White Sox Hold 40-Minute Meeting to Choose Between Two Shortstops for No. 1 Pick

The Chicago White Sox convened more than two dozen staff members in a theater at Rate Field on July 15 to settle on their selection for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 MLB draft. ESPN reported that the group spent 40 minutes reviewing two shortstops: 21-year-old UCLA junior Roch Cholowsky and 18-year-old Texas high school senior Grady Emerson.

General manager Chris Getz opened the session by noting the absence of complete clarity and calling for another review of both players. The meeting split evenly into 20 minutes on each prospect, with video highlights shown on an overhead screen and input from every department in the organization.

Vice president of amateur scouting Mike Shirley led the discussion on Cholowsky, drawing a comparison to Alex Bregman's role with the Houston Astros.

Getz told the group that the organization would need to execute whichever choice it made and stressed that belief in either player would help determine his success. The session occurred roughly 20 hours before the draft began. The White Sox, who secured the top selection by winning the draft lottery at the December winter meetings, were scheduled to host the Athletics at Rate Field later that evening while holding first place in their division.

Getz retained final authority over the pick, though the process incorporated perspectives from across the organization.