FanGraphs has released its first 2026 Mock Draft 1.0, and the top of the board is beginning to take shape. The new projection has Grady Emerson going No. 1 to the Chicago White Sox, with Vahn Lackey at No. 2, Roch Cholowsky at No. 3 and Jackson Flora at No. 4.
That top four matters because the draft is still generally viewed as a three-player tier at the top. In other words, the first round already has a shape to it, even if there is still a long way to go before the picks are made.
Why the top of the board matters
FanGraphs' mock gives the White Sox the first choice of the class and slots Emerson into that spot. The site described that fit as one that seems made for both player and team, which is usually the kind of language that signals a strong early match in a mock draft.
Lackey, meanwhile, is projected to the Tampa Bay Rays at No. 2. FanGraphs said the Rays have been searching for their catcher of the future for a long time and value what Lackey does well, especially his throwing and defense.
At No. 3, Roch Cholowsky goes to the Minnesota Twins in the mock. FanGraphs noted that the White Sox previously tried to sign Cholowsky out of high school and clearly like him, but also raised the same question that follows him into pro ball: whether his swing will translate the same way against better pitching.
Jackson Flora rounds out the top four for the San Francisco Giants at No. 4. The mock does not lock the class into a rigid order, but it does reinforce the idea that these four names are the ones most likely to shape the opening stretch of the draft.
More names are being tracked
FanGraphs also said updated scouting reports and tool grades are available for over 100 players on The Board. That matters because the early mock is only one part of the process. Rankings will continue to move as more information comes in, and FanGraphs said a fresh mock would be published on Saturday morning if enough new information emerged.
There is still plenty of time for the 2026 class to shift, but this first mock gives a useful starting point. Emerson leads the way, Lackey and Cholowsky follow close behind, and Flora is right there in the opening group. For teams, scouts and fans following MLB Draft 2026, that is the first real roadmap.
