White Sox top prospect Roch Cholowsky has been sidelined with wrist soreness after a slow start at the plate, but the injury is not expected to be long-term.
If you're a Chicago White Sox fan who keeps a close eye on minor league box scores and tracks the progress of the top prospects in Chicago's farm system, then perhaps you've noticed the elephant in the room regarding the top talent in Chicago's farm system over the last week.
Shortstop Roch Cholowsky, the number one overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft and the No. 11 prospect in all of baseball, has gone nearly a week without being seen in the lineup for the High-A Winston-Salem Dash.
Cholowsky signed for a record-setting signing bonus immediately following the 2026 draft and wasted no time getting his professional career started. He paid a quick visit to Rate Field in Chicago, went to Charlotte for White Sox draft camp, and then played a few games in the Arizona Bridge League before going out on assignment to High-A Winston-Salem.
As expected, the White Sox started Cholowsky at a more advanced level of the minor leagues, hoping to move the former UCLA star through the organization quickly.
Over his first four games, it was clear to see why the White Sox took Cholowsky and why he was the consensus top draft choice for over a calendar year. In just his third game with the Dash, Cholowsky hit a home run and recorded five RBIs. And after four games, he already had five hits, including two doubles, a home run, and an OPS of .937.
Not a bad first week of pro ball. But in the week that followed, Cholowsky started to slump, going 1-for-18 at the plate, and then suddenly disappearing from the Dash lineup entirely. He last played on August 15 and has missed the last handful of games without an update to his status.
It was revealed on Thursday, first reported by Jeff Cohen of FutureSox, that Cholowsky has been battling wrist soreness and is currently day-to-day.
The Dash are choosing to be particularly cautious with Cholowsky, and rightfully so, choosing to give him some extra rest to recover. But it is not expected to be anything long-term or something that should affect Cholowsky once he returns to the field.
It answers the question on the mind of every White Sox fan who has been scouring the box score for Cholowsky's name over the last few days. And it also may explain some of the struggles last week if Cholowsky didn't feel like himself at the plate.
Cholowsky is currently batting .167 with one home run, 10 RBIs, and a .659 OPS in nine games played. Hopefully, a clean bill of health and a return to the field will lead to those numbers improving in the near future.
