Draft - Baseball Wiretap

Roch Cholowsky  has agreed to a record signing bonus with the Chicago White Sox after they made him the No. 1 overall pick in last week's draft. The shortstop out of UCLA landed a $10.35 million bonus, according to MLB.com, roughly $1 million below the pick's slot value but $1.1 million higher than the previous record.

The prior mark of $9.25 million was shared by Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Burns and Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Condon, the second and third picks in the 2024 draft. Cholowsky became Chicago's first No. 1 selection since 1977, when the franchise took Hall of Fame outfielder Harold Baines.

Cholowsky threw a ceremonial first pitch to Baines on Sunday afternoon at Rate Field. He had visited the organization in early June, meeting coaches, players, front office staff and owner Jerry Reinsdorf during a trip that included Braden Montgomery's walk-off home run in his major-league debut.

The 21-year-old posted a .320/.452/.636 slash line with 21 home runs in 60 games during his junior season at UCLA. The Athletic's draft analyst Keith Law, who ranked Cholowsky as his top overall prospect, described him as a polished shortstop with power and strong instincts on both sides of the ball.

The Chicago White Sox selected UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky with the No. 1 overall pick Saturday, taking the consensus top prospect in this year's class despite late buzz around Grady Emerson and Vahn Lackey. Cholowsky posted a 1.088 OPS during his junior season and profiles as a well-rounded shortstop with a fast track to the majors.

The Tampa Bay Rays followed by selecting Fort Worth Christian High School shortstop Grady Emerson, the top-ranked high school position player in the draft. Emerson earned Gatorade National Player of the Year honors and fills a need for a Rays organization still searching for stability at shortstop.

The Minnesota Twins took Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey third overall after he hit .397 with 20 home runs this season, continuing the school's pipeline of first-round catchers.

The San Francisco Giants then selected UC Santa Barbara right-hander Jackson Flora fourth, the top pitching prospect in a class considered thin on arms.

The Pittsburgh Pirates rounded out the top five by taking LSU outfielder Derek Curiel, a draft-eligible sophomore who batted .353 with strong instincts in center field.

2026 MLB Draft Results

First Round

1. Chicago White Sox: Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA
2. Tampa Bay Rays: Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian HS (Texas)
3. Minnesota Twins: Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech
4. San Francisco Giants: Jackson Flora, RHP, UC Santa Barbara
5. Pittsburgh Pirates: Derek Curiel, CF, LSU
6. Kansas City Royals: Zion Rose, LF, Louisville
7. Baltimore Orioles: Eric Booth Jr., CF, Oak Grove HS (Mississippi)
8. Athletics: Drew Burress, CF, Georgia Tech
9. Atlanta Braves: AJ Gracia, CF, Virginia
10. Colorado Rockies: Tyler Bell, SS, Kentucky
11. Washington Nationals: Chris Hacopian, 2B, Texas A&M
12. Los Angeles Angels: Jared Grindlinger, RF/LHP, Huntington Beach HS (California)
13. St. Louis Cardinals: Trevor Condon, CF, Etowah HS (Georgia)
14. Miami Marlins: Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep HS (Florida)
15. Arizona Diamondbacks: Ryder Helfrick, C, Arkansas
16. Texas Rangers: Gio Rojas, LHP, Stoneman Douglas HS (Florida)
17. Houston Astros: Logan Hughes, LF, Texas Tech
18. Cincinnati Reds: Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama
19. Cleveland Guardians: Liam Peterson, RHP, Florida
20. Boston Red Sox: Jake Schaffner, SS, North Carolina
21. San Diego Padres: Coleman Borthwick, RHP, South Walton HS (Florida)
22. Detroit Tigers: Cameron Flukey, RHP, Coastal Carolina
23. Chicago Cubs: Cade Townsend, RHP, Mississippi
24. Seattle Mariners: Ace Reese, 3B, Mississippi State
25. Milwaukee Brewers: Trey Ebel, SS, Corona HS (California)
26. Atlanta Braves: Carter Beck, CF, Indiana State
27. New York Mets: Carson Wiggins, RHP, Arkansas
28. Houston Astros: Jack Radel, RHP, Notre Dame
29. San Francisco Giants: Carson Bolemon, LHP, Southside Christian HS (South Carolina)
30. Kansas City Royals: Taylor Rabe, RHP, Mississippi
31. Arizona Diamondbacks: Blake Bryant, RHP, Citizen's Christian HS (Georgia)
32. St. Louis Cardinals: Tegan Kuhns, RHP, Tennessee
33. Tampa Bay Rays: Taj Marchand, SS, James Island Charter HS (South Carolina)
34. Chicago White Sox: Landon Thome, SS, Nazareth Academy HS (Illinois)
35. New York Yankees: Hunter Dietz, LHP, Arkansas
36. Philadelphia Phillies: Tyler Spangler, SS, De La Salle HS (California)
37. Colorado Rockies: Daniel Jackson, C, Georgia

