As draft approaches, White Sox crush Rangers
Thanks to another poor showing (73-89) in 2014, the White Sox have another high draft pick this year.
The Sox hold the No. 8 overall selection in Monday's first round. They'll need to make the most of it.
Signing free agents David Robertson and Melky Cabrera in the off-season cost the White Sox their second- and third-round draft picks this year, so they are next up with the No. 112 overall pick on the fourth round.
Maybe they'll mine some talent in the lower rounds, but we'll focus on a few names to keep an eye on with the first pick.
Speaking of first-round picks, the Sox hit it big in the 2010 draft, grabbing Chris Sale at No. 13 overall.
Sale made it to the major leagues in early August of '10 and pitched 21 games in relief. The left-hander stayed in the bullpen the following season before joining the starting rotation in 2012 and quickly establishing himself as the White Sox' ace.
Sale (5-2) started against the Rangers at Texas Wednesday night and got the win after throwing 7 shutout innings and striking out 13.
Powered by a 6-run second inning, the Sox beat Texas 9-2.
After missing three games with a sore finger, Jose Abreu was back in the lineup at designated hitter and he went 2-for-4 with a home run (No. 9) and 3 RBI. Tyler Flowers was 3-for-5 with a homer (No. 3) and 2 RBI.
As for Monday's draft, here are three names to watch:
Dillon Tate
He's a right-handed starter, and that's a big need for the White Sox, who currently have four left-handers in the rotation.
A former closer for UC Santa Barbara, Tate moved to the Gauchos' starting rotation this season and was 8-5 with a 2.26 ERA. The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder also had 111 strikeouts in 103⅓ innings.
Tate's big fastball has moved him up the board, and he might be gone by the time the Sox are on the clock.
If he is available, Tate makes sense on the South Side.
Carson Fulmer
If Tate is gone at No. 8, Fulmer is a solid Plan B for the White Sox, assuming he is still available.
Another college right-hander with a power arm, Fulmer was 12-2 with a 1.92 ERA in 16 starts for Vanderbilt this season.
Like Tate, Fulmer throws a fastball that regularly reaches the upper 90s, but his mechanics are not fluid and that's raised some concern about future arm troubles.
Tyler Stephenson
He is a high school player, and the Sox probably aren't interested in using such a premium pick on an 18-year-old kid. But Stephenson is a catcher with a very high ceiling, so the White Sox might be willing to roll the dice and wait on his development.
They've had a gaping hole at catcher since A.J. Pierzynski exited as a free agent following the 2012 season.
Quality catchers are hard to find, but the 6-foot-4, 210-pound Stephenson, who starred at Kennesaw Mountain High School in Georgia this season, looks like a keeper.