The UCLA Bruins’ baseball program will enjoy one more season of play from shortstop Roch Cholowsky before he heads to the MLB draft next summer. There’s still lots of time between now and the draft, but Cholowsky is already being looked at as a potential No. 1 overall selection.
Baseball America has Cholowsky as potentially being the first college shortstop drafted first since Dansby Swanson was taken with the first pick in the 2015 draft. Over Cholowsky’s first two seasons with UCLA, the Chandler, Arizona, native has batted .333 with 31 homers in 118 games.
In addition to his impressive batting line, Cholowsky has more walks than strikeouts, which helped him earn Big Ten Conference Player of the Year this past season. Cholowsky’s value doesn’t just come at the plate either. He was named the Big Ten Conference Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore, helping lead the Bruins to their first College World Series in 12 years.
“You can’t really point to a particular tool, or a particular part of his game where you can circle or highlight like ‘Hey, there’s serious work that needs to be done in this particular area.’ Not only that, seeing how he’s progressed since high school, he’s noticeably more physical and stronger,” The Baseball America Draft Podcast said of Cholowsky. “Legit pro type of body now. A really strong kid. The power has ticked up a considerable amount and how it’s ticked up has been really positive to see.”
There’s little doubt about Cholowsky’s ability with the glove. His continued progression as a hitter makes him the favorite to be taken first in 2026.