Second Round

38. Colorado Rockies: Logan Reddemann, RHP, UCLA
39. Toronto Blue Jays: Cole Carlon, LHP, Arizona State
40. Los Angeles Dodgers: Bo Lowrance, 3B, Christ Church Episcopal HS (South Carolina)
41. Chicago White Sox: Cole Prosek, 3B/C, Magnolia Heights HS (Mississippi)
42. Washington Nationals: Chase Brunson, OF, TCU
43. Minnesota Twins: Carson Tinney, C, Texas
44. Pittsburgh Pirates: Aiden Ruiz, SS, The Stony Brook HS
45. Los Angeles Angels: Jarren Advincula, 2B, Georgia Tech
46. Baltimore Orioles: Ty Head, OF, North Carolina State
47. Athletics: Mason Edwards, P, USC
48. Atlanta Braves: Kaiden McCarthy, P, Vermont Academy
49. Tampa Bay Rays: Ben Blair, P, Liberty
50. St. Louis Cardinals: Rocco Maniscalco, SS, Oxford HS
51. Pittsburgh Pirates: Chris Rembert, 2B, Auburn
52. Miami Marlins: Ethan Kleinschmit, P, Oregon State
53. Arizona Diamondbacks: Carson Kerce, SS, Georgia Tech
54. Texas Rangers: Connor Comeau, 3B, Anderson HS (Texas)
55. San Francisco Giants: Kaden Waechter, P, Jesuit HS (Florida)
56. Kansas City Royals: Jack Slightom, P, Lyons Township HS (Illinois)
57. Houston Astros: Wes Mendes, P, Florida State
58. Cincinnati Reds: Eric Becker, 3B, Virginia
59. Cleveland Guardians: Logan Schmidt, P, Ganesha HS (California)
60. San Diego Padres: Elliot Lascelles, SS, Upper Canada College HS
61. Detroit Tigers: Tyson LeBlanc, SS, Kansas
62. Chicago Cubs: Caden Sorrell, OF, Texas A&M
63. New York Yankees: Sean Duncan, P, Terry Fox SS (Canada)
64. Philadelphia Phillies: Caden Bogenpohl, OF, Missouri State
65. Seattle Mariners: Jake Brown, OF, LSU
66. Milwaukee Brewers: Sawyer Strosnider, OF, TCU

Competitive Balance Round B

67. Boston Red Sox: Owen Hull, OF, North Carolina
68. St. Louis Cardinals: Andrew Williamson, OF, Central Florida
69. Detroit Tigers: Evan Dempsey, P, Florida Gulf Coast
70. Cincinnati Reds: Mulivai Levu, 1B, UCLA
71. Miami Marlins: Ryan Peterson, P, Sam Houston State
72. St. Louis Cardinals: Dawson, Montesa P, West Virginia
73. Athletics: Gabe Gaeckle, P, Arkansas
74. Minnesota Twins: Brett Renfrow, P, Virginia Tech

