02/12/26 08:42:00
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02/12 05:00 CST Roch Cholowsky embraces his status as projected No. 1 MLB draft
pick and undisputed leader of UCLA
Roch Cholowsky embraces his status as projected No. 1 MLB draft pick and
undisputed leader of UCLA
By ERIC OLSON
AP Sports Writer
He's been called the best shortstop to come through college baseball in at
least two decades. He's the centerpiece of a loaded UCLA team that has all the
makings of a team capable of winning the national championship. He's long been
projected to be the No. 1 pick in the Major League Baseball amateur draft in
July.
Roch Cholowsky embraces all of it.
"I enjoy expectations. I enjoy trying to go after something," Cholowsky said in
an interview with The Associated Press. "The main goal obviously is what we're
doing with the guys here at school."
Cholowsky, named 2025 national player of the year by multiple outlets, begins
his third season with the Bruins on Friday when they open at home against UC
San Diego. He'll be the most-watched college player in the country the next
four months as he tries to lead the Bruins back to the College World Series in
Omaha, Nebraska.
UCLA coach John Savage, understanding the pressure Cholowsky will be under, set
up a lunch for his star player with Phil Nevin last week. Nevin was picked No.
1 in the 1992 draft, by Houston, the same week he was playing in the CWS for
Cal State Fullerton.
Nevin played 12 years in the majors, coached and managed in the minors and
majors and now works for the Chicago White Sox as a special assistant for
player development. The White Sox, it so happens, have the No. 1 draft pick.
The conversation between Nevin and Cholowsky during their hourlong lunch mostly
was about their similarities at the same stage in their careers and the ways
Nevin approached the day-to-day of his draft year.
"We didn't talk too much about the White Sox or what they're thinking about,"
Cholowsky said.
If Cholowsky wants more insight on pro ball, he can always talk to his dad. Dan
Cholowsky was the No. 39 overall pick in the 1991 draft, by St. Louis, after
playing second and third base at California. He spent eight years in the minors
before going into scouting. Roch said he and his dad talk baseball every day.
Roch Cholowsky arrived at UCLA from Chandler, Arizona, as part of the heralded
2023 recruiting class. He started every game and batted a team-best .308 as the
Bruins struggled to a 19-33 record in 2024. The players could have splintered
and high-tailed it to the transfer portal, but Cholowsky said he and his
teammates believed in Savage's plan and the hard times strengthened their
resolve.
"The conversations we had were more about what we could change to turn it
around rather than looking at other options and finding the easy way out," he
said.
The Bruins finished last season 48-18 overall and 22-8 in their first year in
the Big Ten. They swept through regionals and super regionals and went 1-2 in
the CWS.
Cholowsky broke out, winning the Brooks Wallace Award as the nation's top
shortstop and Big Ten player of the year and defensive player of the year. He
led the Bruins in batting (.353), home runs (23), total bases (179), slugging
percentage (.710), on-base percentage (.480), hits (89) and runs scored (80).
According to his draft thumbnail on MLB.com, some scouts consider him the top
all-around college shortstop since Troy Tulowitzki, the No. 7 pick in 2005.
"We've had some really good shortstops here, and Roch clearly is elite --- not
only for his play but for his loyalty," Savage said. "He'll do anything to win.
He's very unselfish, not really caring who gets the credit. Obviously there's a
lot of hype around him and a lot of stories and so forth. He understands team
and he understands the progression of what a good team has to go through."
UCLA begins the season ranked No. 1 by Baseball America and D1Baseball.com, and
Savage credits Cholowsky for keeping the group of juniors together to make one
more run at a title before many of them head to pro ball.
"He's an exceptional clubhouse guy," the coach said. "His makeup, his
leadership, his body of work in terms of his work ethic in the weight room,
drills, practice, meetings... It's all about winning with him. Whenever you
have your best player as one of the best workers, that's giving the right
message day in and day out and makes life much easier."
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AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports
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