The White Sox’s 2026 draft haul was built around one headliner, and nearly every superlative points back to him. UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, the No. 1 overall pick, showed why he drew that kind of attention in the first place: he’s the class’s best blend of hit and power, and he brings a defensive profile that could make him a Gold Glove-caliber shortstop.
Cholowsky’s bat has been as polished as advertised. He finished his UCLA career with a .329 average, an 11.7% strikeout rate and a 12.1% walk rate, then backed that up with real damage - 52 home runs, 41 doubles, a .624 slugging percentage and a .295 isolated slugging percentage.
He topped 20 homers in each of his last two college seasons, which is why he fit so cleanly as the class’s best pure hitter and best power hitter. At shortstop, the appeal is just as loud: reliable hands, clean actions and a cannon of an arm.
He also looks like the safest bet to move quickly. Among this group, Cholowsky stands out as the closest to the majors, with the kind of refined game that could put him in line for a push as soon as next season.
The athleticism is part of the package, too. He’s not only one of the best athletes in the class, but he also has a background as a high-level high school quarterback, which adds another layer to an already complete profile.
The rest of the class brought plenty of tools and a few eye-catching stories. New Jersey high school outfielder Alex Weingartner signed the fourth-largest bonus in the White Sox class and brings 80-grade speed, making him the obvious choice for fastest runner.
Pennsylvania prep right-hander Kyle Casteel was another notable investment, landing $1,247,500 as an 11th-round pick - the seventh-largest bonus ever given to an 11th-rounder. He’s physical, still has plenty of projection left and has run his fastball up to 95 mph.
There were also more specialized weapons sprinkled through the class. Georgia right-hander Joey Volchko owns the best secondary pitch in the group thanks to a slider with rare shape and bite, thrown in the upper 80s and low 90s with more than 13 inches of gloveside movement and more than 2,900 rpm spin. On the mound, Oklahoma lefty Cameron Johnson brings the class’s best fastball, a mid-90s heater that has touched 98 and comes in both four-seam and two-seam versions.
The White Sox also landed some hitters with real upside beyond Cholowsky. High school infielder Landon Thome and second baseman Cole Prosek could grow into above-average pure hitters, while Wichita State third baseman Jayson Jones and Vanderbilt outfielder Braden Holcomb both have plenty of raw power, even if both need to trim the strikeouts. Holcomb already gave Chicago a glimpse of what that pop can look like in pro ball: after signing, he played 15 games, hit .321/.424/.607 and added two homers and six doubles while splitting time between Low-A Kannapolis and High-A Winston-Salem.
And for anyone looking for the most interesting family connection in the class, that belongs to Thome. He’s the son of Hall of Famer Jim Thome, who finished his 22-year major league career with 612 home runs, eighth on the all-time list and one of only nine players to reach 600.
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Anthony Rizzo Just Reignited A Cubs-Sox Fight White Sox Fans Hate
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The response from White Sox fans made the temperature clear almost immediately. Plenty of them rejected the pitch for civic unity and leaned into the familiar hostility toward the Cubs, turning Rizzos comments into one more reminder that Chicagos baseball divide is not going away anytime soon. For the White Sox, the timing only adds another layer, because any appeal for shared rooting interest tends to collide with a fan base that has spent years defining itself in opposition to the North Side. [Read more 🡒]