White Sox weigh surprise names for No. 1 pick, per Nightengale

Lackey, Flora, Burress in mix beyond top prospect.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Jul 111 min read

The Chicago White Sox still up in the air over No. 1 pick including potential surprise picks catcher Vahn Lackey, pitche Via @BNightengale on X

What happened: The Chicago White Sox remain undecided on their No. 1 overall pick in this weekend's MLB Draft, according to Bob Nightengale. Nightengale reports catcher Vahn Lackey, pitcher Jackson Flora and outfielder Drew Burress as potential surprise selections.

Why it matters: MLB Network's mock draft had projected Roch Cholowsky going first overall, so any of the three names would mark a departure from the presumptive favorite. The pick gives Chicago a chance to reshape a farm system as the big-league club sits at 47-45 on a three-game losing streak.

By the numbers: White Sox are 47-45 this season, scoring 4.7 runs and allowing 4.5 per game, with a 3-game losing streak entering the draft.

What to watch: The draft runs Saturday and Sunday at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, where the White Sox will make the No. 1 selection.

Sources

@BNightengale 2026-07-11T02:52:25.019104+00:00

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