White Sox select Nazareth star Thome with No. 34 pick

The White Sox continued their practice of taking the best local players by choosing infielder Landon Thome from Nazareth Academy with the No. 34 overall pick on Saturday.

Thome is the son of former White Sox slugger Jim Thome, who works for the Sox as a special assistant to the general manager and also helped coach the Nazareth team.

“We're very confident he's going to reach his ceiling because of how he was raised,” Sox general manager Chris Getz said. “We've known Landon. We've known him for a long time, and we know the Thome family, and what they're about. We know it's important to dive into the support systems and what you're getting from a player.”

This was the pick the White Sox acquired from Pittsburgh on Friday night, sending former first-rounder Jacob Gonzalez and reliever Brandon Eisert to the Pirates. Maybe it was a lot of give up, but Getz felt this was a good option to restock the farm system.

“Obviously you've got to give up something to get something,” Getz said. “We felt like this was a draft to get creative, add picks and value and pool money.”

Landon Thome was named the Gatorade player of the year in Illinois after hitting .535 with 7 home runs this spring. He's seen as a second or third baseman at the next level.

Last year, the Sox took Nazareth's Jaden Fauske in the second round, and before that Downers Grove North outfielder George Wolkow and Oswego East pitcher Noah Schultz in the early rounds.

Getz also raved about landing Mississippi high school infielder Cole Prosek with the team's second-round pick, No. 41 overall. In the third round, the Sox took Georgia right-hander Joey Volchko, then Oregon State right-hander Eric Segura in the fourth round.

“Very excited about getting (Prosek) as well,” Getz said. “A special young bat with power. He's caught before, he plays infield. We felt like (Thome and Prosek) were the best high school left-handed bats remaining in the draft.”

Kansas City picked two suburban players on Saturday. The Royals went with right-handed pitcher Jack Slightom from Lyons Township High School in the second round at No. 56 overall, then Oswego East outfielder Dominic Battista in the fourth round.

The No. 10 overall pick to Colorado, Kentucky infielder Tyler Bell, is from Lincoln-Way East.