White Sox first overall pick Roch Cholowsky reportedly agrees to record bonus

By Emily Turner — 15 July 2026 — 3 min read

Cholowsky’s record-setting bonus

Roch Cholowsky, the first overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, has reportedly agreed to a $10.35 million signing bonus with the Chicago White Sox. This figure represents the largest bonus ever in the current era of the MLB Draft. The agreement was reported by ESPN and multiple other sources.

The shortstop, who played for UCLA, was widely considered a favorite to be selected first overall. He had a college career where he posted a .329 batting average, a .448 on-base percentage, and a .624 slugging percentage, along with award-winning defense. During his most recent season, Cholowsky hit .320 with 21 home runs and a 1.088 OPS for UCLA.

The previous record for a signing bonus in the current draft system was $9.25 million, a mark shared by Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Burns and Colorado Rockies minor leaguer Charlie Condon. Both Burns and Condon were selected in the 2024 draft, as the Nos. 2 and 3 picks, respectively.

Strategic bonus allocation

Despite setting a new record, Cholowsky’s bonus of $10.35 million is approximately $1 million less than the official slot value for the top pick, which was $11,350,600 this year. This strategy of signing a top pick for less than the assigned slot value is common among teams.

Teams often use this approach to save money from their overall bonus pool. The saved funds can then be allocated to draft and sign other talented players in later rounds, potentially offering them over-slot bonuses to entice them to sign. This allows teams to strengthen their prospect pipeline more broadly.

An example of this strategy was seen last year when the Washington Nationals signed their No. 1 pick, Eli Willits, to an $8.2 million bonus. This was notably below his slot value of $11,075,900. Following this, the Nationals provided significantly over-slot bonuses to their subsequent four draft picks, including Coy James, the No. 142 pick, who received a $2.5 million bonus, exceeding that of the No. 34 overall pick, Michael Oliveto.

The White Sox are likely to pursue a similar strategy with the $1 million they have reportedly saved from Cholowsky’s signing bonus. White Sox General Manager Chris Getz stated that the team was most comfortable with Cholowsky as their first pick, regardless of the signing bonus amount.

Pre-draft agreements and team outlook

It is generally understood that such bonus agreements are often reached through handshake agreements between players and teams before the draft. This practice helps ensure that teams do not select players who are unwilling to sign for the proposed terms. Had Cholowsky chosen not to sign, he would have had the option to return to college for his senior year and re-enter the draft the following year.

Getz also mentioned the team’s long-standing interest in Cholowsky, noting that they had followed his career since high school and observed his impact at UCLA. The prospect of him bringing that same influence to the White Sox organization was a key factor in their decision to select him first overall.

Cholowsky is expected to lead the next wave of talent for the White Sox, who currently hold a 50-45 record and lead the AL Central division at the All-Star break. While Cholowsky’s bonus is a record in the current draft system, it does not surpass the guaranteed money received by players under previous systems. For instance, Stephen Strasburg received a $15,107,104 major-league deal from the Nationals in 2009, a figure that remains higher than any bonus in the current draft structure.

Source: sports.yahoo.com