The White Sox made headlines by selecting Roch Cholowsky as MLB's 1st overall draft pick, but the baseball draft has 20 rounds, and that's 20 new players added to the farm system. While some of them are still in the Arizona Complex League and won't play for an affiliate in 2026, several others have been assigned teams and begun playing. I think it's a good time to look at these prospects and see what they're doing in their first taste of affiliated baseball.
Well, to start with the 1st-rounder, Cholowsky's situation is disappointing. He sustained a wrist injury that's going to cost him the rest of the season. His debut was probably the most anticipated one in his draft class, so this is a substantial blow. Prior to the injury, though, he was sent to High-A Winston-Salem, where he played nine games. He only got six hits for a .167 average, but four of those did go for extra-bases (including his first home run), and he played all nine games as a shortstop. On the bright side, he was their only prospect assigned to High-A so far, so they clearly liked what he did in the complex league and believe in his ability to rise quickly through the system.
Roch Cholowsky is on the board!
— MLB (@MLB) August 7, 2026
His first pro homer was an absolute ROCKET 🚀 pic.twitter.com/1o2qu2tSmW
Several White Sox draft picks have begun playing for Low-A Kannapolis
All other picks who have started playing are with Low-A Kannapolis. 12th-round pick Braden Holcomb is getting the best results out of the new players; he's hitting .325/.438/.675/1.113 and playing both left field and DH, but should more time in the outfield going forward. Power is a big selling point for Holcomb, and he already slugged two home runs in his first eleven games. He's also stolen two bases. Holcomb could be a candidate to see High-A soon.
One name that not many people know is shortstop Jake Berkland. He was the Sox 19th of 20 picks, but he's gotten off to a good start in Kannopolis as well. He has an .815 OPS in his first 15 games, with 17 walks in just 57 PAs, and he's managed 12 runs despite having just nine hits. He has no home runs yet, but he could be a fun speed/on-base middle infielder if he can keep up this pace.
Grayson Fitzwater (13th round) is hitting just .221 in his 25 games, which is a bigger sample size than Holcomb or Berkland have. But he's already hit three homers, a triple, and three doubles, so he's been making an impact when he has hit the ball. He has 39 strikeouts, as well, however. All of this shows you the kind of hitter he's shaping up to be. Boom-or-bust.
Clay Burdette was drafted in the 7th round, and interestingly, he's the Sox highest-selected draft pick who's currently playing (aside from Cholowsky). He's slashing .270/.363/.506 in his first 24 games, which isn't half bad. He somehow has six triples already, and his intriguing combination of speed and power has been on full display.
Looking at the other prospects, Cholowsky's not the only one to hit a roadblock. Reliever Jackson Bergman is also shut-down; Indiana University announced in March that he'd miss the season due elbow surgery. None of the pitchers the White Sox drafted have been assigned to affiliates yet.
Crew McChesney (17th round) played 19 games in Kannopolis but hit just .170/.267/.226. The White Sox moved him to their development list, which allows a team to keep a struggling prospect without assigning him to a team, so he doesn't take up a roster spot. Meanwhile, the player receives individualized attention while they try to correct their issues. Hopefully this is successful for McChesney.
These early results don't tell us much long-term, but it's still fun to see these prospects get their first introduction to MiLB. They'll be more to see next year, and it should be just as entertaining.
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