Chicago White Sox
· 2026-07-14
The Chicago White Sox officially agreed to a record-setting deal with MLB Draft No. 1 pick Roch Cholowsky on Monday.
Cholowsky, the top selection in the 2026 MLB Draft, will sign with the White Sox for a $10.35 million bonus. That figure eclipses the previous record of $9.3 million given to Reds pitcher Chase Burns and Rockies outfielder Charlie Condon in 2024. The White Sox have not yet confirmed the deal, but a source told MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis that Cholowsky passed his physical on Monday.
The White Sox beat the Athletics 9-1 on July 12, improving to 50-45 and sitting in second place in the American League. The club is now on a three-game winning streak as they prepare to welcome their top draft pick.
Cholowsky gives the White Sox their most expensive draft pick ever, a rare honor for a No. 1 overall selection. The 6-foot-2, 202-pound shortstop hit .329/.447/.624 with 52 home runs over 178 games at UCLA. MLB Pipeline projects him to stick at shortstop with a strong arm and plus defense.
Dan Cholowsky, Roch’s father and a former Cardinals prospect, told MLB.com that his son fell in love with Chicago during a pre-draft visit. “He said everyone was great to him and he loves it,” Dan said. “In my short time here, everyone has been great to him.”
The White Sox have not confirmed the deal, but the agreement marks a major step for both sides. The club’s front office rolled out the red carpet for Cholowsky during his visit to Guaranteed Rate Field, where he was greeted by executives and even threw a ceremonial first pitch to Hall of Famer Harold Baines.
Cholowsky will now begin his professional career with the White Sox organization. The club’s amateur scouting department, led by Chris Getz, invested heavily in the UCLA standout after he chose to spend three years in college rather than turn pro out of high school.
Landon Thome, the White Sox’s No. 34 pick, also threw out a first pitch to his father, Jim Thome, a Hall of Famer and special assistant to GM Chris Getz. The White Sox’s 2026 Draft haul is already generating buzz around the clubhouse.
Dan Cholowsky, an amateur scout for the Reds, understands the stakes. “He had a chance to do it out of high school,” he said. “He bet on himself and obviously it worked out very favorably for him.”