UCLA baseball's success this season was a team effort, but one player stood out above the others.
Your 2025 Player of the Year... Roch Cholowsky, UCLA 😤🏅#B1GBaseball x @UCLABaseball pic.twitter.com/Svy41V61hw
— Big Ten Baseball (@B1Gbaseball) May 20, 2025
Roch Cholowsky, a sophomore at UCLA, has earned the prestigious title of Big Ten Baseball Player of the Year for 2025. The Big Ten Conference announced its postseason awards as the Bruins begin Big Ten Tournament play. Cholowsky also earned the title of Best Defensive Player in the Big Ten.
The Bruins, fresh off their Big Ten regular season title, secured many victories thanks to Cholowsky's outstanding performance throughout the season. His remarkable statistics highlight his significant contributions to the team's offensive and defensive efforts.
𝐇𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥.
— UCLA Baseball (@UCLABaseball) May 20, 2025
Roch Cholowsky becomes UCLA's first-ever 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫!#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/WHLWmQn658
Cholowsky posted a .371 batting average, outpacing every other player on the Bruins roster. He knocked in 63 runs and launched 20 home runs. With a .511 on-base percentage and a 1.274 OPS, it was evident that he stood out as the top player in the Big Ten.
Cholowsky also played a crucial role in UCLA's defense as a shortstop. He helped execute 41 double plays, which is an impressive statistic. With a catching percentage of .981, his defensive stats were exceptional as well. His nation-leading 5.85 WAR showcases Cholowsky's overall value.
Regular season in the books, 𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 written all over it.
— UCLA Baseball (@UCLABaseball) May 19, 2025
Roch Cholowsky finishes the regular season as the 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 in wins-above-replacement (WAR) with a mark of 5.85, according to @643charts.#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/RDd0ZA76lP
Along with his Big Ten acknowledgements and awards, he has also received national recognition.
𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 ⭐️
— UCLA Baseball (@UCLABaseball) May 18, 2025
Roch Cholowsky has been named one of 25 semifinalists for the Golden Spikes Award!
🗞️https://t.co/YJvrZ0mjbc #GoBruins x #GoldenSpikes pic.twitter.com/b9gDOkIM0B
Some are even predicting that he may be the top pick in the upcoming MLB draft.
Roch Cholowsky could have taken the millions, becoming a first-round draft pick to begin his pro career.
— Benjamin Royer (@thebenroyer) May 13, 2025
Then he visited Omaha — and everything changed. Meet the @UCLABaseball star and potential top pick in the 2026 MLB Draft.
For @latimessports:https://t.co/JjR23tNzDd