Chicago White Sox sign No. 1 pick Roch Cholowsky to $10.4 million contract
Top draft selection Roch Cholowsky agreed to a contract with the Chicago White Sox that includes a $10.4 million signing bonus, setting a new MLB record for bonus size.
The Chicago White Sox have reached a deal with No. 1 overall pick Roch Cholowsky, awarding him a $10.4 million signing bonus. The figure surpasses the previous record of $9.3 million, though it remains below the slot value assigned to the pick, which is $11,350,600.
MLB.com scout Jim Callis confirmed the contract details, noting that the bonus sets a new high for first-round selections. By comparison, the Washington Nationals saved money on their 2025 first pick, Eli Willits, who received an $8.2 million bonus against a slot value of about $11.1 million.
Chicago chose Cholowsky over high-school prospect Grady Emerson, a decision highlighted in a recent mock draft by Bleacher Report analyst Joel Reuter. Cholowsky, a former UCLA shortstop, posted a .320/.452/.636 slash line with 21 home runs as a junior in 2026. MLB.com scouting grades rated his hitting and power at 60 and his defense at 65 on the 20-80 scale.
The White Sox already have a young shortstop, Colson Montgomery, on their roster. The organization indicated that after Cholowsky gains experience in the minor leagues, they plan to evaluate his role at the major-league level.
"We are excited to bring a player of Roch's caliber into our organization and look forward to his development," a White Sox spokesperson said.