Final projections and insider rumors with No. 1 up for grabs

The MLB Draft is upon us. While Rob Manfred and the league as a whole could do a whole lot better to market young players, this will not be the year. On Saturday, the likes of Grady Emerson, Roch Cholowsky and Vahn Lackey will be selected in the top-3. In fact, the top-6 picks, when you include Jacob Lombard, Jackson Flora and Eric Booth Jr., are relatively predictable. The question is what order they will go in.

I don’t necessarily think Emerson is the best player in this class. Yet, he’s affordable, has plenty of potential and is a great 1-1 candidate as a result. The White Sox must think of their entire draft pool, after all. Cholowsky is the biggest name, but he’ll demand a lot of money in return. Lackey ended his college baseball season on a tear at Georgia Tech and is just one member of a loaded catcher class that should impact MLB for years to come. Buckle up, folks.

The latest MLB Draft rumors

FanSided MLB insider Robert Murray made some calls prior to the All-Star Break to judge exactly where the White Sox, Rays and Twins stand in their draft plans. Alongside the No. 1 pick debate, Murray suggested a couple prospects who could make or break the entire draft process.

• The uncertainty with the No. 1 pick is real. While rivals predict it will be Grady Emerson, no one has a firm idea on what the White Sox will do.
• Jackson Flora has plenty of fans in the top 10, and his arsenal that features multiple breaking balls and velocity with cut/carry and strike-throwing ability has folks intrigued.
• Rich Cholowsky is the name everyone is watching. If he doesn’t go No. 1, where might he end up? Would he go No. 2 to the Rays? Fall to No. 4 to the Giants? The Twins might be in play at No. 3, but they’re considering a few different scenarios.
• The player that no one has a good feel on where he may land is Justin Lebron. He could go top 10. He could go in the teens. Or he could go in the 20s. He has the widest range of possibilities of anyone in the first round.

1. Chicago White Sox: Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian HS

• Height: 6-2
• Weight: 180 pounds
• Age: 18

Emerson was the Gatorade High School player of the Year, after all. He’s not a no-name, but he is also not Cholowsky, who dominated the college ranks at UCLA and was the projected No. 1 overall pick for much of this season. Rival executives believe the White Sox will take Emerson, and the south side of Chicago is quiet on their end. I tend to believe those around them. Emerson is a fine pick, and has few weaknesses. In fact, some scouts compare him to Bobby Witt Jr. It’ll be awhile until he shares the field with this young, up-and-coming White Sox team, however.

-Mark Powell, FanSided.com

2. Tampa Bay Rays: Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA

• Height: 6-2
• Weight: 202 pounds
• Age: 21

For my money, Cholowsky is the best player in this draft class. He also knows he’s the best player, which means he will cost the most money…that is not mine. Do you get the picture? MLB teams can only devote so much money to the players they pick. The White Sox will go over-slot for more players than the Rays will as a result of taking Cholowsky. Yet, the UCLA product has the potential to be the next Troy Tulowitzki, a player he is often compared to. If that comes to fruition, they’ll have little to complain about.

-MP

3. Minnesota Twins: Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech

• Height: 6-2
• Weight: 215 pounds
• Age: 20

Earlier this week, I thought Lackey would be the No. 1 pick. That was false intel. Lackey is a proven player and by no means a backup plan for the Twins. He’s exactly the player they hoped to take in this scenario. Lackey called pitches for the Yellowjackets this season and helped lead them to the college baseball postseason. He also batted .397/.519/.772 as a junior. There’s a lot to like in Lackey, who could make his way to the big leagues shortly as the Twins next Joe Mauer. Yes, those are big shoes to fill.

-MP

4. San Francisco Giants: Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep, Miami

• Height: 6-3
• Weight: 185 pounds
• Age: 18

It’s no secret the Giants hope Cholowsky falls to them. If Buster Posey’s technique works, then he’ll have fooled us all. The far more likely option is that the White Sox, Rays or Twins take the UCLA shortstop, and Posey is left scrambling for an alternative. The good news for him is that Lombard, who has baseball running through his blood thanks to his brother George Lombard Jr. and his father, is arguably the best athlete in this class. Enjoy, San Francisco.

