UCLA players celebrates as they break out the bats in the 7th inning to defeat the Oregon Ducks at PK Park in Eugene April 19, 2025 Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

UCLA Star Shortstop Among Top-Ranked Players in NCAA Tournament

Originally posted on UCLA Bruins on SI | By Tom Cavanaugh | Last updated May 29, 2025 9:15 AM ET

UCLA Bruins star sophomore shortstop Roch Cholowsky has been one of the nation's best players all season and has recently received recognition for his achievements.

Baseball America ranked the Top 10 Draft prospects to watch for in the Field of 64 of this year's NCAA Tournament. Cholowsky was ranked No. 5 overall and the second-highest ranked position player.

The NCAA Tournament is around the corner.

Here are the Top 10 Draft prospects to look out for in the Field of 64.

Full list: https://t.co/gU1tQPxujD pic.twitter.com/jA9IyHzndm
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) May 28, 2025

The NCAA Tournament is made up of every top team in the country, adding a few longshot conference tournament winners to the bunch. For Cholowsky to receive a No. 5 overall ranking across the entire field of college baseball puts him in final contention for a Golden Spikes.

The rankings are regardless of class, as Cholowsky is only a sophomore and must spend one more year in college to be eligible for the 2026 MLB Draft. If he were eligible this season, there is no doubt that the Chandler, Arizona native would be a Top 25 pick this year.

Cholowsky recently took home the Big Ten tournament Most Outstanding Player award after winning both Big Ten's Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year awards for the regular season. He was by far the best player in the conference and is now ranked the No. 2 shortstop in the country.

This is Cholowsky's first appearance in the national tournament after the Bruins finished 19-33 last season, completely turning the program around in just one season. The Bruins' star shortstop has a lot to do with that turnaround, and the Bruins are lucky to have him as their stay player.

The Bruins earned the No. 15 national seed, earning them a regional host at Jackie Robinson Stadium, beginning this Friday, May 30. UCLA and Cholowsky will face Fresno State on Friday, with UC Irvine and Arizona State being the other two teams in the four-team regional pool.

The regional pools are double-elimination, with one team emerging to a best-of-three series with another regional winner in what is considered a Super Regional. That three-game series will decide which of the two regional winning teams will become one of the eight teams in the College World Series.

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This article first appeared on UCLA Bruins on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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