MLB Draft: Chicago White Sox select UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky with first overall pick
The Chicago White Sox chose UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky as the No. 1 pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, though league commissioner Rob Manfred mispronounced his surname during the announcement.
Chicago White Sox general manager announced that the team selected UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky with the first overall pick in the 2026 Major League Baseball draft held in Philadelphia. During the introduction, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred pronounced the player's last name incorrectly, using a phonetic rendering that differed from the spelling listed in UCLA's baseball media guide.
Cholowsky, the son of former minor-league player Dan Cholowsky, entered the draft as the top prospect according to MLB Pipeline, receiving 60 out of 80 possible grades in hitting, power and arm strength. He posted a .329/.448/.624 slash line with 52 home runs over 178 games at UCLA.
After the selection was confirmed, Cholowsky told NBC that the morning was emotional and expressed excitement about joining the White Sox organization and beginning his professional career.
The White Sox, currently leading the American League Central, view the newly drafted shortstop as a key component of their future plans.