Compensation Picks

75. Chicago Cubs: Myles Bailey, 1B, Florida State

Third Round

76. Colorado Rockies: Jack Natili, C, Cincinnati
77. Chicago White Sox: Joey Volchko, P, Georgia
78. Washington Nationals: Luke Williams SS, Franklin Regional HS (Pennsylvania)
79. Minnesota Twins: Ethan Wachsmann, P, Grandview HS (Colorado)
80. Pittsburgh Pirates: Jason DeCaro, P, North Carolina
81. Los Angeles Angels: Gavin Grahovac, 3B, Texas A&M
82. Baltimore Orioles: Dominic Voegele, P, Kansas
83. Athletics: Jacob Dudan, P, North Carolina State
84. Atlanta Braves: Jensen Hirschkorn, P, Kingsburg HS (California)
85. Tampa Bay Rays: Gavin Giese, P, Dana Hills HS (California)
86. St. Louis Cardinals: Caden Ferraro OF, Texas Tech
87. Miami Marlins: Cam Kozeal SS, Arkansas
88. Arizona Diamondbacks: Brayden Dowd OF, Florida State
89. Texas Rangers: Brody Bumila P, Bishop Feehan HS (Mass.)
90. San Francisco Giants: Peyton Bonds OF, Rutgers
91. Kansas City Royals: Maxx Yehl P, West Virginia
92. New York Mets: Aiden Robbins OF, Texas
93. Houston Astros: Keon Johnson SS, First Presbyterian HS (Georgia)
94. Cincinnati Reds: Ty Horn P, Nebraska
95. Cleveland Guardians: Tre Broussard, OF, Houston
96. Boston Red Sox: Jace Mataczynski, SS, Hudson HS (Wisconsin)
97. San Diego Padres: Ryan Lynch, P, North Carolina
98. Chicago Cubs: Carson Jasa, P, Nebraska
99. New York Yankees: Brendan Brock, C, Oklahoma
100. Philadelphia Phillies: Ruger Riojas, P, Texas
101. Seattle Mariners: Nathan Taylor, P, Cincinnati
102. Milwaukee Brewers: Kyle Jones, OF, Florida
103. Toronto Blue Jays: Ryan Cooney, SS, Oregon

Fourth Round

104. Colorado Rockies: Ben Davis, P, Mississippi State
105. Chicago White Sox: Eric Segura, P, Oregon State
106. Washington Nationals: Cooper Harris, P, Flower Mound HS (Texas)
107. Minnesota Twins: Tommy LaPour, P, TCU
108. Pittsburgh Pirates: Andruw Giles, OF, Basic HS (Nevada)
109. Los Angeles Angels: Rylan Lujo, OF, Georgia
110. Baltimore Orioles: Kevin Roberts Jr., OF, Jackson Prep HS (Mississippi)
111. Athletics: Roman Martin, SS, UCLA
112. Atlanta Braves: Cole Dennis, P, Bishop Snyder HS (Florida)
113. Tampa Bay Rays: Collin Bland, OF, Houston HS
114. St. Louis Cardinals: Dee Kennedy, SS, Kansas State
115. Miami Marlins: Wessley Roberson, OF, Glynn Academy HS (Georgia)
116. Arizona Diamondbacks: Josh McDevitt, P, Missouri
117. Texas Rangers: Hudson Calhoun, P, Mississippi
118. San Francisco Giants: Carlos Martinez, P, Hofstra
119. Kansas City Royals: Dominic Battista, OF, Oswego East HS (Illinois)
120. New York Mets: Shane Sdao, P, Texas A&M
121. Houston Astros: Kam Durnin, SS, Missouri
122. Cincinnati Reds: Ethan Norby, P, East Carolina
123. Cleveland Guardians: Kade Lewis, 3B, Wake Forest
124. San Diego Padres: Robbie Lavey, C, George Washington
125. Detroit Tigers: Dominic Pellegrin, SS, Holy Cross HS (Louisiana)
126. Chicago Cubs: Dylan Marionneaux, P, Northwestern State
127. New York Yankees: Paul Contreras, OF, Cal State Fullerton
128. Philadelphia Phillies: Deven Sheerin, P, LSU
129. Seattle Mariners: Trevor Lucas 3B, UNC Wilmington
130. Milwaukee Brewers: Julian Garcia, P, St. John Bosco HS (California)
131. Toronto Blue Jays: Will Brick, C, Christian Brothers HS (Tennessee)
132. Los Angeles Dodgers: Russell Sandefer, P, Florida

