Chicago White Sox 2026 5 Round Mock Draft 3.0

We released Mock Draft 2.0 for the White Sox here at FutureSox and the final version comes out on draft day. The most recent MLB Draft Notebook is available as well with some highlights on local players and bonus pool figures. The White Sox have the #1 overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft and while the scouting department is doing the necessary work in the lead up to the event, it appears to be a two man race for the selection at this point.

With the lack of intrigue in the first round for the White Sox, I’m looking at the first five selections to give a snapshot of how things could potentially play out on draft day. This will be the final version of this exercise.

The White Sox have the third largest bonus pool with $17,592,100 to spend. With the 5% overage added, the club can spend up to $18.4 million. The first overall pick comes with a slot value of $11,350,600. The largest bonus handed out in the pool era is $9.3 million and that record likely breaks this year.

Clubs that exceed their bonus pool face a penalty. Teams that outspend their allotment by 0-5 percent pay a 75 percent tax on the overage. At higher thresholds, teams lose future picks: a first-rounder and a 75 percent tax for surpassing their pool by more than 5 and up to 10 percent; a first- and a second-rounder and a 100 percent tax for more than 10 and up to 15 percent; and two first-rounders and a 100 percent tax for more than 15 percent. In 12 drafts under the current rules, teams have routinely spent up to the 5% but nobody has paid the penalty to go over.

On day three of the draft (rounds 11-20), players can sign for up to $150,000 without counting toward a club’s bonus pool money. For example, the White Sox selected Texas prep shortstop Matthew Boughton in the 11th round of last year’s draft and signed the now top 30 prospect to a bonus of $200,000. $50,000 of that counted against the club’s bonus pool.

This will be Mike Shirley’s 7th draft in his role as Director of Amateur Scouting for the club. The organization has selected Garrett Crochet, Colson Montgomery, Noah Schultz, Jacob Gonzalez, Hagen Smith and Billy Carlson with first rounders in that time. The White Sox have routinely spent up to the 5% overage in the draft.

These are the White Sox’s picks and slot values for the first 10 rounds of the 2026 MLB Draft

Round	Pick	Slot Value
1	#1	$11,350,600
2	#41	$2,446,100
3	#77	$1,086,600
4	#105	$747,700
5	#137	$547,700
6	#166	$413,900
7	#195	$325,100
8	#225	$256,500
9	#255	$217,000
10	#285	$200,900

Chicago White Sox-R1 (1st overall): Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA

Roch Cholowsky doesn’t appear to be a lock for this selection as we get closer to the club actually making a selection at #1 overall. Texas prep shortstop Grady Emerson is under heavy consideration for this spot as well with Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey looking like a distant third option.

The signing bonus matters and likely doesn’t get hammered out until 24-36 hours before the pick is made but the club will likely prioritize taking the best guy over worrying about savings that would be minuscule in this spot. Cholowsky and Emerson both have major upside and they’re also represented by the same agency. Emerson being the pick here shouldn’t be shocking at this stage but the high floor and expedited trajectory to the big leagues give the edge to the college player here.

Chicago White Sox-R2 (41st overall): Landon Thome, SS, Nazareth Academy (IL)

The Landon Thome rumors have persisted all spring and there’s a chance that the White Sox can slide the player to the third round but I feel like his inclusion in those draft class is a priority for the club and he’s slotted here in this final attempt. The 18-year-old is one of the best hitters in the prep class with a left-handed bat geared for pitch recognition, bat to ball skills and hard contact.

The 6-0, 177 pounder was the Illinois Player of the Year in 2026 and he has above-average hit and power potential. Thome’s makeup and baseball IQ is off the charts as well and his father; Hall of Famer Jim Thome is a member of the White Sox’s front office. He’s a below-average runner with some defensive questions but he should hit enough to profile in multiple spots defensively.

Chicago White Sox-R3 (77th overall): Dylan Bowen, SS, Hanover Central HS (IN)

Bowen has lots of late helium and he could go higher than this ultimately. The White Sox are very familiar with the Hanover, Indiana product and they love their Midwest players. The 6-0, 190 pounder is already 19-years-old which will push some teams away but he has an Oklahoma State commitment as well and would be eligible for the 2028 draft.

Bowen displays a repeatable right-handed swing and makes consistent contact. The power potential is uncertain but he makes good swing decisions and barrels balls often. With plus speed, he’s not a lock to stay at shortstop but he has the athleticism to profile on the dirt or potentially in the outfield as well. This is a name to watch on day one.

Chicago White Sox-R4 (105th overall): Caden Ferraro, OF, Texas Tech

Ferraro might be off the board much sooner than this but he’s currently ranked as the #169 overall prospect at Baseball America. The publication included him in an article as a riser recently though. The 6-2, 215 pounder posted an 1.100 OPS at Blinn Junior College for two years with 36 homers before hitting .374/.481/.604 with eight homers for Texas Tech this spring.

The 21-year-old makes excellent swing decisions while producing consistent hard contact and displaying premium exit velocity. Ferraro has plus raw power but has focused more on the hit tool since transferring from Blinn. He’s a poor defender and there are real defensive questions but the bat will get him drafted high. The batted ball data will intrigue the White Sox and other clubs. Ferraro is the only player in the country with a 91% in-zone contact rate and 90th percentile exit velocity above 109 mph.

Chicago White Sox-R5 (137th overall): Tyler Putnam, RHP, Battle HS (MO)

Putnam was an MLB Draft Combine standout and he was also a member of the White Sox’s Area Codes Team. The 6-5, 200 pounder is athletic and projectable and he’s also a multi-sport athlete as a basketball player. The Battle, Missouri native hasn’t spent the majority of his time on baseball yet and he could really take off once he decides to do so.

He already possesses a high 90’s fastball with an upper 70’s slider and mid 80’s fading changeup. Putnam is a big “extension guy” and it’s a trait that has been a priority under Brian Bannister. The prep righty also has a quick arm with room to add strength and velocity.