The stage is officially set for the 2026 MLB Draft – as Major League Baseball completed its annual Draft Lottery and finalized the top of the board for next year’s selection process.
The event, overseen by league officials and independent auditors, once again carries major implications for franchises hoping to land the next generation of star talent. Several clubs entered the night with high hopes, but only one walked away with the coveted No. 1 overall pick.
How does the MLB Draft Lottery work?
Only teams eliminated from the playoffs participate in a lottery to determine the top six picks.
The remaining 12 non-postseason teams then pick in reverse order of the standings (picks 7-18), and the 12 postseason teams pick in order of their finish (picks 19-30).
Which teams participated in the 2026 MLB Draft Lottery?
For next year 15 of the 18 non-playoff teams are eligible this season, with the Rockies, Nationals and Angels excluded.
Rockies received a lottery pick in the 2024 and ’25 Drafts, so they are not eligible for this year’s lottery — teams cannot receive a lottery pick in more than two consecutive years. The Nationals and Angels are “payor clubs” — teams that give rather than receive revenue sharing dollars — and payors cannot receive a lottery pick in consecutive years.
So, here are the 15 non-playoff teams that entered lottery night, along with their lottery odds:
- White Sox – 27.73%
- Twins – 22.18%
- Pirates – 16.81%
- Orioles – 9.24%
- Athletics – 6.55%
- Braves – 4.54%
- Rays – 3.03%
- Cardinals – 2.35%
- Marlins – 1.85%
- D-backs – 1.51%
- Rangers – 1.34%
- Giants – 1.01%
- Royals – 0.84%
- Mets – 0.67%
- Astros – 0.34%
Who won the No. 1 pick in the 2026 MLB Draft?
Chicago White Sox emerged as the big winner of lottery night, securing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft.
2026 MLB Draft Order
Below is the full draft order for the first round.
- Chicago White Sox
- Minnesota Twins
- Minnesota Twins
- San Francisco Giants
- Pittsburgh Pirates
- Kansas City Royals
- Baltimore Orioles
- Athletics
- Atlanta Braves
- Colorado Rockies
- Washington Nationals
- Los Angeles Angels
- St. Louis Cardinals
- Miami Marlins
- Arizona Diamondbacks
- Texas Rangers
- Houston Astros
- Cincinnati Reds
- Cleveland Guardians
- Boston Red Sox
- San Diego Padres
- Detroit Tigers
- Chicago Cubs
- Seattle Mariners
- Milwaukee Brewers
Blue Jays, Dodgers, Mets, Phillies and Yankees are projected to receive a 10-pick penalty for exceeding the second surcharge threshold of the Competitive Balance Tax.
Only the first round is set using the Lottery. The order of rounds 2-20 is the reverse order of this year’s standings. There are also free-agent compensation and competitive balance round picks scattered throughout the draft. Those additional picks will be determined throughout the offseason. So, everything after the first-round order is TBD as the offseason plays out.
When is the 2026 MLB Draft?
The 2026 MLB Draft will take place on July 11-12 in Philadelphia, held during MLB All-Star Week.
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