2026 MLB Draft Kicks Off with a Mishap

The 2026 MLB Draft began on Saturday, and it wrapped up in quite a memorable way. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred made an interesting choice when he announced the first overall pick.

This year, the Chicago White Sox had the No. 1 pick and selected Roch Cholowski from UCLA. However, in a surprising twist, Manfred mispronounced the shortstop’s name as “Cho Lu-Skie.” While that might not seem like a big deal, the correct pronunciation is actually “Chill-O-Ski.” It’s easy to see how a name could slip by if you aren’t careful…

Now, I totally get that pronouncing names can be tricky—especially with athletes not having names like John Smith or Jeff Johnson anymore. There’s definitely a lot to consider, I suppose.

Cholowski was among the top picks expected in this draft, but it raises an interesting point. While no one expects flawless pronunciation for every name, wouldn’t it make sense to at least practice three to five anticipated names before going live? I mean, if I were in that position, I would be rehearsing those names non-stop. Honestly, I’d be ready to recite them in my sleep.

Of course, with everything going on, I probably wouldn’t nail them perfectly anyway. Still, it’s a thought, right? What’s really intriguing is that this isn’t the first time a major pro draft has had an awkward start regarding the top pick. Just recently, Manfred kept things under wraps when Justin Bieber went off-script during the NHL Draft, announcing that Gavin McKenna was the No. 1 pick in an unconventional way.

In the world of sports, it seems we’re moving at a curious pace with these draft announcements. Maybe a little more practice would help everyone involved.