Savage Knew UCLA's Cholowsky 'Had A Chance To Be Special'

UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky became the sixth player in the history of Baseball America's Player of the Year award to win the honor a year before becoming draft eligible.

And on the heels of leading the Bruins back to Omaha for the first time since 2013, head coach John Savage revealed to Baseball America's Jacob Rudner just how special he knew Cholowsky was going to be from a young age.

“We just knew he had a chance to be special,” Savage said about being one of the few coaches to scout the shortstop as early as his freshman year of high school.

Savage's early recruitment paid off as he garnered Cholowsky's commitment right away. And now he coaches arguably the best player in college baseball.

The standout shortstop had a stellar year, and this latest award adds to Cholowsky being named Big Ten Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, the Brooks Wallace Award, District 9 Player of the Year, Perfect Game USA Player of the Year, ABCA First Team All-American honors, Baseball America First Team All-American honors, NCBWA Second Team All-American honors, finalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award, all in his sophomore season.

Savage recalls truly unlocking his latest phenom when he moved to shortstop.

“It felt like as soon as this guy got the keys (to shortstop), that he was going to take this thing to where everybody wanted to go,” Savage said. “He’s just a winning kid. His feel for the room, his feel for his teammates, his feel for games . . . We had one of the best shortstops in America over the last 15 years in Brandon Crawford. He was a phenomenal shortstop. He reminds me of him on the defensive side. They love playing defense. They love being the quarterback.”

Coming off a disappointing 19-win season in Cholowsky's freshman year followed by a 48-win sophomore season that came with an Omaha appearance, UCLA's trajectory is looking more promising than any other team in college baseball, with most of its squad returning next season alongside Cholowsky.

Savage not only has the keys to a promising young team, but he is the mentor of one of the next great shortstops in the majors. Cholowsky is projected to be the No. 1 prospect in the 2026 MLB Draft.