy (IL) HS
Quick Scout: Son of Hall of Famer and former White Sox first baseman Jim Thome. Advanced left-handed bat and plus speed for a prep player. Likely shifts off shortstop long-term as his hit tool and athleticism outpace his glove at this stage. Local kid with strong makeup.
Projection: Fast riser who could reach Low-A Kannapolis quickly (joining former Nazareth teammate Jaden Fauske). Solid everyday infielder with power/speed potential.
Round 2, Pick 41: Cole Prosek, 2B/INF, Magnolia Heights HS (MS)
Quick Scout: Massive value pick. Ranked as high as No. 27 on some boards and slotted as a first-round talent. Advanced left-handed bat with real hit tool, bat speed, and intent. Versatile defender (2B, 3B, even catcher) and has shown arm strength on the mound.
Projection: One of the best values in the entire draft. High-upside everyday infielder who could move quickly through the system.
Round 3, Pick 77: Joey Volchko, RHP, University of Georgia
Quick Scout: Big, athletic right-hander (6’4″, 225 lbs) with a fastball that touches 101 mph and plus spin. Electric stuff but still a developmental project — breaking balls need more consistency for strikes. Strong makeup and intelligence. The ace of the Bulldogs rotation in 2026; he posted a 17-2 record with a 2.95 ERA in 24 starts.
Projection: High-upside starter with No. 2/3 ceiling if the secondary stuff and command comes around; solid relief floor.
Round 4, Pick 105: Eric Segura, RHP, Oregon State
Quick Scout: Underslot/developmental arm with improved strike-throwing in 2026 (2.22 ERA). Good makeup and a plus breaking ball. Segura had a fantastic 2026 with the Beavers; posting a 2.22 ERA and .219 batting average against.
Projection: Depth arm with back-end starter or multi-inning relief potential.
Round 5, Pick 137: Cal Scolari, RHP, University of Oregon
Quick Scout: Physical 6’4″ righty with a powerful fastball (up to 98 mph). Some injury history but solid mechanics and pitch mix. Selected with starter upside in mind. Started 12 games for the Ducks last season after transferring from San Diego.
Projection: Developmental starter with good size and stuff; could settle into a multi-role role.
Round 6, Pick 166: Alex Weingartner, OF/RHP, St. Augustine Prep (NJ) HS
Quick Scout: Athletic two-way player (primarily drafted as an outfielder). Plus runner and arm strength. Special athlete with center-field speed and raw power in BP. Swing needs refinement.
Projection: High-risk, high-reward developmental piece with athletic upside.
Round 7, Pick 195: Clay Burdette, OF, Xavier
Quick Scout: Toolsy outfielder with plus speed and plus raw power (some of the best exit velocities in college baseball). Swing-and-miss and selectivity issues caused him to slide.
Projection: Power/speed outfield prospect who could break out with improved plate discipline.
Round 8, Pick 225: Jayson Jones, 3B, Wichita State
Quick Scout: Raw power bat (70-grade raw power potential) with a strong arm. Contact and consistency issues across multiple schools.
Projection: Boom-or-bust power bat with third-base defense.
Round 9, Pick 255: Luke Craytor, RHP, Virginia Tech
Quick Scout: Big-bodied reliever with a mid-90s fastball and sharp slider/cutter. Strong senior season in a limited role.
Projection: Bullpen arm with swing-and-miss potential.
Round 10, Pick 285: Matthew Bucciero, OF, Fairfield
Quick Scout: Senior sign with big power (20 HR) and strong production in 2026.
Projection: Organizational depth/power bat.
Round 11, Pick 315: Kyle Casteel, RHP, Butler Area HS (PA)
Quick Scout: One of the best values in the class. High school arm with size (6’4″), mid-90s fastball, and advanced feel/pitchability for his age.
Projection: Potential steal — could develop into a solid starter or high-leverage reliever.
Round 12, Pick 345: Braden Holcomb, OF, Vanderbilt
Quick Scout: Big power threat (30+ HR ceiling) with surprising versatility and athleticism for his size. Some swing-and-miss but massive raw power.
Projection: Power-hitting outfield prospect with everyday upside.
Round 13, Pick 375: Grayson Fitzwater, 1B, VMI
Quick Scout: Bat-first thumper and one of the top mid-major power hitters. Excellent plate discipline and consistent production.
Projection: Solid organizational first baseman with power.
Round 14, Pick 405: Isaac Yeager, RHP, Oregon State
Quick Scout: Big, imposing right-hander with a power two-pitch mix and strong results in relief.
Projection: Bullpen depth arm.
Round 15, Pick 435: Cameron Johnson, LHP, Oklahoma
Quick Scout: Big arm (up to 99 mph) with significant developmental upside and projectability.
Projection: High-upside lefty arm worth the developmental investment.
Round 16, Pick 465: Darin Horn, RHP, Coastal Carolina
Quick Scout: Reliever with a unique delivery and pitch mix.
Projection: Bullpen depth piece.
Round 17, Pick 495: Crew McChesney, OF, BYU
Quick Scout: Plus runner (70-grade speed) with big raw power. Some swing-and-miss but intriguing power/speed combo.
Projection: Developmental outfield prospect with tools
Round 18, Pick 525: Jackson Bergman, RHP, Indiana
Quick Scout: Senior sign coming off injury.
Projection: Depth arm / organizational piece.
Round 19, Pick 555: Jake Berkland, SS, Minnesota State-Mankato
Quick Scout: Undersized but mighty bat with strong college production.
Projection: Depth infielder.
Round 20, Pick 585: Connor Fennell, RHP, Vanderbilt
Quick Scout: Insurance pick with some prior success as a swingman. Longshot to sign due to bonus pool constraints.
Projection: Organizational depth if signed.
Overall Summary
The 2026 White Sox draft class is top-heavy but deep. Roch Cholowsky gives the organization a potential franchise cornerstone and immediate high-end talent at shortstop. Landon Thome and Cole Prosek add two more advanced, high-upside infield bats early on. The pitching depth (especially the later-round arms like Casteel, Scolari, and Johnson) provides developmental upside, while the outfielders (Burdette, Holcomb, McChesney, Weingartner) bring athleticism and power potential.
This class should significantly strengthen the lower levels of the system and provide multiple contributors in the coming years. With Cholowsky potentially accelerating through the minors, the White Sox have added both immediate hope and long-term foundation pieces.