PHILADELPHIA - Roch Cholowsky had already done his part to make life easy for Major League Baseball. He sent in a video with the proper pronunciation of his last name before the draft. It’s chil-OW’-skee.
That still didn’t stop Commissioner Rob Manfred from getting it wrong at the podium Saturday, when the Chicago White Sox used the No. 1 pick on the UCLA shortstop.
Cholowsky didn’t seem bothered. He was too busy celebrating from a draft party away from Philadelphia, where he burst into tears after hearing his name called.
“I didn’t hear it get butchered,” Cholowsky said. “I heard Roch and kind of lost it.”
The White Sox made the expected move at the top, and Cholowsky now heads to a Chicago club that has become one of baseball’s biggest surprises. He said a predraft visit with team officials and time in the clubhouse left a strong impression.
“It really felt like to me like a college clubhouse,” Cholowsky said. “It’s just a different feel in there.”
The 6-foot-2 right-handed hitter arrives with a decorated college résumé. Cholowsky was a Golden Spikes finalist at UCLA, posted a 1.088 OPS with 21 homers and 60 RBIs in his junior season, and was named Big Ten Player of the Year.
White Sox general manager Chris Getz praised him in a statement, calling Cholowsky “is a leader on the field as well as in the clubhouse. He has more than lived up to very high expectations, and we cannot wait to get him into our organization, get started and see him continue his growth and success.”
Chicago’s first pick came after the club won the draft lottery following a 102-loss season. The White Sox, who had not picked first since taking Harold Baines in 1977, are betting Cholowsky can help them build toward their first World Series title since 2005.
Led by All-Star third baseman Miguel Vargas, the White Sox entered Saturday in first place in the AL Central after three straight 100-loss seasons.
“It’s definitely a lot more motivation to get up there and join those guys at some point,” Cholowsky said. “Being part of a contending team is pretty cool. I value winning a lot.”
The draft’s next two picks unfolded just as expected. Tampa Bay took Texas high school shortstop Grady Emerson at No. 2, and Minnesota chose Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey at No. 3.
Emerson is 18, stands 6-3 and weighs 185 pounds, bats left-handed and throws right-handed, and is viewed as the best all-around player in the class. He is committed to Texas and transferred to Fort Worth Christian for his senior year, where he played for head coach Rusty Greer, a nine-year MLB veteran who spent nine seasons with the Rangers.
Lackey, 21, didn’t draw any Division I offers until his senior year of high school, but he has since developed into one of the draft’s top catching prospects. The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder also showed he can handle third base.
The rest of the top 10 followed with a few notable names and one quirky scouting note. San Francisco chose UC Santa Barbara right-hander Jackson Flora, described as a fried chicken aficionado, with the No. 4 pick.
Pittsburgh selected LSU outfielder Derek Curiel fifth. Kansas City went with Louisville outfielder Zion Rose at No.
6, Baltimore took Oak Grove High School outfielder Eric Booth Jr. seventh, the Athletics drafted Georgia Tech outfielder Drew Burress eighth, Atlanta picked Virginia outfielder AJ Gracia ninth and Colorado selected Kentucky shortstop Tyler Bell 10th.
Only three pitchers went in the first 20 picks overall.
Philadelphia’s draft crowd got its own moment when the White Sox selected Landon Thome with the 34th pick. Phillies fans cheered the Nazareth Academy infielder, who is the son of Hall of Famer Jim Thome, a former Phillies, White Sox and Cleveland star.
Jim Thome was a major figure in changing the Phillies’ fortunes when he left Cleveland and signed a six-year, $85 million deal before the 2003 season.
Landon Thome went two picks before Philadelphia took California high school shortstop Tyler Spangler at No. 36, a selection that sent much of the crowd toward the exits.
The draft also featured a few family ties. Miami took shortstop Jacob Lombard at No. 14; he is the son of Tigers bench coach George Lombard Sr. and the younger brother of top Yankees prospect George Lombard Jr.
Milwaukee selected high school shortstop Trey Ebel with the 25th pick. He is the brother of Brady Ebel, whom the Brewers drafted 32nd last year, and the son of Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel, who is expected to pitch to Bryce Harper in Monday night’s Home Run Derby.
No player went to the podium after being selected. MLB has discussed making prospects attend as part of collective bargaining talks, and its proposal would require up to 10 prospects to be there, with each receiving a $50,000 attendance bonus.
With former White Sox and Phillies players Jimmy Rollins and Greg Luzinski helping draw fans, the loudest cheer inside the convention center may have gone to the Phillie Phanatic during mascot introductions. Phillies fans booed Braves mascot Blooper and also let Manfred hear it.
Manfred warmed the crowd up before the draft by mentioning several Phillies legends, and MLB Network’s Siera Santos set the stage with a simple promise.
“We’re going to see the arrival of tremendous talent today,” Santos told the crowd.
Just not in person.
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