Comp Picks

133. Houston Astros: Beau Peterson, 3B, Mill Valley HS (Kansas)
134. San Diego Padres: Alex Conover, OF, Oklahoma State
135. Philadelphia Phillies: Jaxon Jelkin, P, Kentucky

The Tampa Bay Rays selected shortstop Grady Emerson with the second overall pick in Saturday's MLB Draft. Emerson, out of Fort Worth Christian School in North Richland Hills, Texas, becomes the first high school player taken this year.

Emerson had been projected as the top overall prospect for most of the draft cycle before eventual No. 1 pick Roch Cholowsky surged late in the process. Emerson instead joins an organization known for its strong player development track record.

The left-handed hitter closed his prep career with a .532/.648/1.013 line, adding seven home runs, 50 RBIs and 31 stolen bases. He became just the second high schooler in 48 years to earn a Golden Spikes Award nomination, joining Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., whom Emerson has trained with and considers a mentor.

Emerson is widely viewed as the best pure hitter in this year's class, combining an advanced approach with elite contact skills. He became the first player to appear on multiple USA Baseball U-15 and U-18 national teams.

Keith Law of The Athletic offered a comparison for Emerson's offensive profile.

"(T)he descriptions I hear from scouts and execs make it sound like they're hoping he's the next Kevin McGonigle," wrote Law. "And maybe he is: Emerson does hit, making contact at a reasonably high clip last summer at showcases (13.3 percent strikeout rate, 23.3 percent whiff rate), while showing fringe-average power now that projects to above-average at his peak."

Defensively, evaluators believe Emerson can play shortstop, citing soft hands, a plus arm and strong instincts to go with above-average speed. He finished as runner-up in last year's high school home run derby at Truist Park during MLB All-Star weekend.

Emerson grew up a Texas Rangers fan and modeled his game after former second baseman Ian Kinsler.

The Chicago White Sox selected UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky first overall Saturday in the MLB amateur draft. The 6-foot-2 right-handed hitter posted a 1.088 OPS with 21 home runs and 60 RBIs during his junior season and was a Golden Spikes Award finalist.

Cholowsky becomes the second UCLA product taken with the No. 1 pick, joining pitcher Gerrit Cole, who went first overall to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2011.

White Sox general manager Chris Getz praised Cholowsky's leadership in a statement.

"A leader on the field as well as in the clubhouse," said Getz. "He has more than lived up to very high expectations, and we cannot wait to get him into our organization, get started and see him continue his growth and success."

The Tampa Bay Rays followed with the second pick, selecting shortstop Grady Emerson out of Fort Worth Christian High School in Texas. The Minnesota Twins took Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey third overall.

Saturday marked the White Sox's first time holding the top pick since selecting Harold Baines in 1977. Chicago earned the No. 1 selection after losing 102 games last season and winning the draft lottery.

The organization views Cholowsky as a future star who can help lead the franchise toward its first World Series title since 2005.

The Chicago White Sox remain undecided among three players for the No. 1 overall pick in Saturday's MLB draft, according to vice president of amateur scouting Mike Shirley.

UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey and Texas high school shortstop Grady Emerson are the finalists under consideration, Shirley said Wednesday.

