Pick six: White Sox narrow field for No. 11 pick
After signing 19-year-old outfielder Luis Robert to a minor league contract that included a $26 million bonus last weekend, general manager Rick Hahn admitted the past year has been good for the rebuilding Chicago White Sox.
"Someone pointed out to me that in the last 12 months, we've added nine of our top 10 prospects," Hahn said. "It's been a good year in that regard. We're looking forward to having another good year to keep this process moving."
The Sox have a chance to add the next top prospect on June 12, when they pick No. 11 overall in the draft.
I asked Nick Hostetler, the White Sox's director of amateur scouting, if he had a short list of players at No. 11.
Hostetler said the Sox are looking at six players with their first-round pick - four from college and two from high school.
Here at six players that fit the White Sox's profile:
Adam Haseley, Virginia, OF
Hostetler said the White Sox are going to take the best player available, which is common draft strategy.
He was also asked about two-way players - ones that can hit and pitch.
"I love it from my end," Hostetler said. "I like to see a guy's athletic ability. A guy shows me he can pitch, he can hit, whichever way we like him really helps us to understand the more athletic the player, the more chances we are going to have to be able to fix him or help him or move him along quicker."
While he's 7-1 with a 3.58 ERA in 11 starts for Virginia this season, Haseley looks like a major-league outfielder.
Heading into the NCAA tournament, the 21-year-old Haseley had a .399/.496/.676 hitting line with 14 home runs and 54 RBI in 55 games.
Even after adding Robert, the Sox still need young outfielders. The big question is - will Haseley still be on the board at No. 11?
Jeren Kendall, Vanderbilt, OF
He's another collegiate outfielder that has some pop from the left side.
Heading into the NCAA tournament with Vanderbilt, Kendall was slashing .310/.380/.569 with 15 homers and 48 RBI in 57 games.
The Holmen, Wis., native does have a flaw that should concern the White Sox. In 239 at-bats this season, he has 67 strikeouts.
Alex Faedo, Florida, RHP
Heading into the season, MLB.com's Jim Callis had Faedo being drafted No. 1 overall.
The right-handed starter had arthroscopic surgery on both knees in September, and he got off to a slow start with the Gators this season.
Faedo was 7-2 with a 2.80 ERA and had 113 strikeouts and 32 walks in 96⅓ innings heading into the NCAA tournament.
Pavin Smith, Virginia, 1B
Much like Cavaliers teammate Adam Haseley, Smith is a potent left-handed bat that might be gone when the Sox's No. 11 overall pick comes up.
Heading into the NCAAs, Smith was batting .346 with 12 home runs and a school-record 72 RBI. Equally impressive, Smith struck out only 9 times in his first 261 plate appearances.
Jordon Adell, Ballard High, OF
In the last 15 years, the White Sox have drafted just one high school player on the first round.
That was Courtney Hawkins, in 2012, and he is still struggling at Class AA Birmingham with a .135 batting average and 53 strikeouts in 89 at-bats.
Like Hawkins, Adell is a powerful prep hitter at Ballard H.S. in Louisville, and he is also a standout pitcher.
D.L. Hall, Valdosta High, LHP
The Sox have been stockpiling pitching in recent drafts and trades, so adding another arm doesn't seem to be a priority.
Hall would need a few years in the minors before emerging on the White Sox's radar, but he has climbed up the draft boards with a nasty curveball to go with a 1.24 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 45⅓ innings this season.
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2017 MLB Draft
This year's amateur draft will be held June 12-14 and be broadcast by MLB Network and MLB.com.
<b>First round order</b>1. Minnesota Twins
2. Cincinnati Reds
3. San Diego Padres
4. Tampa Bay Rays
5. Atlanta Braves
6. Oakland Athletics
7. Arizona Diamondbacks
8. Philadelphia Phillies
9. Milwaukee Brewers
10. Los Angeles Angels
11. WHITE SOX
27. CUBS
30. CUBS (from St. Louis as compensation for Dexter Fowler
Source: mlb.com