Roch Cholowsky
Photo by: Mac Brown
Cholowsky Named Perfect Game Preseason Player of the Year
January 07, 2026 | Baseball
LOS ANGELES โย UCLA junior shortstop Roch Cholowsky has been selected as Perfect Game's Preseason Player of the Year, announced Wednesday afternoon.
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Cholowsky enters 2025 coming off a landmark campaign in which he was named Baseball America's National Player of the Year, becoming just the sixth non-draft eligible player to earn the award in its 44-year history. He was also named Player of the Year by ABCA/Rawlings, D1 Baseball, and Perfect Game following his outstanding sophomore season.
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The sophomore shortstop played a central role in UCLA's return to the Men's College World Series for the first time since 2013, helping guide the Bruins to a 48-18 record and a share of the Big Ten regular-season title in their inaugural season in the conference.
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Cholowsky became the first Bruin ever to sweep both Big Ten Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season, and the first UCLA player since 1998 to win a conference player of the year award. Nationally, he made history as the first Bruin and first sophomore to receive the Brooks Wallace Award, presented annually to the nation's top shortstop.
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His breakout year also featured First Team All-America recognition from the ABCA, an ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove, Perfect Game's National Player of the Year honor, and a finalist selection for the Dick Howser Trophy.
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Statistically, Cholowsky led all Division I players in WAR (6.49) and delivered a .353/.480/.710 slash line with 23 home runs and 74 RBIs. His 1.261 OPS and .761 slugging percentage were the best in the Big Ten, and his home run total marked the highest by a Bruin since 2000. He crossed the plate 80 times, finishing just one run shy of Chase Utley's school record, and his 179 total bases ranked second in UCLA history during the Super Regional era. He briefly held the program's single-season hit-by-pitch record with 21 before teammate Dean West surpassed him with 22. Cholowsky was also one of only two Bruins to start every game.
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Cholowsky enters 2025 coming off a landmark campaign in which he was named Baseball America's National Player of the Year, becoming just the sixth non-draft eligible player to earn the award in its 44-year history. He was also named Player of the Year by ABCA/Rawlings, D1 Baseball, and Perfect Game following his outstanding sophomore season.
ย
The sophomore shortstop played a central role in UCLA's return to the Men's College World Series for the first time since 2013, helping guide the Bruins to a 48-18 record and a share of the Big Ten regular-season title in their inaugural season in the conference.
ย
Cholowsky became the first Bruin ever to sweep both Big Ten Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season, and the first UCLA player since 1998 to win a conference player of the year award. Nationally, he made history as the first Bruin and first sophomore to receive the Brooks Wallace Award, presented annually to the nation's top shortstop.
ย
His breakout year also featured First Team All-America recognition from the ABCA, an ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove, Perfect Game's National Player of the Year honor, and a finalist selection for the Dick Howser Trophy.
ย
Statistically, Cholowsky led all Division I players in WAR (6.49) and delivered a .353/.480/.710 slash line with 23 home runs and 74 RBIs. His 1.261 OPS and .761 slugging percentage were the best in the Big Ten, and his home run total marked the highest by a Bruin since 2000. He crossed the plate 80 times, finishing just one run shy of Chase Utley's school record, and his 179 total bases ranked second in UCLA history during the Super Regional era. He briefly held the program's single-season hit-by-pitch record with 21 before teammate Dean West surpassed him with 22. Cholowsky was also one of only two Bruins to start every game.
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Players Mentioned
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