Baseball's amateur draft begins Saturday, July 11, with 30 MLB teams trying to add future All-Star talent, regular contributors and organizational depth. The Chicago White Sox hold the No. 1 pick after going 60-102 and winning the draft lottery.
It is the third time the ChiSox have picked first. They selected Danny Goodwin at No. 1 in 1971, though he did not sign, and took Hall of Famer Harold Baines first in 1977.
Chicago is expected to choose from a group led by two shortstops: Roch Cholowsky of UCLA and Grady Emerson of Fort Worth Christian HS. Several other players remain in the discussion if the White Sox decide to take a different route.
Roch Cholowsky and Grady Emerson lead the No. 1 discussion
Roch Cholowsky is viewed as the top prospect in the class and one of the strongest college shortstop prospects since Dansby Swanson and Alex Bregman went with the top two picks in 2015. At UCLA, he hit.329/.448/.624 with 52 home runs, 105 walks and 100 strikeouts across three years.
Cholowsky brings pull-side power as a right-handed hitter, steady contact skills and strong swing decisions. Defensively, he has the instincts and arm strength to stay at shortstop, with leadership and competitiveness also part of his profile.
Grady Emerson gives the draft a high-upside high school option with more polish than most players at that level. The left-handed hitter consistently squares up the ball, produces above-average exit velocities and has the tools to project as a power-hitting shortstop who can contend for Gold Gloves.
Emerson's defense is built more on athleticism, timing and baseball IQ than flash. The source profile notes Bobby Witt Jr. similarities, while also making clear that Emerson does not have Witt's top-end speed.
Booth, Flora and Lackey offer different paths for Chicago
Eric Booth Jr. of Oak Grove HS has an unusual swing, but his record against elite pitching in showcase settings keeps him in the top-pick conversation. Booth is among the fastest players in the class and has the power potential to produce 30-30 seasons.
Booth's bat is ahead of his defense and baserunning, which are described as unrefined rather than poor. His ceiling remains tied to how much of that athleticism can be shaped into a complete game.
If the White Sox take a pitcher first, Jackson Flora is the leading candidate. The UC Santa Barbara RHP is 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds, regularly touches 100 mph, and pairs his fastball with two sliders and a changeup that can resemble a splitter because of its movement.
Flora threw 102 innings for the Gauchos this spring with a 1.06 ERA and 133 strikeouts. Whether or not he goes No. 1, he is expected to be the first pitcher selected.
Vahn Lackey of Georgia Tech is widely regarded as the third-best prospect behind Cholowsky and Emerson. The catcher hit.397/.519/.772 this spring with 20 home runs, 50 walks and 38 strikeouts.
Lackey is a middle-of-the-order offensive prospect with rare athleticism for the position. Defensively, he is considered a sound receiver and blocker who works well with a pitching staff, and he went 15 for 16 on stolen-base attempts this year.
Lombard and Thome remain part of the White Sox picture
Jacob Lombard brings major baseball bloodlines and a strong showcase background. His father, George, played six years in the big leagues, won a World Series as first base coach with the 2020 Los Angeles Dodgers and is now A.J. Hinch's bench coach with the Detroit Tigers.
Lombard's brother, George Jr., is a New York Yankees prospect taken with the No. 26 pick in 2023. Jacob is more highly regarded than George Jr. was at that stage and offers athleticism, developing power and strong shortstop defense, with a size-and-skill profile compared in the source to Carlos Correa.
Landon Thome is the local name connected to Chicago. The Nazareth Academy infielder is the son of Hall of Famer Jim Thome, who played for the White Sox from 2006-09 and now serves as a special advisor in the organization.
Thome, a left-handed hitter like his father, is known more for contact ability and bat-to-ball skill than power. He is a reliable left-side infielder with advanced baseball IQ, and while he is viewed more as a second-round talent, the White Sox also hold the No. 41 selection.