The White Sox are pressing pause on two of their brightest young infielders.
Roch Cholowsky and Billy Carlson will both be shut down for the rest of the 2026 season, according to MLB.com's Scott Merkin. Cholowsky is dealing with a "right wrist issue," while Carlson is managing "a skin infection and ensuing treatment," according to Merkin.
For Chicago, the move cuts short the early stages of two different pro careers. Cholowsky was drafted just last month and reached the minors in early August.
Carlson has been in the organization since last year, but this was his first season playing in the minors. Both players will now turn their attention to getting healthy and setting up for 2027.
Carlson, Chicago’s first-round pick in the 2025 MLB Draft out of high school, made his pro debut this season and spent most of the year with the Single-A Kannapolis Cannon Ballers. In 60 games, the 20-year-old shortstop hit .252 with a .380 on-base percentage and a .715 OPS, along with no home runs, 21 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. He also drew 41 walks and scored 37 runs.
Cholowsky arrived with even more draft-day fanfare. The former UCLA shortstop went No. 1 overall in the 2026 MLB Draft, then debuted in the minors earlier this month with the High-A Winston-Salem Dash. His time there was brief: nine games, a 6-for-36 line, one home run, 10 RBIs and three stolen bases.
Both infielders are highly regarded in the system, with Cholowsky ranked as Chicago’s No. 1 prospect and Carlson coming in at No. 3 on MLB Pipeline. That makes the White Sox’s cautious approach easy to understand. These are two premium pieces for the future, and Chicago clearly isn’t interested in rushing either one.
For now, White Sox fans will be waiting for the next update on both players when the offseason arrives.
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