Final Mock Draft for the 2026 MLB Draft Roch Vs. Emerson Vs. Lackey Who is Going 1s? First 40 Picks

MLB Draft Day brings bold predictions and franchise-altering choices as Jeff Ellis reveals his complete 40-pick mock draft. Who will the Chicago White Sox select with the top pick—Rock Cholowsky or a surprise contender? The debate heats up around high-profile names like Grady Emerson, Vahn Lackey, and Jacob Lombard, with team tendencies and draft history shaping each selection.   Key insights include strategies like trading down with slot values, the evolving emphasis on college bats versus prep talent, and the shifting philosophies of teams like the Cleveland Guardians and Pittsburgh Pirates. Will teams target power and exit velocity or stick with traditional approaches? Jeff Ellis breaks down major storylines, sleeper picks, and offers sharp analysis on which prospects—like Ryder Helfrick, Gio Rojas, and Ace Reese—could become future MLB stars.     00:00 Draft strategy and slot values 05:38 College vs high school draft picks 06:50 Rays draft strategy discussion 10:19 Draft prospects and signing challenges 13:15 Pitching development and trade strategy 17:48 Oakland Athletics draft prospects 19:44 Sleeper picks and team strategies 23:19 Assessing Player Development Concerns 28:10 Discussing draft pick strategies 29:57 Draft strategies for the Rangers 32:22 Astros' draft pick considerations 36:30 Analyzing Young Baseball Prospects 38:52 Discussing baseball draft picks 43:49 Atlanta Braves draft strategy 46:54 Discussing draft prospects and injuries 50:56 Tampa Bay draft strategy discussion 55:02 Draft pick analysis 55:35 Draft strategy for pitching prospects 59:33 Discussing recent draft picks   Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonguardians.supercast.com   Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Amazon This Back To School Season, spend less on your kids, with Amazon. With Amazon’s low Back To School Prices, just spend less on your kids. Because every dollar you don’t spend on them, is a dollar you haven’t spent on them.     Proton It’s easy to get started. Right now, Proton VPN is offering our listeners 70% off a two-year plan when you go to https://ProtonVPN.com/LOCKEDONMLB.   Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at https://Indeed.com/podcast   KALSHI For a limited time, download the Kalshi app and use code LOCKEDON to get ten dollars when you trade ten. Kalshi. Trade on anything.   Gametime Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.   FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. From the opening whistle to the final kick, Let There Be Goals on FanDuel. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started now.   FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)   Locked On MLB League-Wide: Every Team, Prospects & More 🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/leagues/mlb/   #Guardians #ClevelandGuardians #MLB Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.