White Sox pick UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky No 1 overall

The Chicago White Sox, currently leading the American League Central, selected UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky with the first overall pick in the Major League Baseball amateur draft on Saturday, July 11, 2026. The White Sox, who earned the top selection after losing 102 games last season and winning the draft lottery, chose the collegiate standout as a cornerstone for their rebuilding effort.

Cholowsky, a 6-foot-2 right-handed hitter, was a Golden Spikes Award finalist and the Big Ten Player of the Year after posting a 1.088 OPS with 21 home runs and 60 RBIs in his junior season. White Sox general manager Chris Getz praised Cholowsky's defensive prowess, impact bat, and leadership qualities, stating the organization was impressed throughout the evaluation process and is eager to integrate him into their system. Cholowsky is the first collegiate shortstop selected first overall since Dansby Swanson in 2015 and UCLA's first top pick since Gerrit Cole in 2011.

The draft's opening round proceeded largely as anticipated. The Tampa Bay Rays selected Texas high school shortstop Grady Emerson, an 18-year-old left-handed hitter considered the best all-around player available, with the...