The Chicago White Sox won the 2026 MLB draft lottery Tuesday and will pick first in next summer’s draft.
The White Sox had the best odds to get the top pick at 27.73% after finishing 60-102 in the 2025 season.
Tuesday’s draft lottery determined the first six spots of the first round, with the remaining picks being set in inverse order of the teams’ regular-season records.
Tampa Bay Rays will select at No. 2, and the No. 3 pick went to the Minnesota Twins, who had the second-best odds to win the lottery at 22.18%. Rounding out the six lottery picks were the San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Royals.
The league-worst Colorado Rockies(43-119) were not eligible for this year’s lottery because they received lottery picks in consecutive drafts (2024 and ’25). They will pick 10th in the draft.
The Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Angels also were not eligible because they are «payor clubs» — or teams that give rather than receive revenue-sharing dollars — and cannot receive a lottery pick in consecutive years. The Nationals landed the 11th pick, while the Angels will pick 12th.
The 2026 draft will take place July 11-12 in Philadelphia as part of MLB’s All-Star Week festivities.
The Nationals won the lottery last year and selected high school shortstop Eli Willits with the No. 1 overall pick.
