Roch Cholowsky

A highly regarded draft prospect out of Chandler, Arizona, Cholowsky had a chance to be a first round pick out of high school, but instead decided to take his talents to UCLA. Since stepping on campus he hasn’t skipped a beat. Over the past two years, Cholowsky has transformed into what some consider the best college shortstop we’ve seen in recent memory. It’s hard to find as complete of an amateur prospect.

Cholowsky was known mostly as a contact first bat out of high school, but has shown added impact each year he’s been in college, recently slugging 23 homeruns this past year at UCLA. Cholowsky shows legitimate feel to pull and lift the baseball, and with improved exit velocities as he’s physically matured and some of the better barrel rates in all of college baseball, Cholowsky looks like a guy who could eventually age into 25+ homerun output. His swing doesn’t present many holes either. It’s a compact right handed stroke with bat speed and a barrel that stays through the zone for a prolonged period of time with present adjustability. There’s a chance for Cholowsky to develop into a plus hit, plus power threat at the next level.

At shortstop, Cholowsky is as good as it gets. He works low to the ground with refined actions, flashing great lateral range and a strong internal clock. It’s smooth, quick hands and advanced footwork, making even the hard, flashy play look routine. There is a plus arm here as well, as Cholowsky can throw from multiple angles, on the run, with strong carry on his throws. The athleticism at shortstop stands out, contributing to what most see as almost certaintly a plus defender at the position.

Cholowsky has the looks of a guy who could rise quickly through the minors, hit in the middle of an order and play a premium position at an elite level. There’s not much more here you could ask from a college prospect. Cholowsky is the consensus top player in the draft class at this point in the process, and looks every bit the clear favorite of landing at number one overall.