Roch Cholowski is truly enjoying life, and it seems his financial situation is quite solid too.
Just a few days after being chosen first overall by the White Sox in the 2026 MLB Draft, Cholowski secured a rookie deal, featuring an impressive signing bonus of $10.35 million, a record according to reports.
This new bonus surpasses the previous record of $9.25 million earned by Chase Barnes and Charlie Condon in 2024. Interestingly, while this year’s top pick was valued at $11.3 million, Cholowski’s bonus, despite being unprecedented, was a bit less than that figure.
While the Chicago organization hasn’t officially acknowledged the contract, Cholowski made a notable appearance by throwing out the first pitch during the White Sox victory on Sunday, celebrating while enjoying the moment with family and friends from a posh suite.
“I saw the video of the first pitch and witnessed the crowd’s energy. It was thrilling,” reflected Cholowski’s father, Dan, in an interview.
His dad mentioned that Cholowski had recently visited Chicago and really connected with the city. “I just want what’s best for him,” said Dan. He emphasized that he has always supported Cholowski’s choices, and his son has been met with nothing but kindness since moving here.
Cholowski, who stands at 6-foot-2 and plays shortstop, had an impressive season at UCLA in 2026, appearing in 60 games with a batting average of .320, hitting 21 home runs, driving in 60 runs, and maintaining an OPS of 1.088.
Though the Bruins didn’t clinch the College World Series title, they boasted a remarkable 51-6 record in Cholowski’s final season.
Throughout three seasons with the Bruins, Cholowski played a total of 178 games, registering a .329 batting average, with 52 home runs, 167 RBIs, and an OPS of 1.072.
Notably, he’s the first UCLA player to be drafted first overall since Gerrit Cole went to the Pirates back in 2011.
White Sox general manager Chris Goetz expressed admiration for Cholowski’s journey in baseball. “Just look at his achievements at UCLA and before. We were interested in him back in high school. Watching his college career unfold and noting the influence he had on his teammates and the program made it clear that he was the right pick for us.”
