Dodgers draft Bo Lowrance with 1st pick, 40th overall
· Yahoo Sports
The Dodgers began their 2026 MLB Draft on Saturday by selecting Bo Lowrance, a high school third baseman from South Carolina with their first-round pick, and 40th overall in the draft.
By virtue of winning the World Series last year, the Dodgers owned the 30th pick in the first round this year. But by exceeding the third competitive balance tax threshold of $281 million in 2025 — they blew past it with a CBT payroll of $417.3 million and a tax payment of $169.4 million, both major league records — another penalty was their first selection in the draft dropping 10 slots to 40th. This also happened in 2022, 2023, and 2025 as well.
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They used that 40th pick to take Lowrance, who has a college commitment to Virginia. The 6’5 Lowrance was ranked the 21st-best prospect by MLB Pipeline heading into the draft:
Lowrance has a smooth left-handed stroke and a track record of delivering against quality competition on the showcase circuit. He doesn’t try to do too much at the plate, making consistent contact to all fields despite naturally long levers with his 6-foot-5 frame and drawing comparisons to Freddie Freeman. He doesn’t lift and pull many pitches at this point, so he’ll need to add strength and make some adjustments to realize his 25-homer potential.
Baseball America ranked Lowrance the 38th-best prospect in the draft:
Despite his huge frame, he has shown quick feet on the infield and has an above-average arm that will give him a chance to stick at the hot corner. Below-average speed at physical maturity will limit him to a corner outfield spot or first base if he’s not able to stick at third.
The 40th overall pick comes with a recommended slot value of $2,504,200, accounting for over 63 percent of the Dodgers’ total bonus pool of $3,951,500, the lowest in the majors this season.
From Chase Justice and Julia Morris at WYFF in South Carolina:
Even though he’s currently committed to play college baseball at the University of Virginia, all that could change with a quick phone call on Saturday night.
“It’s definitely gratifying for sure; it’s an exciting time for me, but also it’s just a stepping stone,” Lowrance explained. “If I were to get drafted or if I go to school, I feel like that’s just the beginning of what I want for my career and my future, so it’ll definitely be extremely rewarding, and we’ll celebrate for a couple days, and then it’ll be back to business.”
The Dodgers have one more pick on the first day of the draft. Their fourth-round selection is No. 132 overall, and will take place later on Saturday afternoon.