The Chicago White Sox selected Landon Thome with the 34th overall pick [1] in the 2026 MLB Draft [2] on Saturday.
The selection brings a legacy connection back to the organization, as Landon is the son of Jim Thome, a Hall of Fame corner infielder and former White Sox player [3].
With the 34th pick [4] of the 2026 MLB Draft on Saturday, the White Sox selected Landon Thome [5], the son of Hall of Fame corner infielder Jim Thome [5]. The move marks a homecoming for the Thome family name in Chicago.
Sportsnet said, "The son of a Hall of Famer is headed to Chicago" [6]. The draft took place in Chicago, Illinois, at the White Sox stadium [7].
Social media has already begun highlighting the familial ties to the franchise. MLB.com said, "There’s a current picture on Andrea Thome’s Instagram stories, a social media image created by the White Sox, showing a young Landon Thome wearing his Hall of Fame dad’s White Sox jersey" [8].
The organization sought to add a player with strong family ties to the franchise [9]. By selecting Landon, the team integrates a prospect with a direct link to one of the most successful eras of the club's history.
This draft position places Landon among the top tier of amateur prospects available this year [1]. The team now looks to develop the young player within their farm system before he potentially joins the major league roster.
“The son of a Hall of Famer is headed to Chicago.”
The selection of Landon Thome is both a talent acquisition and a strategic branding move. By drafting the son of a franchise icon, the White Sox leverage nostalgia and community connection to build fan engagement while betting on the athletic pedigree associated with a Hall of Fame lineage.
