Roch Cholowsky is having the time of his life — and his bank account isn’t doing badly either.

Just days after being selected No. 1 overall by the White Sox in the 2026 MLB Draft, Cholowsky signed his rookie contract that includes a record-breaking $10.35 million signing bonus, sources told ESPN.

Cholowsky’s bonus tops the previous mark of $9.25 million for Chase Burns and Charlie Condon in 2024 draft. The slot value for the first pick this year was $11.3 million, so even with the record, the bonus came in slightly under value.

While Chicago hasn’t confirmed the deal, Cholowsky threw out the first pitch at Sunday’s White Sox win and sat in a luxury suite with friends and family. 

Roch Cholowsky poses at a White Sox game. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“I did see the video [of the first pitch], and I saw the crowd. So it was very exciting,” Cholowsky’s father, Dan, told reporters.

“He flew out 2 or 3 weeks ago and fell in love with the city [Chicago]. I want what’s best for him.” 

“Since he’s been young, I’ve always treated him like a man and I respect his decisions. He said everyone was great to him and he loves it,” Dan added. 

Cholowsky, a 6-foot-2 shortstop, hit .320 with 21 home runs, 60 RBIs and a 1.088 OPS in 60 games for UCLA in 2026. 

Despite falling short of a College World Series title, the Bruins went 51-6 in Cholowsky’s final season. 

Roch Cholowsky throws out the first pitch at a White Sox game. AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

Cholowsky hit .329 with 52 homers, 167 RBIs and a 1.072 OPS in 178 games across three seasons with the Bruins. 

He also became the first UCLA player selected first overall since Gerrit Cole went to the Pirates in 2011. 

“You look at what he has done throughout his baseball career, both at UCLA, but prior to that,” White Sox general manager Chris Getz told reporters Saturday. “We had interest in him in high school and then to be able to watch his college career unfold and see what he accomplished and the impact that he had on his teammates and that program and now to envision that type of influence within this organization is something that attracted us to select him at No. 1.”