Roch Cholowsky was reasonably conflicted when he arrived in Omaha in June 2023. His life was about to dramatically change.
Since his sophomore year at Hamilton High in Chandler, Ariz., the wiry shortstop and son of former big leaguer Dan Cholowsky received deserved attention from scouts — developing power as he grew into his eventual 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame.
It was time for Cholowsky, however, to make a decision. Cholowsky slashed .466/.577/.970 with 11 home runs in his senior campaign. The Athletic’s Keith Law projected Cholowsky would be a late first-round pick. Life-changing money for a then-18-year-old was on the table should he choose to forgo his longstanding commitment to UCLA.