The No. 1 overall pick has his first official assignment.
White Sox top prospect Roch Cholowsky is headed to High-A Winston-Salem, where he is set to debut for the Dash this coming week. Though an official date hasn’t been revealed for his first game, all signs point to it coming at the start of the upcoming homestand, which begins on Tuesday, August 4.
Cholowsky, 21, was the overwhelming favorite to be selected by the White Sox back in February when they were awarded the first overall pick through the MLB Draft Lottery. In the months leading up to the draft, however, rumors began to circulate that the organization could look in a different direction, perhaps prep shortstop Grady Emerson or Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey. In the end, they selected one of the most accomplished draft prospects in the last decade.
The UCLA product has a chance to feature four-plus tools as a player who can hit for both average and power, and has Gold-Glove upside as a defensive shortstop. While he is not known as the most explosive athlete, his lack of speed has not prevented him from making highlight-reel plays on defense. Cholowsky could have been a first-round pick back in 2023 out of high school, but opted to remain firm to his commitment to the Bruins.
Cholowsky is the third-ever college shortstop to be selected with the first overall pick, and the first one since 2015 when the Arizona Diamondbacks selected Dansby Swanson. Heading into this season, Cholowsky drew comparisons to Troy Tulowitzki, who was also lauded for his combination of plus tools and polish. In his sophomore season, he slashed .353/.480/.710 and was widely regarded as the best player in college baseball. His junior season was not quite as prolific, but he was still an excellent hitter, slashing .320/.452/.636.
Since getting drafted, Cholowsky has spent time in Arizona playing in the Bridge League, where he just so happened to hit his first organizational homer today. Scouts expect him to fly through the organization, with some believing that an MLB debut within the next calendar year is possible.
First pitch for Tuesday’s game against Asheville is slated for 6:30 p.m. ET, 5:30 p.m. CT. It will be streamed on MiLB.TV for those not in the area.
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