Six players from Chandler Hamilton’s 2022 state high school championship baseball team were taken in Major League Baseball drafts over the past four MLB drafts.
UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky leads the way as the No. 1 overall pick, selected in the 2026 draft by the Chicago White Sox on Saturday, July 11
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In Day 2 of the draft, three more players from that ’22 Hamilton team were selected.
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Greatest baseball players from Arizona high schools in photos
Atlanta Braves infielder Bob Horner at Fulton County Stadium.
(Manny Rubio/USA Today)
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Atlanta Braves infielder Bob Horner at Fulton County Stadium.
(Manny Rubio/USA Today)
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Baltimore Orioles pitcher Jim Palmer (22) in action in August 1966.
(Malcolm Emmons/USA TODAY Sports)
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Tim Salmon at a celebration as Greenway High School retired his number on March 9, 2005.
(The Republic)
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Curt Schilling #38 of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during game one of the National League Divisional Series at Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix on Oct. 9, 2001.
(Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
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New York Yankees right fielder Cody Bellinger (35) celebrates his two run home run against the Cleveland Guardians with designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) during the fourth inning at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York.
(Brad Penner/Imagn Images)
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Game 5 at Minute Maid Park: Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier (16) hits a single in the 10th inning.
(Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports)
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23. Chicago White Sox (23) | Record: 71-84 | Comment: Paul Konerko waves to the crowd.
(Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports)
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Ian Kinsler warms up before a game at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on May 13, 2021.
(Patrick Breen/The Republic)
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Athletics left fielder Khris Davis watches his two-run home run clear the fence during a game against the Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim.
(Robert Hanashiro/USA TODAY Sports)
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GreenJacket pitcher Cam Caminiti (59) pitches during the 19th annual Military Appreciation game at SRP Park on July 12, 2025, in North Augusta, South Carolina. The Augusta GreenJackets faced off against the Salem Red Sox. Salem won 9-2.
(Katie Goodale/Augusta Chronicle/USA TODAY)
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Mets #29 Ike Davis celebrates in the dugout after a home run in the first inning against the New York Yankees on June 22, 2012.
(MICHAEL KARAS/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
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St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Matthew Liberatore (52) delivers a pitch against the Chicago Cubs at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri.
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Nolan Gorman bats in the high school home run derby at Marlins Park in Miami on July 10, 2017.
(Steve Mitchell/USA TODAY Sports)
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J.J. Hardy (went to Sabino High, born in Tucson) | Current team: Orioles | MLB debut: April 4, 2005 | Position: Shortstop
(Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports)
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Washington Nationals’ Paul Lo Duca.
(Howard Smith/USA Today Sports)
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Northwest Christian pitcher Ty Howry with his father, coach and former MLB pitcher, Bobby, in Phoenix on April 14, 2021.
(Michael Chow/The Republic)
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Hamilton’s Roch Cholowsky (13) catches a ball during a high school baseball game against Orange Lutheran at Bell Bank Park Legacy Sports Complex in Mesa on Feb. 23, 2023.
(Cheryl Evans/The Republic)
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Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Merrill Kelly (29) is shown during the first inning of their game against the Milwaukee Brewers on April 28, 2026, at American Family Field in Milwaukee.
(Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
They are pitcher Kole Klecker (Minnesota Twins, 10th round from Arizona State), pitcher Rohan Lettow (Pittsburgh Pirates, 12th round, from San Diego State), and infielder Ryan Kucherak (San Diego Padres, 15th round, from Northwestern).
Keckler spent his first three seasons at TCU before transferring to ASU.
Among players taken in previous years:
ASU right-hander Kole Klecker pitches against the Cincinnati Bearcats during their Big 12 tournament game at Surprise Stadium on May 21, 2026.
Outfielder Gavin Turley was taken by the Athletics in the fourth round of the 2025 draft.
Pitcher Josh Tiedemann went to the New York Yankees in the 13th round of the 2023 draft.
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That 2022 Hamilton team went 29-4 and run-ruled Chandler, 11-1, in the 6A state championship game in five innings.
Gilbert Campo Verde outfielder Ezekiel Zion was the only 2026 Arizona high school player taken in the 20-round draft. He was chosen by the Padres in the 20th round, the 605th overall pick.
Richard Obert has been covering high school sports since the 1980s for The Arizona Republic. Catch the best high school sports coverage in the state. Sign up for Azcentral Preps Now. And be sure to subscribe to our daily sports newsletters so you don’t miss a thing. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Championship Arizona high school team has had 6 taken in MLB draft
