The No. 1 Pick Is Here
Roch Cholowsky is going to be the first pick overall. The Chicago White Sox are expected to take him in the 2026 MLB draft. This is huge for UCLA baseball. He is a shortstop who just won Big Ten Player of the Year for back-to-back seasons. That kind of back-to-back award shows he is consistent. He isn’t just good for one year. He owns the field.
According to the NY Post Sports, his stats are insane. In the 2026 season, he slashed .320/.452/.636. He hit 74 hits and scored 73 runs. He drove in 60 RBIs too. The power is real. He hit 21 home runs, which led the team. He also hit 10 doubles. Those numbers prove he can hit for average and power.
Why The White Sox Want Him
Scouts are drooling over his tools. One scout told the NY Post Sports exactly what they see. “He’s got all the tools – he can play shortstop, he’s got power, he’s got a great swing, he’s got great intangibles.” That is the full package. A scout even compared him to Trevor Story. Story was a two-time All-Star for the Boston Red Sox. That is serious company.
The White Sox need a star at shortstop. Cholowsky fits that need perfectly. He has the arm. He has the bat. He has the mindset. This isn’t a gamble. It is a sure thing. The draft class is full of Bruins talent. Logan Reddemann, a right-handed pitcher, is also expected to go in the first round. At least a handful of other UCLA players could be taken in the early rounds.
The Bruins Are Dominating
This draft is a UCLA showcase. It is rare to have so many top picks from one school. The program is building a machine. Fans should be excited about the future. The talent level is just too high to ignore. Cholowsky leads the charge, but he isn’t alone. Reddemann adds pitching depth. The other early picks add more stars.
This changes the landscape for the league. Teams will have to pay attention to UCLA. The scouting report says he has great intangibles. That means he wins. That is what teams pay for. He will be a top player in the majors soon. The White Sox made the right call on paper.
