White Sox Draft Landon Thome with 34th Pick in 2026 MLB Draft
FutureSox
After selecting UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky with the No. 1 overall pick, the White Sox returned back to the high school ranks with a selection they did not own until the night before the draft.
Chicago selected Nazareth Academy infielder Landon Thome with the No. 34 overall pick in Competitive Balance Round A. The White Sox acquired the selection from Pittsburgh in a trade that sent infielder Jacob Gonzalez and left-hander Brandon Eisert to the Pirates. Chicago also received left-hander Jaden Woods in the deal.
Thome entered the draft as one of the top high school hitters in the Midwest. MLB Pipeline ranked him No. 34 in the class, matching the exact spot where Chicago selected him. Keith Law ranked him No. 33. Baseball America placed him at No. 57 while ESPN ranked him No. 63 and Just Baseball ranked him No. 62.
The family connection will receive plenty of attention. Thome is the son of Hall of Famer and former White Sox slugger Jim Thome, who works as a special assistant to general manager Chris Getz. Jim also serves as an assistant coach at Nazareth.
Chicago’s interest extended well beyond the family name.
In an interview recorded before the White Sox acquired the No. 34 pick, Director of Amateur Scouting Mike Shirley described Thome’s hit skill as elite. He praised his control of the barrel and pointed to his performance alongside the top hitters in the country with USA Baseball. Shirley also noted that Thome had become a better runner while identifying defense as the area that still required the most work.
There were rumors before the draft that believed Chicago could target Thome at No. 34. The White Sox have not confirmed that the pick was acquired specifically for him. The trade did allow the organization to select Thome without waiting seven more spots and hoping he remained available at No. 41.
The Hit Tool Drove the Selection
Thome was named the 2026 Gatorade Illinois Baseball Player of the Year after a dominant senior season. MLB’s draft-day profile credited him with a .535 average, seven home runs and a 1.676 OPS. He scored 57 runs and drove in 29 while stealing 54 bases in 56 attempts.
The stolen-base total established a Nazareth single-season record. It also showed how much Thome improved his athleticism during his final year of high school. He may settle closer to an average runner as his body matures, but his reads and aggression allow the speed to play up on the bases.
Baseball America later named him a second-team High School All-American.
Thome hits from the left side with a swing designed to lift the baseball. He creates torque through his lower half before turning the barrel through the zone with quick hands. His strength has improved enough for the contact to carry more damage than it did earlier in his high school career.
The underlying quality of contact supports that growth. MLB reported a 91.1 mph average exit velocity entering the draft. Baseball America and MLB Pipeline each assigned 55 grades to both his hit and power tools.
Thome also produced against the best high school competition available. He was among the few hitters to homer at the 2025 Area Code Games in Long Beach, a park that rarely allows much home run production during the event.
His offensive profile is not without risk. Some evaluators saw the swing become longer when he sold out for pull-side power. He also had trouble at times when pitchers attacked him with fastballs in the upper portion of the strike zone.
Those concerns did not outweigh the broader track record. Thome recognizes pitches well enough to draw walks and rarely needs to expand the zone to create damage. He showed the ability to use the entire field even though his best contact comes when he gets his arms extended.
The White Sox believe more power could emerge as Thome continues getting stronger. His offensive value does not depend on becoming the type of hitter his father was. Landon has described himself as more of a pure hitter and has made a point of building his own identity at the plate.
From Nazareth Academy to the White Sox
Few draft prospects had a stronger connection to one organization.
Thome played for the White Sox Area Code team and spent his high school career alongside Jaden Fauske. Chicago selected Fauske with the No. 44 overall pick in the 2025 draft. Some evaluators who followed both players believed Thome’s offensive ability compared favorably with Fauske’s during their final season together.
Jim Thome coached both players at Nazareth. That gave the White Sox years of exposure to Landon’s preparation and development before his senior season.
“There was nothing surprising, let’s put it that way,” Getz said of the organization’s in-home visit with Thome.
Getz said Chicago already knew the family and its support system. That familiarity left the organization confident in the work Thome would put into reaching his ceiling.
Thome was part of Nazareth’s 2023 state championship team and developed within one of the strongest programs in Illinois. He also produced one of the more memorable games of his high school career during a 2025 trip to Limestone High School, where his father played.
Landon wore Jim’s No. 25 and went 3-for-3 with a walk. He homered twice in Nazareth’s 6-4 victory.
The White Sox still needed to evaluate Thome outside that familiar setting. His performance at Area Codes and with USA Baseball allowed scouts to compare his bat against the best players in the class. Shirley said Thome competed with those hitters in terms of contact quality and barrel consistency.
Where Does Thome Play?
The White Sox announced Thome as a shortstop, and he should receive opportunities there early in his professional career. Most evaluators expect him to move elsewhere as he advances.
Thome has reliable hands and a strong understanding of the game. His average arm and limited lateral quickness make second base the most likely long-term position. Third base could become another option if he adds strength.
He spent part of the offseason working with San Diego Padres infielder Jake Cronenworth. The work focused on improving his movement and throwing. Scouts saw enough progress to become more comfortable with his chances of handling either second or third base.
The White Sox do not need to make that decision immediately. Thome can continue receiving work at shortstop while the organization evaluates how his body responds to a professional strength program.
The bat provides some protection if he moves off shortstop. Chicago selected him because it believes his hitting ability can profile at several infield positions.
Fitting in the Totality of the White Sox Draft Class
Selecting Thome gave the White Sox two shortstops with their first two picks, but the players enter professional baseball with different profiles and timelines.
Cholowsky brings college experience and advanced defense. He could move quickly through the system. Thome gives Chicago a younger left-handed hitter whose value begins with contact ability and offensive feel.
The White Sox followed by selecting another prep hitter in Cole Prosek at No. 41. Chicago then turned to pitching with Georgia right-hander Joey Volchko and Oregon State right-hander Eric Segura.
The presence of Cholowsky and other young infielders should not affect how Thome develops. Players drafted at shortstop often move elsewhere as they advance. Chicago can address any positional overlap once those players reach the upper levels.
Thome was committed to Florida State. The No. 34 selection carries a slot value of $2,897,400, though his signing bonus has not been reported.
Assuming he signs, Thome will likely spend the rest of the summer working at the organization’s Arizona complex. That would allow him to adjust to professional pitching while beginning a defensive program that could include several infield positions.
The family connection made Thome easy to associate with the White Sox before the draft. Chicago used the No. 34 pick because it believes the bat stands on its own.
