The 2026 MLB Draft Lottery delivered chaos, massive jumps, and franchise-shaping implications. In this episode of On The Clock, Tyler is joined by Elijah Evans from The Call Up as they break down the biggest winners and losers from lottery night, including the Chicago White Sox landing the No. 1 overall pick, major bonus pool swings for teams like the Giants, Rays, and Royals, and tough breaks for clubs like the Cardinals, Pirates, and Marlins. They dive deep into draft strategy, signing bonus implications, Roch Cholowsky at 1-1, and how front offices can leverage pool money to reshape their future. If you want a full breakdown of what the draft lottery really means for 2026, this episode has you covered.

Timestamps

00:00 – Intro & overview of the 2026 MLB Draft Lottery

00:35 – Elijah joins the show & White Sox perspective

02:15 – How big is the No. 1 pick for Chicago’s rebuild?

04:24 – White Sox draft strategy & bonus pool flexibility

06:26 – Roch Cholowsky vs. the field at 1-1

08:08 – Why Roch’s profile fits the No. 1 pick

10:26 – Signing bonus projections & record-breaking money

13:06 – Who could challenge Roch at the top of the board?

14:53 – Rays as a major lottery winner

17:12 – Giants’ massive jump & draft strategy implications

20:30 – Royals leap into the top six & Brian Bridges’ approach

22:25 – Cardinals fall back: bad luck or survivable outcome?

24:37 – Pirates’ tough drop & long-term implications

26:35 – Why Pittsburgh still has draft flexibility

28:15 – Marlins’ continued lottery struggles

30:18 – Is the MLB Draft Lottery system broken?

33:02 – Draft format changes & increased coverage in 2026

35:13 – Should the MLB Draft move to Omaha during the CWS?

38:46 – Elijah plugs his work & Just Baseball plans

40:28 – Final thoughts & outro

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