UCLA’s Roch Cholowsky Goes No. 1 Overall in 2026 MLB Draft
Nine Big Ten players selected on the first day of the MLB Draft
Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images
ROSEMONT, Ill. – UCLA junior shortstop Roch Cholowsky was chosen No. 1 overall by the Chicago White Sox at the 2026 MLB Draft. The MLB Draft completed Rounds 1-4 on Saturday at the Philadelphia Convention Center and concludes Sunday with Rounds 5-20.
Cholowsky becomes the first Big Ten player selected No. 1 overall in the MLB Draft while joining the likes of Fernando Mendoza (NFL) and Gavin McKenna (NHL) as the sixth Big Ten student-athlete to be selected first overall by a professional sports league this year.
A two-time Big Ten Player of the Year, Cholowsky compiled a .320 batting average, 21 home runs and 60 RBI in earning consensus All-America honors this past season.
A list of Big Ten selections on Day 1 of the draft:
2026 MLB DRAFT
|
NAME |
SCHOOL |
ROUND |
PICK |
MLB TEAM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Roch Cholowsky, SS |
UCLA |
1 |
1 |
Chicago White Sox |
|
Logan Reddemann, RHP |
UCLA |
2 |
38 |
Colorado Rockies |
|
Mason Edwards, LHP |
USC |
2 |
47 |
Athletics |
|
Mulivai Levu, 1B |
UCLA |
CB-B |
70 |
Cincinnati Reds |
|
Peyton Bonds, OF |
Rutgers |
3 |
90 |
San Francisco Giants |
|
Ty Horn, RHP |
Nebraska |
3 |
94 |
Cincinnati Reds |
|
Carson Jasa, RHP |
Nebraska |
3 |
98 |
Chicago Cubs |
|
Ryan Cooney, SS |
Oregon |
3 |
103 |
Toronto Blue Jays |
|
Roman Martin, SS |
UCLA |
4 |
111 |
Athletics |