"It's still a bit of an open book, but I think we all know who the candidates are here, and we're working extremely hard," said Shirley. "The Cholowsky/Emerson conversation, the Vahn Lackey conversation, these are real. They are happening. They're happening up to the minute."

Shirley outlined strengths for each prospect. Emerson has significantly closed the gap on Cholowsky during his senior year of high school, while Cholowsky maintained his standing during his junior college season, batting .320 with 21 home runs. Lackey, meanwhile, profiles as a potential elite defensive catcher.

"It's not about what they are today," said Shirley. "It's about what they're going to be two to three years from now when they show up here at the major league level."

Shirley echoed general manager Chris Getz's approach to the selection process, emphasizing that talent alone will determine the pick.

"It's not about the major league team. It's not about the money," said Shirley. "It's about who is the best player."

The team is also disregarding potential future changes to the league's draft rules, including a proposal that could eliminate high school players from future drafts.

Shirley acknowledged growing concerns around NIL money influencing player decisions, noting some prospects are forgoing the draft entirely to remain in college.

"I think Roch Cholowsky turned down a substantial amount of money to leave UCLA last year," said Shirley. "If you don't think the players are being offered a lot of money to leave, it's real."

Chicago enters Saturday's draft in first place, a dramatic turnaround following three consecutive 100-loss seasons, including an MLB-record 121 losses in 2024.

Major League Baseball proposed widespread changes to its amateur-entry system that would cut signing bonuses by more than $150 million annually, make high school players ineligible for the domestic draft and institute an international draft, sources told ESPN.

The proposal, made at a collective bargaining meeting with the MLB Players Association on Thursday, called for the domestic draft to be shortened from 20 to 12 hard-slotted rounds and the amateur signing bonus pool to be nearly halved to $200 million, according to sources.

The international draft, which would cover all amateur players outside of the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, would also be 12 rounds with a $200 million bonus pool, sources told ESPN.

The 2026 MLB Draft is two months away, and the race for the top pick has tightened considerably. ESPN projects UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky going first overall to the Chicago White Sox, though the selection is essentially a coin flip between Cholowsky and Fort Worth Christian High School shortstop Grady Emerson, with industry buzz suggesting a genuine 50-50 split internally for Chicago.

The pro-Cholowsky argument centers on readiness. Supporters believe he can reach the big leagues within 12 months and carries less projection risk than Emerson, who is seen by rival clubs as having slightly higher upside but also more variance. Emerson would also come with some slot savings that Chicago could redirect to later picks.

The San Francisco Giants, who recently acquired the 29th pick in a trade with the Cleveland Guardians, are rumored to be aggressively pursuing either Cholowsky or Emerson at fourth overall via an overslot bonus offer. The strategy mirrors how the Giants landed Buster Posey in the 2008 draft, though most industry observers view the gambit as unlikely to succeed.

Should Cholowsky go first, the Rays are projected to take Emerson at second. Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey is the consensus third-best prospect in the class and is expected to land with the Minnesota Twins at third overall. The Giants, pivoting to high school talent if their aggressive pursuit fails, are projected to select Florida prep shortstop Jacob Lombard fourth.

The draft takes place July 11 in Philadelphia.

