UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky was such a shoo-in to be the top pick of the 2026 draft that a fan asked Chris Getz at SoxFest where he could buy a Cholowsky Sox jersey.
The Chicago White Sox general manager laughed on stage at the Ramova Theatre before launching into a long-winded answer about how excited he was to be picking No. 1. Eventually Getz said they had not decided on whom to pick, which no one believed
Rumors flew at the start of the season that the Sox were not set on Chowlowsky, but they were batted away by self-described insiders who said it was just a negotiation tactic to lower the price tag of the Roch.
Decision day finally arrives Saturday, and 5½ months after SoxFest, the Sox still have not made a final decision, at least according to director of amateur scouting Mike Shirley. The Sox have narrowed it down to three — Chowlowsky, shortstop Grady Emerson and catcher Vahn Lackey — providing some drama for the nationally televised show — at least for the top 10 picks — on NBC.
Chicago Bears fans knew for months that quarterback Caleb Williams would be the top pick in 2024, and Blackhawks fans knew as soon as the top pick fell their way in ’23 that forward Connor Bedard would be the guy.
Sox fans will have to watch and wait.
Those Sox fans who arrive early for Saturday’s 1:10 p.m. game against the Athletics should be able to render their judgment as soon as the pick is announced, as it’s likely to be shown live on the video board.
If it’s Cholowsky, there will no doubt be cheers rivaling the ones for Williams and Bedard, who were christened saviors of their respective organizations.
If it’s Emerson or Lackey, the reaction could be mixed, even as both are extremely talented with promising careers ahead. That just shows how much fans want to see Chowlosky in a Sox uniform. The name alone sounds like he belongs on the South Side.
The experts are divided. MLB Pipeline and ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel have Chowlowsky over Emerson in their mock drafts. The Athletic’s Keith Law has Emerson going No. 1 but noted the Sox brain trust was divided over the two.
Asked about the changes in some mock drafts, Shirley said: “I can’t answer that question. I don’t know. I think people think they know what’s going on. I don’t think they understand the delicacy of what orders really mean in a draft process today.”
Shirley noted the vast amount of data teams get on modern players through R&D, through Trackman and Hawk-Eye, and various testing measures, gives teams info that the experts don’t have.
“Major League Baseball combine brings all this information in,” he said. “I don’t think the media or anybody who has a website or a page they want to push, they may not have that information. I don’t know how you can capture it today to justify what you think the order is.”
Whichever prospect the Sox get will be expected to excel, like every top pick of every draft. They can’t afford to miss badly, as they did in 2018 with Nick Madrigal, the No. 4 pick.
Channeling his inner Sammy
Pete Crow-Armstrong’s recent hot streak is reminiscent of Sammy Sosa’s historic run during the summer of 1998, when Sosa hit a major-league record 20 home runs in June and made everyone in the game pay attention.
“Sammy is so hot, I don’t even have words to describe it,” Cubs manager Jim Riggleman said during the stretch. “He’s setting standards I don’t know if anyone is going to meet.”
Crow-Armstrong’s streak, which began May 30 in St. Louis when he collected four hits and homered into a group of bare-chested, taunting Cardinals fans, has produced fewer home runs than Sosa in his streak but has provided more speed and obviously is a better defender. He already has joined Sosa again in the 20-20 (home runs and steals) club, with a strong chance to repeat as a 30-30 member.
“It’s a young career, it’s brand new, but he is doing things that the greats in the game have done,” manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday. “And you know they’re small-time-frame accomplishments but still great.”
In a 34-game stretch entering Thursday, Crow-Armstrong hit .407 with 15 home runs, seven doubles, two triples, 28 RBIs, 11 steals and a 1.316 OPS. In his epic 31-game stretch in ’98 that vaulted him into the chase for Roger Maris’ home run record, Sosa hit .323 with 24 home runs, five doubles, 50 RBIs and a 1.268 OPS.
Like Sosa in ’98, Crow-Armstrong has begun accepting walks this season and improved his overall game by being more selective. And like Crow-Armstrong in ’26, Sosa was not elected to a starting position in the All-Star Game, finishing sixth among National League outfielders in fan voting. It would be the last time baseball ignored Sammy Sosa.
Sosa made the NL All-Star team as a reserve in ’98 but didn’t play at Coors Field because of an injury. Crow-Armstrong also was selected as a reserve outfielder through the players vote and will participate in Tuesday’s game in Philadelphia.
Rainy day news
Kudos to White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf for giving fans free tickets for enduring a rail delay of more than 2½ hours on June 24 at Rate Field. That should be the standard response by any team that has two-plus-hour delays. And credit to the Baltimore Orioles for moving Thursday’s game against the Cubs from a night game to a day game to avoid some nasty weather.
Who’s next?
John Mulaney makes history Saturday as the first stand-up comic to have a concert at Wrigley Field. Now that Mulaney has broken the comedy barrier, will the Cubs invite the all-time king of stand-up, Dave Chappelle, for a future show? Chappelle definitely would sell out Wrigley, but his political views might not mesh with the Ricketts brothers, Tom and Todd, who own the team along with their sister, Laura Ricketts. Nate Bargatze might be more their style.
