Creating a mock 2026 MLB Draft that allows SF Giants to land their dream target

The hottest scuttlebutt surrounding the SF Giants heading into the 2026 MLB Draft, which will take place in mid-July, is that they are trying to land shortstop Roch Cholowsky out of UCLA.

Many think Cholowsky could go No. 1 overall to the Chicago White Sox and even though the Giants hold the No. 4 overall pick, that hasn’t stopped president of baseball operations Buster Posey from pulling out all the stops to land Cholowsky.

Posey reportedly had a private meeting with Cholowsky and Giants legend Brandon Crawford has also reportedly met with him. Cholowsky is a Vallejo native and grew up cheering for the Giants and idolizing Crawford so it seems Posey believes there’s a chance they could get this guy.

It still feels unlikely, but Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline partially laid out a scenario on a recent episode of The Baseball Insiders podcast with Adam Weinrib and Eric Cole of FanSided that might lead to the Giants landing Cholowsky although he did stipulate that it probably won’t happen.

Based on what Callis said, let’s make a mock draft that would allow Cholowsky to be available for the Giants with the No. 4 pick.

This mock draft would allow SF Giants to land Roch Cholowsky

Chicago White Sox, No. 1: SS Grady Emerson

Callis noted that while many view Cholowsky as the top overall prospect with the most promise, some teams think that 18-year-old shortstop Grady Emerson out of high school in Texas could actually have a higher ceiling.

Maybe for a White Sox team that may be looking to realistically contend a few years down the road, even though they are having a strong season so far, they will want a guy who potentially has higher upside in Emerson rather than a guy who might make it to the big leagues faster in Cholowsky.

Tampa Bay Rays, No. 2: C Vahn Lackey

Callis brings up an ironic point on Lackey, who is considered the No. 3 overall prospect in the draft, by noting that maybe the Rays will draft a highly touted catcher because they regret the fact they passed on Buster Posey back in the 2008 MLB Draft.

Tampa Bay had the No. 1 overall pick in that draft and went with shortstop Tim Beckham over Posey. Maybe Posey’s shadow will loom large and allow Cholowsky to fall one spot further.

Minnesota Twins, No. 3: RHP Jackson Flora

This is where Callis struggles to see Cholowsky falling any further so we have to get a bit creative. He says that it’s unlikely the Twins would pass on him if he’s still available but the Giants still have a trick up their sleeve.

It’s important to remember how Posey fell to the Giants at No. 5 overall back in 2008. On the eve of the draft, word broke out that he wanted a record-breaking $12 million signing bonus. If something similar comes out about Cholowsky ahead of this year's draft, maybe that spooks the White Sox, Rays, and Twins into avoiding Cholowsky.

If Minnesota wants to beef up its pitching prospects, especially since the Twins already have a promising young shortstop prospect in Kaelen Culpepper, then maybe they decide to go with right-handed pitcher Jackson Flora out of UC Santa Barbara. Flora has been seen as a potential fit for the Giants but maybe the Twins like him and take him No. 3 overall.

It’s still an unlikely gambit that feels a bit desperate from Posey, but it’s not completely impossible as the draft can be unpredictable and if the Giants pull it off that could give fans hope for the future even though this season has gone really poorly.

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