UCLA's Roch Cholowsky taken No. 1 overall in draft by White Sox

PHILADELPHIA -- The Chicago White Sox chose UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 MLB draft, adding another power-hitting infielder to a young core that has thrust them to the top of their division and a potential playoff spot.

Cholowsky, 21, starred for three years at UCLA and was seen as the favorite to go to Chicago. The White Sox also strongly considered Texas prep infielder Grady Emerson, who went to the Tampa Bay Rays with the No. 2 overall pick. Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey was chosen third by Minnesota, UCSB right-hander Jackson Flora fourth by San Francisco and LSU outfielder Derek Curiel fifth by Pittsburgh.

The White Sox, who two years ago lost a record 121 games, were ineligible for a top pick in the 2025 draft because of anti-tanking rules but won the draft lottery in December to put themselves in position to select Cholowsky.

A 6-foot-2, 200-pound shortstop from the Phoenix area, Cholowsky was a potential first-round pick in the 2023 draft but told teams he planned to go to UCLA, where he spent the next three seasons as a star.

Cholowsky started mostly at third base as a freshman but moved full-time to shortstop as a sophomore, when he hit .353/.480/.710 with 23 home runs to complement an excellent glove and strong arm. His junior season reinforced Cholowsky's place at the top of the draft, with a .320/.452/.636 line and 21 home runs.

The White Sox already have significant depth on the left side of the infield, with Miguel Vargas an All-Star at third base and Colson Montgomery among the American League home run leaders at shortstop. Chicago's best prospect before the draft, Caleb Bonemer, is also a shortstop, as is their first-round pick last season, Billy Carlson.

None of that mattered when it came time to choose Cholowsky, whose signing bonus is expected to come in below the $11.35 million slot value assigned to the top pick. The White Sox's bonus pool swelled to nearly $20.5 million after they traded another young infielder and former first-round pick, Jacob Gonzalez, to Pittsburgh on Friday night for the 34th overall pick.

How fast Cholowsky rises through the White Sox organization will depend on his production, of course, but top picks have been fast-tracked more in recent years and Cholowsky should be no exception. At 48-45, the White Sox have thrived even with the absence of Japanese star Munetaka Murakami, who returned from the injured list this week and will likewise be an All-Star.

While the White Sox's greatest need is high-end starting pitching, no arm in the draft was under consideration for the top pick. It was a particularly bat-heavy first round, with only Flora, high schooler left-hander Gio Rojas and Florida right-hander Liam Peterson going among the top 20 picks.br/]