Cholowsky Selected First Overall in MLB Draft by Chicago White Sox
From UCLAbruins.com
LOS ANGELES – UCLA junior shortstop Roch Cholowsky and 2025 Brooks Wallace Award Shortstop of the Year, was selected with the first-overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox on Saturday morning.
His selection marks a historic milestone for the Bruins as Cholowsky becomes just the third UCLA player ever taken No. 1 overall, joining Gerrit Cole (2011, Pittsburgh Pirates) and Chris Chambliss (1970, Cleveland Indians).
With Cholowsky’s selection, UCLA now boasts 30 first‑round draft picks, including nine during the tenure of Head Coach John Savage. Cholowsky also becomes the 10th Bruin drafted inside the top‑10 picks and the sixth to be selected within the top five.
Cholowsky's UCLA career stands as one of the most decorated and influential runs ever produced by a Bruin shortstop. Across three seasons, he evolved from an immediate-impact freshman into the most honored player in college baseball, collecting an unprecedented sweep of national awards in 2025 and following it with another elite, all‑around campaign in 2026. His résumé includes National Player of the Year honors from ABCA/Rawlings, Baseball America, D1Baseball, Perfect Game, and multiple district and conference awards, along with becoming the first UCLA player ever to win Big Ten Player of the Year twice, as well the first to pair Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season. He also emerged as the nation’s premier defensive shortstop, winning the Brooks Wallace Award, earning an ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove, and later becoming a finalist again in 2026.
Offensively, Cholowsky anchored UCLA’s lineup from the moment he arrived in Westwood. His 2025 season was one of the greatest in program history. He produced a .353 average, 23 home runs, 179 total bases, 80 runs scored, and a nation‑leading WAR, all while starting every game and driving UCLA to its Men’s College World Series appearance since 2013. He delivered a 21‑game hitting streak, multiple multi‑homer performances, and a dominant postseason stretch that earned him Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player. In 2026, he followed with another powerhouse season, hitting .320 with 21 home runs, 73 runs scored, and a program‑record 25 hit‑by‑pitches. He reached base in 54 of 60 games, led the team in nearly every major offensive category.
Cholowsky was undoubtedly one of the nation’s most elite defensive shortstops during his three seasons in college, combining elite range, arm strength, and consistency. He led the nation in defensive metrics in 2025 and remained one of college baseball’s most reliable defenders in 2026, committing just eight errors while handling over 200 chances. His ability to pair Gold Glove‑caliber defense with middle‑of‑the‑order production made him one of the most complete players in the country.
