Multiple outlets’ 2026 MLB mock drafts project the Chicago White Sox taking a UCLA player with the No. 1 overall pick, with one mock specifically identifying a UCLA star as the top selection. CBS Sports’ first-round projection focuses on the White Sox’s decision-making, noting that the team is weighing shortstop prospects Roch Cholowsky and Grady Emerson. In that scenario, a major pitching prospect falls out of the first round, indicating a shifting mix of positions and tiers compared with earlier projections.
Other coverage referenced in the compiled search results also keeps Grady Emerson among the top players in the overall draft order, while acknowledging that teams’ needs and prospect availability could create surprises. Additional notes across the sources point to the broader possibility that the White Sox may use the draft and the trade deadline to adjust both their near-term roster and long-term farm system.
Together, the reports present a consistent theme: the White Sox are expected to receive a top-tier shortstop prospect at No. 1 in these mock scenarios, while the exact player mix beyond the top pick depends on how teams prioritize position needs and how pitching prospects are tiered.
