The 2026 Major League Baseball amateur draft entered its competitive balance round A on Tuesday, a stage where teams with lower revenue streams receive extra picks to level the playing field. This year’s cohort featured a blend of college standouts and high‑school phenoms, each vying to turn their draft day dreams into professional contracts.
Key Signings and Bonuses
Among the names called, the Chicago White Sox secured the rights to UCLA pitcher Roch Cholowsky, rewarding his collegiate performance with a signing bonus that underscores the team’s commitment to bolstering its rotation. The Tampa Bay Rays followed with a high‑school standout, Grady Emerson, from Fort Worth Christian High in Texas, while the Minnesota Twins added Georgia Tech right‑hander Vahn Lackey to their farm system.
The San Francisco Giants invested in arm talent, selecting right‑handed pitcher Jackson Flora out of UC Santa Barbara, and the Pittsburgh Pirates opted for outfielder Derek Curiel from LSU. Meanwhile, the Kansas City Royals tapped Louisville’s Zion Rose, and the Baltimore Orioles reached into Mississippi to claim Eric Booth Jr. from Oak Grove High.
Other selections included the Oakland Athletics’ choice of Drew Burress, a Georgia Tech outfielder, and the Atlanta Braves’ hefty $3,997,500 bonus for Virginia prospect AJ Gracia, a figure that highlights the financial stakes of the round. The Colorado Rockies rounded out the list by drafting shortstop Tyler Bell from Kentucky, completing a diverse slate of talent that will shape the next wave of MLB prospects.