The Chicago White Sox used the biggest pick in franchise history in nearly 50 years on one of the most polished players in college baseball.
Chicago selected UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft on Saturday, making him the centerpiece of an organization that believes its rebuilding process is beginning to pay off.
Cholowsky is only the third player selected first overall by the White Sox. Chicago took catcher Danny Goodwin in 1971, but he did not sign. The team returned to the top spot in 1977 and selected future Hall of Famer Harold Baines.
It took another 49 years for the White Sox to make the first pick again.
This time, they chose a player who had been connected to them for months.
Cholowsky entered his junior season as the early favorite to be drafted first. Texas high school shortstop Grady Emerson eventually passed him for the top spot in MLB Pipeline’s final prospect rankings, but Chicago preferred the experience, defensive reliability and advanced approach Cholowsky developed during three seasons at UCLA.
The 21-year-old hit .320 with a .452 on-base percentage and a .636 slugging percentage during his final college season. He finished with 21 home runs, 60 RBIs and 73 runs in 60 games while drawing 36 walks and striking out only 36 times.
Cholowsky was named the Big Ten Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, becoming only the third player in conference history to win the award in back-to-back years. He was also a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award, which recognizes the best amateur baseball player in the country.
His junior year was impressive, but his breakout came one season earlier.
Cholowsky hit .353 with 23 home runs, 80 runs and a .710 slugging percentage in 2025. He earned national player of the year honors from four different organizations, won the Brooks Wallace Award as the country’s best shortstop and received an ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove for his defense.
That combination of offensive production and dependable defense separated him from most of the draft class.
MLB Pipeline described Cholowsky as the best all-around college shortstop prospect since Troy Tulowitzki entered professional baseball two decades ago. Evaluators believe he has a strong chance to remain at shortstop, where his instincts, arm strength and defensive positioning are considered major strengths.
He also brings the kind of experience teams usually expect from a top college selection.
Cholowsky started every game during each of his three seasons at UCLA. He arrived as a highly regarded recruit in 2024 and immediately led the Bruins with a .308 batting average, even as the team struggled to a 19-33 record. Rather than transferring, Cholowsky remained with the program and helped UCLA develop into one of the nation’s top teams.
The White Sox were impressed by more than his statistics.
Chicago’s scouting department repeatedly praised Cholowsky’s leadership and daily preparation. White Sox director of amateur scouting Mike Shirley called him the captain and foundation of the nation’s top-ranked college team, while general manager Chris Getz highlighted his influence both on the field and inside the clubhouse.
Cholowsky also made it clear that the interest was mutual.
He visited Chicago after UCLA’s season ended and spent time with Getz, assistant general manager Josh Barfield, members of the coaching staff and several White Sox players. He attended a game, toured the city and spoke at length with the organization about its hitting program and long-term plans.
By the time he left, Cholowsky knew where he wanted to begin his professional career.
He told his agent that Chicago was the right fit and asked him to do everything possible to make the partnership happen. Cholowsky said the atmosphere around the White Sox reminded him of a college clubhouse and made him feel comfortable almost immediately.
He is also entering a different situation than most players selected first overall.
The White Sox earned the pick after winning the draft lottery following a 102-loss 2025 season. But Chicago made considerable progress during the first half of 2026 and was tied for the American League Central lead when the draft began.
Cholowsky acknowledged that he will not immediately jump into the major leagues. Even polished college hitters generally need time to adjust to professional pitching, longer schedules and the daily demands of minor-league baseball.
Still, his experience could allow him to move faster than many players in the class.
That was one of the differences between Cholowsky and Emerson, whom Tampa Bay selected with the second pick. Emerson may possess a higher long-term ceiling, but he is only 18 and will be making the much larger transition from high school to professional baseball. Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey, the other player linked to Chicago late in the process, went third to Minnesota.
The White Sox already have several talented young infielders in their system, including Colson Montgomery, Caleb Bonemer and 2025 first-round pick Billy Carlson. That depth could eventually force someone to change positions, but Chicago was not going to pass on its preferred player because of a possible roster conflict several years down the road.
Drafting for immediate positional need is rarely a smart strategy in baseball. Prospects develop at different speeds, and major-league rosters can change dramatically before a newly drafted player is ready.
Chicago simply took the player it trusted most.
There is no such thing as a guaranteed prospect, even at No. 1. Cholowsky will still need to prove that his swing and power translate against professional pitching, and the pressure surrounding him will only grow as he moves through the minor leagues.
But the White Sox believe they found more than another talented shortstop.
They believe they found a leader who can become an important part of the franchise’s next competitive core.
Nearly five decades after selecting Harold Baines, Chicago finally had another opportunity to make the first choice.
The White Sox used it on Roch Cholowsky.