The MLB Draft is still months away, but the rumor mill is already heating up—and one West Coast team might be eyeing a homegrown talent. UCLA Bruins shortstop Roch Cholowsky is widely considered the top prospect in the 2026 draft class, but could he slip from the No. 1 spot and land in the lap of the San Francisco Giants?
Cholowsky, a Vallejo, California native, grew up a die-hard Giants fan, idolizing former UCLA and San Francisco shortstop Brandon Crawford. That childhood connection has fans dreaming of a reunion, but the path to Oracle Park isn't straightforward. Most mock drafts have Cholowsky going first overall to the Chicago White Sox, but recent reports suggest there's more uncertainty than expected at the top.
According to USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale, the White Sox are still weighing their options and haven't committed to Cholowsky. With a deep farm system that already includes young shortstops like Colson Montgomery, Chicago might look elsewhere. More intriguingly, Nightengale reported that one executive from a top-five drafting team believes Cholowsky could still fall to them.
Enter the San Francisco Giants. Holding the No. 4 pick, the Giants recently made a savvy move to bolster their draft capital, trading catcher Patrick Bailey for the 29th overall selection—a competitive-balance pick that comes with an additional $3.27 million in slot value. That brings San Francisco's total bonus pool to $17.35 million, the fourth highest in the draft and a clear signal they're ready to spend big.
The teams picking ahead of the Giants—the Tampa Bay Rays at No. 2 and the Minnesota Twins at No. 3—are known for more conservative spending habits. If they pass on Cholowsky, the Giants could swoop in with a massive signing bonus that's hard to refuse. For a player who already has a soft spot for the orange and black, it might be the perfect fit.
Whether Cholowsky ends up in Chicago, Tampa, Minnesota, or San Francisco, one thing is certain: his journey from UCLA to the pros will be one of the most-watched storylines of the draft season. For now, Giants fans can keep their fingers crossed that their team's aggressive offseason moves pay off with a hometown hero.