MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred stumbled over the pronunciation of the draft's No. 1 overall pick, Roch Cholowsky, during the opening of the 2026 MLB Draft in Philadelphia on Saturday.
Manfred announced the Chicago White Sox selection by saying Cholowsky's last name as "chuh-LEW-skee," deviating from the widely known "cha-LAU-skee" as listed in UCLA baseball's media guide. Cholowsky had been considered the favorite for the top pick for months.
Despite the opening misstep, the selection marked a significant moment for the UCLA shortstop. Cholowsky, the son of former minor leaguer Dan Cholowsky, was rated as the No. 2 draft prospect by MLB Pipeline, earning 60 (out of 80) grades in hitting, power, and arm strength.
Cholowsky, a middle infielder, expressed a mix of emotions after the announcement. "It was a lot of emotions this morning," he said in an interview with NBC following the pick. "I found out a couple of hours ago and didn’t tell anybody until I got here – everyone found out with the pick, so I’m just excited to have everyone here and I’m ready to get to work."
During his tenure with UCLA, Cholowsky posted a .329 batting average, a .448 on-base percentage, and a .624 slugging percentage over 178 games, hitting 52 home runs. The White Sox organization, currently leading the American League Central with a 48-45 record before Saturday's games, now anticipates Cholowsky becoming a foundational player for their future.