Due to anti-tanking rules and a little bit of luck, the White Sox landed the #1overall pick in the 2026 MLB draft and unless you’re a fatalist, it’s a good thing for the Sox. While I’m not excited about the specifics of the pick, I’m glad that some people will eventually be taking the draft seriously.

As is the case with every professional draft, experts (supposed) have already ranked the quality of the draft class, rather than judging the class on their merits as due paying union members.

Unlike 110% of the folks covering the sport, I’ve never pretended to have any knowledge of any of the guys draft eligible and until recently, I’ve given up on relying on the experts for their opinions on the subject. All of the major voices on the local sports radio stations in Chicago will have something to say immediately and often despite the fact they’ve never seen a college or high school baseball game. All of their reporting is third hand at best although they’ll never admit to it.

On the face of it, it sounds like I’m arguing against discussing the draft or the talent involved. On the contrary, I think it should be a worth fans’ while to discuss the type of player the Sox should and will draft based on past successes and failures or who is currently in the system. For example, should they take another high school shortstop with their first pick? Given their success with college pitchers, is that the best route or their biggest need?

Two years ago, the Bears had the #1 overall pick and the pre-draft chatter in Chicago was mind-numbing. And with football everyone was an expert on the players available because so many more people watch college football and thus know everything about football.

Given how difficult it is to project players’ future for front offices, it’s no wonder that guys and gals who cover the draft and minor league ball are no longer experts. That doesn’t stop anyone from speaking with absolute certainty. It just makes the failure or incorrect predictions more pronounced. I wonder which local expert will call out the Sox for not selecting the eventual third or seventh player chosen. Even in the years where there is a consensus #1, there are always naysayers. As much as we are a society of second chancers, we also love to say, “I told you so.”

To all my friends and relatives who are Sox fans, let the debates begin!