The Guardians didn’t just watch the rest of the AL Central add talent in the 2026 MLB Draft - they watched four division rivals come away with players who could turn into problems for years.
That’s the reality in a division where so much of the roster-building happens through the draft. Cleveland has its own fresh haul, but Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City and Minnesota all came away with names that fit the mold of a future thorn in the Guardians’ side.
Chicago’s move at No. 1 was the cleanest of the bunch. The White Sox took shortstop Roch Cholowsky with the top pick and made no attempt to outthink it.
He arrives off a UCLA career that produced a .329/.448/.624 line with 52 home runs and 167 RBI in 178 games over three seasons, and he signed for a record-setting $11 million bonus. Chicago already has an upstart core built around Miguel Vargas, Colson Montgomery and Munetaka Murakami, but Cholowsky could wind up being the best of the group.
Given the way the White Sox have handled the Guardians over the past decade, it wouldn’t be a shock if he’s in the big leagues against Cleveland as soon as next season.
Detroit landed a pitcher who slipped farther than expected. The Tigers grabbed right-hander Cameron Flukey at No. 22 even though he had been viewed as a possible top-15 selection.
The injury history explains part of the drop: he finished 2026 with a 4.13 ERA in seven starts after a stress fracture in his ribs. Before that, he put together a strong 2025 at Coastal Carolina, going 3.09 ERA in 101 2/3 innings while helping the Chanticleers reach the College World Series.
Detroit’s track record with early pitching picks has been uneven, outside of Tarik Skubal and the late-blooming Casey Mize, but Flukey gives them a chance to add another arm for whatever comes next if Skubal moves on after this season.
Kansas City’s first-round night had a twist too. The Royals shocked the draft by taking Zion Rose at No. 6, then followed with another eye-opener by selecting right-hander Taylor Rabe at No.
- Rabe was viewed as a possible Guardians target, and the Royals clearly liked the upside enough to ignore the risk that comes with a pitcher who already had Tommy John surgery in 2024.
In his lone college season after that procedure, he posted a 3.55 ERA in 76 innings and finished with a 7.0 strikeout-to-walk ratio, fourth in Division 1. The Royals’ rotation took another hit when Cole Ragans had UCL surgery earlier this month, so Rabe could become a major piece if he keeps climbing.
Minnesota stayed near the top of the board and made one of the most intriguing picks in the class. The Twins took catcher Vahn Lackey at No. 3, their highest selection since Royce Lewis went first overall in 2017.
Lackey’s rise has been a long one. He didn’t get Division 1 offers until his senior year, and he wasn’t a major draft name until this spring.
Then he exploded as a junior at Georgia Tech, posting a 1.291 OPS with 20 home runs and 78 RBI in 61 games. He did see some time at third base in college, but catcher looks like his home, and that only raises the ceiling.
If Minnesota eventually trades Ryan Jeffers, Lackey could move even faster. Joe Mauer made a career out of punishing the Guardians, and Lackey has the kind of profile that could keep that trend alive.
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Top Ohio Arm Saw His Draft Path Change In A Hurry
Landon Thiels path from Jackson High School standout to Ohio State signee had already taken an unexpected turn before the MLB Draft arrived, and the rest of his summer followed the same script. The right-hander had put himself on the radar with a fastball that kept climbing during his senior season, and even as scouts watched the progress, his future was always going to hinge on how his arm held up and where the next step would take him.
Instead, the focus shifted to recovery and the long view. Thiel had Tommy John surgery on June 16 and is expected to be back on a mound in about 10 months, with his college career still set to continue in Columbus. Jackson did get one player drafted when catcher Garrett Wright went in the eighth round to the Angels, but Thiels story became the one that changed fastest and will take the longest to sort out. [Read more 🡒]
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Ralphy Velazquez Put Guardians Fans On Notice At The Futures Game
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Velazquez has kept building momentum since arriving in Columbus, where his production has been solid enough to keep him on the radar without forcing the issue. For Cleveland, that is the kind of development worth tracking closely, especially when a prospect gets a national showcase and leaves it looking like he belongs in the conversation for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]