1. Chicago White Sox: Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA
2. Tampa Bay Rays: Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian HS (TX)
3. Minnesota Twins: Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech
4. San Francisco Giants: Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep HS (Fla.)
5. Pittsburgh Pirates: Jackson Flora, RHP, UC Santa Barbara
6. Kansas City Royals: Eric Booth Jr., CF, Oak Grove HS (Miss.)
7. Baltimore Orioles: Ryder Helfrick, C, Arkansas
8. Athletics: Chris Hacopian, 2B, Texas A&M
9. Atlanta Braves: Drew Burress, CF, Georgia Tech
10. Colorado Rockies: Cameron Flukey, RHP, Coastal Carolina
11. Washington Nationals: Jared Grindlinger, RF/LHP, Huntington Beach HS (Calif.)
12. Los Angeles Angels: Liam Peterson, RHP, Florida
13. St. Louis Cardinals: Derek Curiel, CF, LSU
14. Miami Marlins: Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama
15. Arizona Diamondbacks: Trevor Condon, CF, Etowah HS (Ga.)
16. Texas Rangers: Sawyer Strosnider, CF, TCU
17. Houston Astros: Aiden Robbins, CF, Texas
18. Cincinnati Reds: Cole Carlon, LHP, Arizona State
19. Cleveland Guardians: Mason Edwards, LHP, USC
20. Boston Red Sox: Bo Lowrance, 3B, Christ Church Episcopal HS (S.C.)
21. San Diego Padres: Gio Rojas, LHP, Stoneman Douglas HS (Fla.)
22. Detroit Tigers: Tyler Bell, SS, Kentucky
23. Chicago Cubs: A.J. Gracia, RF, Virginia
24. Seattle Mariners: Tegan Kuhns, RHP, Tennessee
25. Milwaukee Brewers: Logan Schmidt, LHP, Ganesha HS (CA)
26. Atlanta Braves: Coleman Borthwick, RHP, South Walton HS (Fla.)
27. New York Mets: Cade Townsend, RHP, Ole Miss
28. Houston Astros: Hunter Dietz, LHP, Arkansas
29. San Francisco Giants: Carson Bolemon, LHP, Southside Christian HS (S.C.)
30. Kansas City Royals: Logan Reddemann, RHP, UCLA
31. Arizona Diamondbacks: Chase Brunson, CF, TCU
32. St. Louis Cardinals: Cole Prosek, 3B/C, Magnolia Heights HS (Miss.)
33. Tampa Bay Rays: Brody Bumila, LHP, Bishop Feehan HS (Mass.)
34. Pittsburgh Pirates: Ace Reese, 3B, Mississippi State
35. New York Yankees: Eric Becker, SS, Virginia
36. Philadelphia Phillies: Aiden Ruiz, SS, Stony Brook HS (N.Y.)
37. Colorado Rockies: James Clark, SS, St. John Bosco HS (Calif.)
38. Colorado Rockies: Archer Horn, SS, St. Ignatius Prep HS (Calif.)
39. Toronto Blue Jays: Connor Comeau, 3B, Anderson HS (Texas)
40. Los Angeles Dodgers: Zion Rose, CF, Louisville

The Chicago White Sox secured the top pick in the 2026 MLB Draft on Tuesday night, winning the first overall selection for only the third time in franchise history and first since 1977. The White Sox entered the lottery with a 27.73 percent chance after finishing 60-102 last season.

Hall of Famer Harold Baines, whom Chicago selected first overall in 1977, represented the organization on stage at the lottery event. The draft will be held July 11-12, 2026. The White Sox previously held the No. 1 pick in 1971 when they selected Danny Goodwin.

The Tampa Bay Rays emerged as major winners, jumping five spots from seventh-best odds to claim the No. 2 pick. The Minnesota Twins, who had the second-best lottery odds at 22.18 percent, received the third selection.

The San Francisco Giants made the biggest leap, moving up 11 spots from 15th to fourth overall. The Kansas City Royals also gained significant ground, advancing 10 spots to the sixth pick from 16th-best odds.

"Without question this is an exciting time for the White Sox organization and our great fans," White Sox general manager Chris Getz said in a press release. "We've created momentum and excitement over the past year, and this certainly is another positive development as we continue toward our ultimate goal."

Despite finishing 43-119, the Colorado Rockies were ineligible for a top-nine pick due to anti-tanking rules established before the 2023 draft. The Rockies will pick 10th next July after holding the No. 3 and No. 4 selections in the past two drafts.

The St. Louis Cardinals, Miami Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers all dropped five spots from their projected positions. The Cincinnati Reds moved into lottery range at No. 18 after the New York Mets received a 10-spot penalty for exceeding the second luxury tax threshold.

UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky is currently the projected top overall pick by ESPN. Shortstop Grady Emerson out of Fort Worth Christian is slotted at No. 2 ahead of Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron. 

2026 MLB Draft Lottery Results:

1. Chicago White Sox
2. Tampa Bay Rays
3. Minnesota Twins
4. San Francisco Giants
5. Pittsburgh Pirates
6. Kansas City Royals
7. Baltimore Orioles
8. Athletics
9. Atlanta Braves
10. Colorado Rockies
11. Washington Nationals
12. Los Angeles Angels
13. St. Louis Cardinals
14. Miami Marlins
15. Arizona Diamondbacks
16. Texas Rangers
17. Houston Astros
18. Cincinnati Reds

Colorado Rockies shortstop Ethan Holliday signed a record $9 million bonus Tuesday, surpassing all previous high school draft bonuses according to ESPN reports.

The fourth overall selection broke his brother Jackson's previous high school record of $8.19 million set in 2022. Ethan Holliday was ranked as the top high school player and second overall prospect in the draft by ESPN.

The signing makes Holliday the latest member of his baseball family to reach professional ranks. His father Matt Holliday starred for the Rockies during his MLB career, while brother Jackson plays infield for the Baltimore Orioles after being selected first overall three years ago.

Three Oklahoma high school shortstops now hold the top signing bonus records in draft history. Washington Nationals first overall pick Eli Willits previously set the mark at $8.2 million earlier this year before Holliday's deal topped it.

Holliday's $9 million bonus ties for the fourth-highest signing bonus of all time across all draft classes. The record reflects the Rockies' commitment to securing the premier high school talent available in the fourth slot.

MLB's bonus pool system allows teams flexibility in distributing their allocated funds among draft picks. Teams can offer above-slot bonuses to preferred prospects while saving money on other selections to stay within their total pool limits.

The Holliday signing continues a trend of teams investing heavily in top high school prospects. Premium bonuses for prep players have increased significantly as organizations prioritize long-term development over immediate impact.

Colorado's investment in Holliday represents confidence in his potential to develop into a franchise cornerstone. The shortstop position and family pedigree add additional value to the organization's long-term planning.

The Washington Nationals have officially signed first overall draft pick Eli Willits for $8.2 million, setting a new record for a high school draftee while staying under his assigned slot value of $11,075,900, according to MLB Pipeline.

The 17-year-old shortstop from Fort Cobb-Broxton High School in Oklahoma becomes the youngest No. 1 pick in MLB Draft history as of June 30. Willits is the son of former major league outfielder Reggie Willits and won't turn 18 until December.

Young Prospect with Premium Tools

Willits drew praise from scouts for his defensive abilities and contact skills. The switch-hitter projects as a plus defender at shortstop with room for improvement.

"He's a darling of analytical models because of his age, position and propensity for making contact," wrote The Athletic's Keith Law. "He's a plus defender at short already and might end up better than that, while his swing is short and compact, aimed at putting the ball in play."

"His contact skills and overall feel for the game are separating tools," Law added, noting the wide range of opinions among scouts regarding Willits' ultimate power potential.

Nationals Make Third No. 1 Selection

The signing comes despite recent organizational upheaval, with the Nationals firing president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo and manager Davey Martinez days before the draft. Interim GM Mike DeBartolo confirmed the team had long targeted Willits for the top selection.

Willits becomes the franchise's third No. 1 pick since relocating to Washington in 2005, joining Stephen Strasburg (2009) and Bryce Harper (2010). The team used bonus pool savings from Willits' below-slot signing to secure fourth-round pick Miguel Sime Jr. for $2 million, well above his $687,800 slot value.

The announcement came with a unique Washington twist, as Willits revealed his signing plans to CNN's Wolf Blitzer, a longtime Nationals fan, during a Friday interview.