The White Sox used the 34th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft on Landon Thome, adding a familiar last name to the organization and landing one of the draft’s more polished bats in the process.
Thome, the 18-year-old son of Hall of Famer Jim Thome, had been a heavily linked target for Chicago with its second-round selection. Instead of letting the board get messy, the Sox got their guy at Comp A 34 and brought in the Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year from Nazareth Academy.
The appeal starts with the bat. Thome is regarded as one of the better pure hitters in the class, built around strong pitch recognition, advanced plate discipline and enough bat-to-ball skill to keep pressure on pitchers. Scouts also like the way his left-handed swing comes through the zone with plus bat speed, which gives him a chance to hit for average and power.
MLB Pipeline’s tool grades on Thome are:
Hit: 55
Power: 55
Run: 45
Arm: 50
Field: 50
Overall: 50
Pipeline’s scouting report paints the same picture. Thome is described as one of the best all-around hitters in the 2026 high school crop, with some evaluators preferring him last spring even over teammate Jaden Fauske, who signed with the White Sox for $2,997,500 as the top pick in the second round. He was viewed by some as a player who could have come off the board as early as the late first round.
There’s more to the profile than just the swing. Thome has improved his speed and stole 54 bases in 56 attempts this spring, though scouts believe he could slow down as he continues to fill out.
He’s spent most of his young career at shortstop, but the expectation is that he’ll move off the position eventually because of his relative lack of quickness and an average arm. After working with Jake Cronenworth during the winter, he’s said to be moving and throwing better, which could open the door to second or third base.
The report also notes his baseball IQ and makeup, two traits that only add to the attraction.
For the White Sox, this looks like a value play as much as a name pick. Thome was widely considered a borderline first-round talent, so getting him before Round 2 is a strong result. He’ll likely be looking for a signing bonus above the $2,446,100 slot value attached to the pick, but Chicago’s bonus pool flexibility after landing the first overall pick should make that workable.
There’s no real mystery about whether Thome will sign. The bigger question is when he reaches the majors.
The Sox sent both Billy Carlson and Jaden Fauske to their Arizona Complex after they joined the organization, then pushed their affiliate debut to this season with Low-A Kannapolis. Thome could follow the same path.
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