The White Sox added a potential cornerstone player by selecting UCLA shortstop Daniel Roch Cholowsky with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 MLB draft, with the toss-up between Cholowsky and prep SS Grady Emerson lasting deep into Saturday morning. But word broke from MLB’s Jim Callis right before the pick announcement that Cholowsky — the presumptive No. 1 since the end of the 2025 draft — would join the White Sox. Minutes later, commissioner Rob Manfred made it official, welcoming Rob “Cha-lew-sky” (sic) to Chicago.
In doing so, Cholowsky becomes just the third college shortstop ever selected first overall, joining Bill Almon (1974) and Dansby Swanson (2015). Although neither player went on to a Hall of Fame career, that’s rare company, and another indication of just how highly Cholowsky is regarded.
“Drafting Roch today adds another standout talent and person of impressive character to this organization at absolutely the right time,” GM Chris Getz said in a press release announcing the pick. “Roch, his family and his support structure impressed us throughout the entire process, and his experience at UCLA certainly prepared him to take the next step as a professional. An outstanding defensive shortstop, Roch brings an impact bat to any lineup, and he is a leader on the field as well as in the clubhouse. He has more than lived up to very high expectations, and we cannot wait to get him into our organization, get started and see him continue his growth and success.”
Cholowsky is now the fifth UCLA player selected No. 1 overall in a pro draft, a group that includes Gerrit Cole, Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), and Troy Aikman.
For an organization that has emphasized athleticism — especially up the middle — at premium defensive positions and high baseball IQ throughout its rebuild, picking Cholowsky made perfect sense. Rather than drafting for immediate need, the White Sox would be staying true to their philosophy of taking the best player available. They were also high on Cholowsky coming out of high school, when even then he was ranked as the No. 44 MLB draft prospect. As Chicago had scouted Cholowsky extensively ahead of the 2023 draft, this has been a relationship years in the making.
The relationship is strong enough that within an hour of the pick being made, Cholowsky had agreed to a deal with the White Sox. To no one’s surprise, the shortstop is signing for less that the max $11,350,600 allotted at No. 1 overall. Early word seems to be $9.5 million, money that will likely trickle down to the next two White Sox picks (No. 34 and 41) to pry them from colleges or college commitments.
As the draft came closer, some of the conversation for No. 1 overall shifted to the other prime prospects, Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey and Emerson. That turned out to be a case of overall draft fatigue and prospect evaluators rationalizing their professions, as Cholowsky has been at or near No. 1 overall in mock drafts for essentially a solid year now. The right-handed hitter entered the spring with a reputation for elite bat-to-ball skills and polished defense, then strengthened his case by continuing to produce throughout the 2026 season.
MLB had Cholowsky as the No. 2 overall talent in the draft, behind Emerson.
Cholowsky as Chicago’s pick indicates the White Sox went with the prospect many evaluators considered the most complete position player in the class. Cholowsky offers an advanced offensive approach, dependable defense at shortstop, and the kind of all-around game that gives him both a high floor and an equally enticing ceiling.
For Cholowsky, baseball has always been a way of life: His father, Dan, was a first-round pick by the Cardinals in 1991 and spent eight seasons in professional baseball before becoming a major league scout. That familial background helped shape one of the most polished players in the draft, giving Cholowsky an advanced feel for the game long before he arrived on a college campus.
The 6´2´´, 202-pound Arizona native arrived at UCLA as one of the nation’s top prep recruits and quickly became the centerpiece of the Bruins lineup. Over the next three seasons, he developed from a polished contact hitter into one of college baseball’s most complete players, combining consistent production with elite defense at shortstop. As a junior, the 21-year-old slashed .320/.452/.636 with 21 home runs and was a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award. He closed out his UCLA career with a .329/.447/.624 slash line, along with 52 home runs over 178 career games, and was one of the NCAA’s premier defensive shortstops (finishing his final season with 15.3 defensive runs saved).
What stands out most about Cholowsky isn’t one loud tool — it’s the completeness of the package. MLB Pipeline gives him at least a 60 grade in four of the five major scouting categories, including his hit, power, arm, and field tools, resulting in a 65 overall. He controls the strike zone, rarely gives away an at-bat, and consistently squares up the baseball. As he’s added strength throughout his amateur career, the power has come naturally without sacrificing the disciplined approach that made Cholowsky successful in the first place. If that profile sounds familiar, it should: It’s the blueprint for the type of hitter GM Chris Getz and his front office have prioritized throughout the rebuild.
Defensively, Cholowsky has every opportunity to remain at shortstop as a professional. His smooth actions, reliable hands, instincts and above-average arm have long drawn praise from scouts. While he won’t wow anyone with top-of-the-scale speed, his feel for the position allows him to make difficult plays look routine.
Cholowsky joins an emerging young core that already includes Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel, Braden Montgomery, Noah Schultz and Grant Taylor, giving Chicago yet another premium talent to build around. Given Colson’s seemingly inevitable move to third base, selecting Cholowsky doesn’t create a clog on the roster or in the lineup.
There aren’t many White Sox fans in Philadelphia, but we tracked down Patrick Shearer, a city native but longtime South Side fan — and he was over the moon.
“Very excited about Roch, so excited,” he says. “He was my wire-to-wire No. 1. He’s very impressive with the glove. This could be a game-changer.”
Cholowsky should begin his professional career shortly after signing, with a token Winston-Salem assignment likely coming later this summer. (Cholowsky is considered “MLB-ready,” and would not be out of place as one of the two White Sox September call-ups.) Because of his advanced offensive approach, defensive polish, and experience against some high-level collegiate competition, almost assuredly, he will move through the White Sox system more quickly than the typical first-round pick.
Cholowsky arrives in Chicago with one of the most polished résumés in the 2026 draft class. If his college success can carry over to professional baseball, the White Sox will have found another foundational piece for its next championship-caliber club.
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