2026 MLB Draft Profile: Grady Emerson
NAME: Grady Emerson
SCHOOL: Fort Worth Christian School (TX)
POSITION: Shortstop
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-3, 185
B/T: L/R
D.O.B: 2/21/2008
COMMITMENT: Texas
Scouting Report
The 18-year-old draft prospect was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year in 2026 and he was nominated for the Golden Spikes award as well. Emerson previously attended Argyle High School prior to transferring to Fort Worth Christian for his senior season. It’s a private Christian preparatory school located in North Richland Hills, Texas. The school opened in 1958 and houses over 700 students in pre-school through 12th grade.
According to Max Preps, Emerson hit .532/.648/1.013 this past season with seven homers, nine doubles and four triples in 108 plate appearances. The 6-3, 185 pounder ranks as the #2 overall prospect in the class for MLB Pipeline. The publication projects 60-grade tools for the shortstop’s hitting, fielding and arm with 55-grades for power and running.
The scouting report notes that “scouts have a difficult time finding any flaws in Emerson’s game” and some have stated that “he’s not Bobby Witt Jr” in regards to searching for negatives in his profile. The “rangy prep shortstop from the Dallas Fort Worth area” is loaded with tools and transferred to play for former big leaguer Rusty Greer this past season.
The left-handed hitter has drawn some comparisons to Detroit Tigers’ infielder Kevin McGonigle and he shows advanced skills at the plate. Emerson puts together quality at-bats, makes good swing decisions and barrels balls to all fields consistently. He also displays impressive exit velocities with a pristine left-handed stroke. The potential exists for 25+ homers in the future.
The Texas prep is seen as a very instinctual defender who is a lock to remain at shortstop as a professional. He’s a fluid defender with a strong arm and quick hands. The four time United States National Team selection is known as a plus makeup guy as well.
Baseball America calls Grady Emerson a “pure hitter with an exciting, well-rounded blend of tools, athleticism, skills and upside at a premium position”. The teenager is also ranked as the #2 prospect for that publication. The report notes that Emerson has had a “stellar track record of performance”. He is the first ever USA Baseball Player to play on multiple 15U and 18U National Teams after leading the squad to a Gold Medal in 2025.
Emerson has no wasted movement in an efficient left-handed swing. He stays balanced with innate timing and feel for the barrel. The infielder can also drive the ball the opposite way or turn on it. The 18-year-old possesses on-base skills with a hit first approach. He’s a plus runner as well.
Why Would the White Sox Draft Grady Emerson?
The White Sox could draft Grady Emerson because there’s a legitimate argument to be made that he’s the best player in the 2026 draft class. Mike Shirley hasn’t been afraid to select prep players and Chris Getz has always focused on left-handed hitters who excel at premium positions. Nobody should be surprised if the Pale Hose choose the Texas prep sensation on draft day.
Scouts from the White Sox and for other clubs at the top of the draft flocked into Fort Worth Christian School this spring but there’s an extensive scouting history for Emerson in high profile showcase events as well. The scouting staff of the White Sox is very familiar with Emerson and they know his representation as well. He’ll likely break the bonus record at #1 overall regardless however and that could be a factor in the decision at #1 with two premium college hitters as the other options for the organization.
Gene Watson is the Director of Player Personnel for the White Sox and he has history with Bobby Witt Jr. in Kansas City. There’s also a familiarity with former big leaguer Rusty Greer. Greer served as the coach and mentor for Bobby Witt and has coached Emerson this spring as well. Chuck Garfien of CHSN spoke with Greer on a recent edition of the White Sox Podcast.
Emerson would likely become a top 25 prospect in baseball immediately. He would provide the White Sox with another intriguing premium prospect in the middle infield who hits from the left side. It’s unknown how quickly the 18-year-old would get out to an affiliate. Prep players typically stay at the complex in the draft season. The Texas commit might be advanced enough to get out to a full season assignment to end this season though.
Mock Draft Outcomes
In my first mock draft for FutureSox, I projected Grady Emerson to the Tampa Bay Rays with the #2 overall pick. Others have done the same with mostly chalk at the top for industry mock drafts at this point. In the latest version at Baseball America, Carlos Collazo sent Emerson to the Rays as well. At Overslot, Joe Doyle did the same with the Texas prep headed to Tampa Bay.
There are persistent rumors throughout the industry and Kentucky shortstop Tyler Bell could end up with the Rays at #2 overall on a significant discount. This would obviously change things for Grady Emerson potentially. Jonathan Mayo at MLB Pipeline referenced the plan in his latest mock draft but still opted to project Emerson at #2 overall with the Rays.
Keith Law at The Athletic states that the Giants would “back up the truck” for Grady Emerson at #4 overall. He also projected Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey to the White Sox at #1 overall with Kentucky’s Tyler Bell headed to the Rays at #2 overall. It’s been the biggest deviation in mock drafts so far.
Kiley McDaniel of ESPN projected Roch Cholowsky to the White Sox at #1 but he noted that nobody should be surprised if the club decided to go with Emerson at the #1 overall selection. He also wrote that many White Sox’s evaluators prefer Grady Emerson but that a 50/50 split would still go to the college player. His mock draft clarifies that Emerson is a legitimate option for the White Sox though and he doesn’t believe he falls past the Minnesota Twins at #3 overall.
