Roch Cholowsky, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft, was overcome with emotion when the Chicago White Sox selected him on Saturday, with his reaction amplified when Commissioner Rob Manfred mispronounced his name.
Manfred announced the pick as, "Roch Cholowsky," drawing out the second vowel with an "ooo" sound. Cholowsky's name is pronounced "Rock Chill-OW-skee."
Fans quickly took to social media platform X to criticize Manfred for the error, with some questioning how he had not learned the name of the top prospect. "Rob Manfred had a full year where Roch Cholowsky was the no-doubt No. 1 Overall pick and he still butchered his name on Draft Day," college baseball writer Noah Bieniek posted.
Cholowsky, a shortstop from UCLA, was selected by the White Sox, a team currently tied for first place in the American League Central. He was emotional while embracing his family at a watch party, including his father, a former minor league catcher.
While some online commentators criticized Cholowsky's emotional display, many others supported the outpouring of feelings. Some posts made critical remarks about the White Sox organization, unaware of the team's current standing.
Cholowsky expressed enthusiasm about joining the White Sox, a team undergoing a sale from long-time owner Jerry Reinsdorf to minority owner Justin Ishbia. He visited Chicago on June 9 and was impressed by the city.
"I left the next morning and called my agent and told him that's where I want to be and he's got to do whatever he can to make it work," Cholowsky said. "I know that's where I want to be, and I hope you guys feel the same way about me. I fell in love with the city while I was out there and very excited to get back."
During his three seasons with UCLA, Cholowsky played in 178 games, hitting 52 home runs with a .329 batting average, a .448 on-base percentage, and a .624 slugging percentage. He is also considered to have potential Gold Glove capabilities at shortstop due to his speed and strong arm.
