Despite having 3rd-best odds of winning 2026 MLB Draft lottery, Pirates draw No. 5 pick

The Pittsburgh Pirates slipped two spots in the lottery for the 2026 MLB Draft, drawing the No. 5 overall pick despite having a 16.8% chance of landing the top overall pick for the third time in six years.

The Chicago White Sox, who had the best odds at 27.7%, received the first pick. They are followed in the draft order by the Tampa Bay Rays (3.03%), Minnesota Twins (22.2%) and San Francisco Giants, who had only a 1% chance of winning the lottery.

It marks the seventh consecutive year the Pirates will have a top-10 pick but their first time in the top five since taking LSU right-hander Paul Skenes No. 1 overall in 2023.

Despite having the fifth-worst record in baseball last season, the Pirates (71-91) had the third-highest chance (16.81%) of winning the lottery because three teams were ineligible.

The Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Angels and Washington Nationals were excluded from the lottery because teams that receive revenue-sharing cannot be eligible for a lottery pick in three consecutive seasons. The Rockies drew the 10th pick, the Nationals No. 11 and Angels No. 12.

The Pirates won the inaugural MLB Draft lottery in December 2022, earning the opportunity to select Skenes, who won National League rookie of the year honors in 2024 and the NL Cy Young Award this year.

It marked the second time in three years that the Pirates picked first, after taking Louisville catcher Henry Davis in 2021. The Pirates had the No. 9 selection in 2024 and chose prep shortstop Konnor Griffin, who is now considered the consensus top prospect in baseball. They chose prep right-hander Seth Hernandez with the sixth pick last July.