White Sox Draft Roch Cholowsky No. 1 With $20 Million Bonus Pool
Updated
Updated · Sox Machine · Jul 12
White Sox Draft Roch Cholowsky No. 1 With $20 Million Bonus Pool
3 articles · Updated · Sox Machine · Jul 12
Summary
$20 million in draft pool money let Chicago take UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky first overall, with his deal expected to set a new MLB draft bonus record.
The White Sox boosted that pool by trading 2023 first-rounder Jacob Gonzalez for the No. 34 pick, a move GM Chris Getz said was designed to maximize a deep 2026 draft.
Chicago then used its added flexibility on prep hitters Landon Thome and Cole Prosek, betting bigger bonuses could pull both away from college commitments.
Team officials said the strategy rests on player development as much as scouting, arguing Cholowsky's swing and two-strike approach can be improved enough to speed his path to the majors.
The draft approach underscores a broader White Sox shift from prioritizing pitching to chasing offense, even as the payoff from stockpiling high school bats remains uncertain.