-MP

5. Pittsburgh Pirates: Eric Booth Jr., OF, Oak Grove HS

• Height: 6-0
• Weight: 207 pounds
• Age: 17

For reasons I don’t completely understand, Booth Jr.’s draft stock has taken a bit of a hit for no good reason. He had a fantastic season, and should go in the top-6 rather easily. The question is which team will pick him. The Pittsburgh Pirates, which have been linked to all three of Booth, Lombard and Flora, ought to take the best of the sluggers. Booth Jr. won’t make an impact in Pittsburgh for at least three years, but if there’s one thing this system is lacking, it’s impact bats.

-MP

6. Kansas City Royals: Jackson Flora, RHP, UC Santa Barbara

• Height: 6-5
• Weight: 205 pounds
• Age: 20

I love this pick for the Royals. Yes, they’d much prefer Lombard, but I find it incredibly unlikely he falls beyond the Giants and Pirates. Booth Jr. would be another impact bat a few years down the line. Flora could literally find a spot in the Royals rotation two years from now. He pitched at the highest levels of college baseball, including in the postseason. He’s the best pitcher in this class. Why he fell this far I’ll never quite understand, and it’s my freaking mock.

-MP

7. Baltimore Orioles: LHP Gio Rojas, Stoneman Douglas (FL)

• Height: 6-4
• Weight: 195 pounds
• Age: 19

Back-to-back starting pitchers, in this economy?! Rojas and Flora are very different players. The former is the top prep pitcher in this class. Yes, Mike Elias is feeling the heat. The Orioles haven’t won a playoff game since 2023, and that’s not a good look. At the same time, he should not run the organization on his own timeline. Rojas is more developed than he looks. He could rocket through Baltimore’s farm system thanks to a 98 MPH fastball and a wipeout slider. Lord knows the Orioles need pitching.

-MP

8. Athletics: Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech

• Height: 5-9
• Weight: 185 pounds
• Age: 21

The A’s need star power before their move to Vegas. Yet, that’s not what this MLB Draft is about. Burress is instead a sound role player who should contribute to a team on the verge of contention. The A’s led the AL West for much of the first half before they came crashing back down to earth. They need pitching, but they should not address those needs in the draft. Burress is a legitimate, middle-of-the-order bat who is a pest to pitch to.

-MP

9. Atlanta Braves: Liam Peterson, RHP, Florida

• Height: 6-5
• Weight: 225 pounds
• Age: 20

The Braves are reportedly in the market for young starting pitching. While they will likely trade for a proven veteran at the deadline, that doesn’t solve a long-term need. Peterson could. The Florida product is as close to MLB-ready as this draft offers. His stuff is not going to dramatically improve in the minors, but it’s good enough to slide into a rotation in a year or so. Peterson also has a lot of upside.

-MP

10. Colorado Rockies: Tyler Bell, SS, Kentucky

• Height: 6-1
• Weight: 190 pounds
• Age: 21

Bell has rhe most upside in this draft. For far too long I mocked Justin Lebron here. Given his breakout performance in the College World Series (and his previous ranking as the No. 1 draft prospect in this class prior to the season), can you really blame me? However, as Murray mentions, Lebron isn’t likely to go in the top-10 and could be in for a dramatic fall. Bell, on the other hand, may go even higher than this. He’s a safe choice, and there aren’t many of those available at this point.

-MP

Competitive balance picks

MLB’s competitive balance picks may not be first-round picks in name, but they are arguably more valuable to some league executives. With the MLB trade deadline right around the corner, execs can trade these picks for incremental upgrades. For example, the Giants traded Patrick Bailey to the Guardians in exchange for the No. 29 overall pick. The Pittsburgh Pirates are rumored to be shopping their No. 34 pick for a relief pitcher. Deals can be made!