The Pirates have the third-best chance of earning the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft and they’ll have their fate determined during this evening’s draft lottery at 5:30 p.m. here in Orlando.
The Pirates have a 16.8% chance of picking first, trailing only the Twins (22.2%) and White Sox (27.7%) for best chances. The Orioles have 9.2% odds, so they’re not at all out of the running. The Nationals secured the top pick last year with just 10.2% chance.
All non-playoff teams are entered into the lottery for the top six picks. This year, 15 of the 18 teams are eligible for the lottery. The Rockies, Nationals and Angels are ineligible. Teams can not receive a lottery pick in two consecutive years and the Rockies earned one in each of the last two years. The Nationals and Angels are considered “payor clubs” who give revenue sharing dollars instead of receiving them. Those clubs can’t receive a lottery pick in consecutive years.