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Roch Cholowsky selected No. 1 overall in 2026 MLB Draft
By Ethan Stone
Published:
Roch Cholowsky is heading to Chicago.
The former UCLA shortstop, as many expected, was selected No. 1 overall by the Chicago White Sox in the 2026 MLB Draft on Saturday. In doing so, he becomes the first shortstop to be drafted No. 1 overall since Dansby Swanson in 2015 and the first Bruin to be selected No. 1 since Gerrit Cole in 2011.
Finally, Cholowsky is now the highest-drafted position player in UCLA history.
While UCLA baseball’s season didn’t end too well, Cholowsky was as advertised out of high school — especially in Year 3. The former top 50 prospect batted .320 with 74 hits, 21 home runs and 60 RBIs and a .636 slug. The Golden Spikes finalist hit 52 home runs across his 3-year career in Los Angeles.
Cholowsky is welcomed with open arms in Chicago. The White Sox lost 105 games last season and secured the No. 1 pick for the first time since 1977, hoping Cholowsky can be their future star.
Ethan Stone was an editor for his student newspaper at the University of Tennessee and is now a News Manager for Saturday Tradition.