With Beckham in fold, '08 draft class for Sox could be best since 1990
A word of advice for top prospects in the White Sox' system - keep the suitcases close by.
"We want to win right now," Sox general manager Kenny Williams said for maybe the thousandth time this spring.
In order to achieve that annual aspiration, Williams frequently trades packages of promising youngsters for proven veterans.
Within the past eight months, Williams sent minor-league pitchers John Ely and Jon Link to the Dodgers for left fielder Juan Pierre. He sent pitchers Clayton Richard, Aaron Poreda, Adam Russell and Dexter Carter to the Padres for starter Jake Peavy. He sent first baseman Brandon Allen to the Diamondbacks for reliever Tony Pena.
While he prefers established talent, Williams is open to adding a prospect or two into the mix every year.
"We have made the most trades in baseball the last 10 years, but ultimately we'd like to be the team that makes the least amount of trades," Williams said. "That means your system is producing."
If the White Sox continue to draft like they did in 2008, Williams just might be able to put the phone down and fill holes with homegrown players.
Second baseman Gordon Beckham and starting pitcher/reliever Daniel Hudson are two members of the Class of 2008 that have already made it to the South Side, and outfielder Jordan Danks and infielder Brent Morel look to be the next in line.
As time progresses, 2008 could prove to be the Sox' best draft crop since the 1990 group that featured Alex Fernandez, James Baldwin, Ray Durham, Jason Bere and Rodney Bolton.
The White Sox also selected Bob Wickman in 1990 and later sent the relief pitcher to the New York Yankees in the Steve Sax trade.
As for the current class, Beckham has already established himself as one of the Sox' best players. Switching from third to second this season, Beckham batted .270 as a rookie and also had 28 doubles, 14 home runs, 63 RBI and a .347 on-base percentage in 103 games.
Hudson, a fifth-round draft pick, opened last season at Class A Kannapolis and rapidly advanced to A Winston-Salem, AA Birmingham and AAA Charlotte before joining the White Sox in September.
Projected as a top-end starter in the future, Hudson will likely be in the Sox' bullpen this year if he breaks camp with the club.
"I don't have a preference at all," Hudson said. "If they want me to start, Triple-A or whatever, I'll start. If they want me to be the long man, I'll be the long man."
Danks, a 6-foot-4 outfielder and the younger brother of White Sox starter John Danks, is in camp as a nonroster invitee. After batting a combined .266 with 23 doubles, 9 HR and 41 RBI last year with Winston-Salem and Birmingham, the seventh-round pick could get a call from the Sox later this season.
"That's the ultimate goal, to get up here with the big club," Danks said.
Morel, a third-round pick, batted .281 with 16 HR and 79 RBI at Winston-Salem last year and followed up with an eye-popping .435 (27-for-62) average that led the Arizona Fall League.
"It worked out really good," said Morel, a natural third baseman who also plays "a little" second base and shortstop. "I was in the Instructional League for about five weeks and when (Dayan) Viciedo got hurt, I got an opportunity to go and I wanted to take advantage of that."
Morel did just that, and now he's hoping to follow Beckham, Hudson and Danks up the ladder.
"It's nice to know the White Sox aren't scared to push their young guys if they're ready," said Morel, like Danks a nonroster invitee this spring. "I just have to get myself ready, so that's what I'm trying to do."
"We have made the most trades in baseball the last 10 years, but ultimately we'd like to be the team that makes the least amount of trades. That means your system is producing."
White Sox GM Ken Williams