Swanson vs. Bregman? A high school catcher over Re...
Key takeaways
- Often, the top choice is clear -- think Stephen Strasburg in 2009 or Bryce Harper in 2010.
- Throughout history, there have been a number of such debates.
- (To be clear: We're considering if there was a debate at the time and excluding whether the top pick proved worthy of the selection in the long run.)
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
David Schoenfield Jun 26, 2026, 07:00 AM ETClose Senior writer of Sweet Spot baseball blog Former deputy editor of Page 2 Been with ESPN.com since 1995Multiple Authors Email Print Open Extended Reactions The 2026 Major League Baseball draft is coming up on July 11, and there is no obvious choice for the Chicago White Sox, who have the No. 1 pick. It might be UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey or maybe Texas high school shortstop Grady Emerson.
Often, the top choice is clear -- think Stephen Strasburg in 2009 or Bryce Harper in 2010. Sometimes it's more muddled with multiple players, like it is this year, while sometimes it's just a weak draft in general. But in some years, there's a healthy debate and the team drafting first must decide between two -- or more -- players with top-pick talent.
Throughout history, there have been a number of such debates. Let's dive into some of the best of all time as we wait to see what decision Chicago makes this year.