Gregor: Sox prospect Hawkins improving with age
Last Thursday, White Sox prospect Courtney Hawkins hit a tape-measure home run in a Cactus League game against the Dodgers.
The prodigious display of power is a big reason the Sox selected Hawkins in the first round (No. 13 overall) of the 2012 draft.
But plenty of home run hitters have swung and missed with the White Sox through the years, the most recent being Dayan Viciedo and Adam Dunn.
Hawkins doesn't want to be the next name on the list.
"I don't know if I consider myself a power hitter," Hawkins said. "Obviously, I have the ability to hit home runs, but I want to be an all-around hitter."
Hawkins, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound outfielder, showed plenty of power with Class A Winston-Salem last season. The right-handed hitter led the Carolina League with 84 RBI and ranked second with 19 home runs.
That earned the 21-year-old Texan an invitation to his first major-league camp this spring, and Hawkins is enjoying the experience.
"I got the invite and I was really excited about it," Hawkins said at the beginning of camp. "I just have to go out and play my game. Don't try to do too much and don't try to shoot for something that might not be there. Just go out and play ball."
Through six exhibition games, Hawkins is doing just that. He is batting .417 (5-for-12) with the long home run and 2 RBI. Cutting down the strikeout total (4) remains the most daunting challenge.
Last season Hawkins struck out 143 times in 449 at-bats, the third-highest total in the Carolina League.
And as a 19-year-old with high A Winston-Salem in 2013, Hawkins led the Carolina League with 160 strikeouts in only 383 at-bats.
"It's something you want to decrease," Hawkins said. "Obviously, nobody is going to cut the strikeouts out completely, but as you get older and start knowing your strike zone better and start knowing your discipline at the plate better, it's going to go down. That's my goal for this season."
Hawkins is likely to play for Class AA Birmingham this year. If he stays on track, look for a 2017 debut with the White Sox, either as an outfielder or designated hitter.
"Playing in the major leagues has been my dream for a long time, but that's something that's still down the road," Hawkins said. "For now, it's just trying to get better every day. Whether it's a good year or bad year, there is always stuff you can improve on.
"Now that I have some experience, I know my body better and I know what I need to do to get ready."