Roch Cholowsky is a UCLA baseball player who has emerged as one of the most accomplished athletes in college baseball. Born on April 5, 2005, in Chandler, Arizona, Cholowsky grew up in a sports-focused family—his father, Dan Cholowsky, is a former minor league player and long-time scout.[7] He attended Hamilton High School in Chandler, where he developed into Arizona's top-ranked high school baseball player in the class of 2023.[3] Before committing fully to baseball, Cholowsky was a multi-sport athlete. He played quarterback for Hamilton's football team and received college football offers, including one from Notre Dame's then-offensive coordinator Tommy Rees.[1] However, he made the deliberate choice to pursue baseball exclusively, recognizing that few athletes successfully compete at elite levels in multiple sports. He signed with UCLA as a highly recruited prospect and has since become a centerpiece of the Bruins' program.[3] Cholowsky's 2025 season was exceptional. He earned numerous national player-of-the-year honors, including awards from ABCA/Rawlings, Baseball America, D1Baseball, and Perfect Game.[2] He also won the Big Ten Player of the Year and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year awards in the same season—a first for a UCLA player.[2] At the plate, he batted .353 with 23 home runs and 89 hits, while defensively he led the nation in defensive WAR (1.51) and defensive runs saved (20.15).[2] Overall, he led all Division I players with a 6.46 WAR.[1] Cholowsky's leadership extends beyond statistics. His experience as a quarterback translated into vocal leadership in the clubhouse, earning respect from teammates. He helped lead UCLA to its first College World Series appearance since 2013.[1] As a shortstop, he is currently projected as a top prospect for the 2026 MLB Draft, representing one of college baseball's most promising talents.