White Sox select UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky No. 1 overall as Red Sox draw criticism for 20th pick

Chicago's White Sox selected UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky with the first overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft and expect to sign him to a record bonus that would exceed the $9.25 million awarded to the top 2024 draftees. General manager Chris Getz said the club was "most comfortable with Roch Cholowsky with our first pick, regardless of what the signing bonus was going to be," adding that the decision reflected extensive evaluation over recent weeks. Cholowsky, a 6-foot-2, 202-pound infielder with a strong bat and defensive tools, joins a White Sox farm system already stocked with prospects such as Miguel Vargas, Colson Montgomery and Caleb Bonemer. He posted a .320/.452/.636 line with 21 home runs this spring and became the franchise’s first No. 1 overall pick since Harold Baines in 1977.

The Red Sox chose North Carolina shortstop Jake Schaffner with the 20th overall selection, a move that many draft analysts considered earlier than projected. Amateur scouting director Jake Bruml acknowledged the decision would be seen as "off the wall" but said the club was convinced of Schaffner’s value. Schaffner, noted for elite contact skills, posted a .356/.467/.552 slash line with a 1.019 OPS at UNC. Boston also drafted Schaffner’s teammate and roommate, outfielder Owen Hull, in the third round, and selected high-school shortstop Jace Mataczynski later in the same round, citing their size and defensive ability.

In the third round, the Texas Rangers selected Massachusetts left-hander Brody Bumila, a 6-foot-9 pitcher who previously threw 101 mph but missed the early part of the draft due to a UCL injury. Bumila was taken with the 89th overall pick.