UCLA's Cholowsky Could Have Competition for No. 1 Pick

The 2026 MLB Draft is just around the corner, and Bruins shortstop Roch Cholowsky could potentially not hear his name called first.

UCLA was the No. 1 team in the country entering the season and finished the regular season as the top team with a 48-6 record and a 28-2 conference record. UCLA would be the top seed in the Big Ten Tournament and come away with its first conference tournament championship since joining the Big Ten.

Jun 14, 2025; Omaha, Neb, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach John Savage watches the team warm up before the game against the Murray State Races at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

However, the NCAA Tournament was a different story. What was once a team that had a top offense in all of college baseball suddenly couldn't hit the ball consistently. No player struggled more for the Bruins than star shortstop Roch Cholowsky. With the struggles during the tournament, it might have cost him the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming MLB Draft.

Roch Cholowsky’s Draft Stock

Roch Cholowsky entered this season as the top prospect in the 2026 MLB Draft, coming into his junior year at UCLA. Cholowsky was the best player on the Bruins roster, finishing with a .320 batting average, 1.088 OPS, .636 slugging percentage, .452 on-base percentage, and 21 home runs.

Cholowsky would be named the Big Ten Player of the Year for the second straight season and would be named a First Team All-American.

However, when the postseason rolled around, Cholowsky wasn't able to produce at the same level he did in the regular season. Cholowsky went just 2-for-12 in the tournament and didn't have an extra-base hit in the final nine games of the season.

With Cholowsky’s struggles in the postseason, it has cast doubt on his status as the top pick. In MLB.com's updated top 100 list for MLB draft prospects, Cholowsky was overtaken by 18-year-old high school senior shortstop Grady Emerson.

Difference Between Cholowsky and Emerson

The obvious difference between the two is the three-year age difference. Emerson has just graduated from high school and turned 18, while Cholowsky has just finished his junior season of college and turned 21.

Emerson is also a left-handed hitter, which is a big advantage in a league that mostly has right-handed pitchers compared to left-handed pitchers. A lefty batter has a big advantage in tracking the pitch, and when a ball breaks, it's easier for a lefty batter to adjust to the pitch compared to a right-handed batter.

With the Chicago White Sox having a good season and the No. 1 overall pick, they might want a player who is more ready for the Major Leagues. However, having a high school senior overtake Cholowsky could make the White Sox think twice about selecting him No. 1 overall.

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