The UCLA star Roch Cholowsky was moved to tears after being selected as the No. 1 overall pick by the Chicago White Sox in the 2026 MLB Draft on Saturday.
Cholowsky became the third No. 1 overall pick in White Sox history, joining Danny Goodwin and Hall of Fame Harold Baines. He is also just the second UCAL player to be drafted first overall, after current New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole. The 21-year-old was selected over the top draft prospects, including Grady Emerson and Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey.
The announcement was made during the 2026 MLB Draft at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in downtown Philadelphia. A video of the moment has since gone viral, showing Cholowsky surrounded by his family as he broke down in tears after being announced as the No. 1 pick by the Chicago White Sox.
The No. 1 pick reportedly carries a slotted signing value of $11,350,600. Roch Cholowsky capped off a highly decorated three-year collegiate career at the UCLA Bruins with a 1.071 career OPS, earning consecutive Big Ten Player of the Year honors in 2025 and 2026. He was also a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award.
Roch Cholowsky weighed in on being the top overall pick at the 2026 MLB Draft
After his emotional moment at the MLB Draft, Roch Cholowsky made his feelings known about being selected No. 1 overall by the Chicago White Sox. He said he was excited to begin his professional baseball career and expressed his admiration for Chicago. Thanking his family for the support, he also recalled the moment he learned he had been drafted.
“I mean, it’s just I fell in love with Chicago when I went out there a couple months back. You know, the people, the office, the players, it was everything that I wanted in the draft. I mean, I’m super excited that I got all the people here behind me, with me. You know, that was a big thing for me was having everyone here, but I mean, it was, there was a lot of emotions this morning. I found out a couple of hours ago and didn’t tell anybody until I got here. Everyone found what to pick, so I’m just excited to have everyone here, and I’m ready to get to work,” said Roch Cholowsky.
He further reflected on his growth from joining UCLA to becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft.
“I just think I have learned a lot more about the game, and I’ve polished a lot, a lot of parts of my game. I was solid in high school, I knew there was a lot to work on. I thought that going to college really helped me, coach Savage, coach Ward, the whole crew, just really helped me turn myself into exactly what I wanted to be, and there’s a lot of work left to be done.”
Roch Cholowsky joined UCLA in 2023 after delivering standout performances at Hamilton High School in Chandler, Arizona.
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