White Sox's first-round draft pick takes Sale comparison in stride
The MLB draft is always full of comps, especially with first-round picks.
When Garrett Crochet was drafted by the White Sox with the No. 11 overall pick in 2020, he was immediately compared to Chris Sale because both pitchers are left-handed and stand 6-foot-6.
"It's tough to make on me as I haven't achieved anything close to what Chris has achieved," Crochet said after being drafted. "But it's nice to see."
Even though he's out for the current season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, the Sox are quite happy with Crochet.
With no minor-league baseball in his draft year due to COVID-19, the University of Tennessee product got his feet wet at the White Sox's alternate training site in Schaumburg, made his major-league debut on Sept. 18 out of the bullpen and wound up with 8 strikeouts and no walks over 6 scoreless innings in 5 appearances.
Noah Schultz was the Sox's first-round pick Sunday night. The Aurora native and Oswego East High School product is taller than Sale and Crochet at 6-foot-9, but he's another lefty with some serious upside.
Only 18, Schultz still has a long ways to go before he can be truly likened to any major-league pitcher.
But with a drop down delivery and biting slider, he does come across as a young Sale.
"I've been compared to him a lot," Schultz said. "He's definitely somebody that it's awesome to be compared to, somebody I can look up to. I don't want to say copy what he does, I am my own pitcher. But he's definitely somebody that shows how successful left-handed pitchers for the Chicago White Sox can be and I'm hoping to be the next one."
Heading into the draft, Sox director of amateur scouting Mike Shirley talked about the importance of drafting quality pitching.
In the second round late Sunday night, the White Sox selected Arkansas right-hander Peyton Pallette at No. 62 overall.
Pallette didn't pitch for the Razorbacks this year after having Tommy John surgery in January.
As a sophomore in 2021, Pallette was 1-2 with a 4.02 ERA and 67 strikeouts over 56 innings in 15 games (11 starts).
"Another high-upside guy whom we find fortunate to land because of the fact that if Peyton Pallette would have pitched healthy this year, he would have been a possible first-round pick," Shirley said. "Surgery went well, really feel good about it. He's already added 10 to 15 pounds since the surgery. We know he's on the right track, headed in the right direction."
Rounds 3-10 of the draft were held Monday, with the final rounds (11-20) coming Tuesday.
The Sox drafted four more pitchers on Monday, including Georgia right-hander Jonathan Cannon on the third round.