Like usual, we have our draft tracker updated as the draft progresses and as players sign. We will fill it in with as much info on the picks as we can find. A full list of selections can be found on MLB.com.
1s (47): Keenyn Walker, OF, S/R, 6-3, 193, Central Arizona JC SIGNED – Great Falls – $795,000
2 (80): Erik Johnson, RHP, 6-3, 240, Cal SIGNED – Great Falls – $450,000
3 (110): Jeff Soptic, RHP, 6-6, 210, Johnson County CC (KS) SIGNED – Bristol – $320,000
4 (141): Kyle McMillen, RHP, 6-2, 200, Kent State SIGNED – Great Falls – $120,000
5 (171): Scott Snodgress, LHP, 6-5, 210, Stanford SIGNED – Great Falls – $141,300
The Sox have taken four pitchers in a row, and three of them project as relievers. Snodgress, like McMillen, was solely a reliever this year. 31 IP, 4.65 ERA, 38 K, 28 BB, 27 H. Similar stats as a sophomore. Velocity fell back to low 90s this spring. Has good curve and change. Confidence being mentioned as a problem in scouting reports. Stanford is stlll in the NCAA tourney.
6 (201): Marcus Semien, SS, R/R, 6-1, 190, Cal SIGNED – Kannapolis – $130,000
Hit .272/.362/.394 with 27 BB and 36 K in 213 AB this year as a junior. 6-1, 190. 8/13 in stolen bases. .328/.400/.497 as a sophomore. Initial guess would be he didn’t like the new metal bat rules this year in college ball. Solid defender, BA says he might need to move to 2B though. Hit .302 with 18 2B, 43 BB, 31 K in 222 AB. in the Northwoods League, a good wood bat league, last summer. Cal player bio
7 (231): Kevan Smith, C, R/R, 6-3, 240, Pitt SIGNED – Bristol – $60,000
Two-time first team Big East and two-time All Big East Tournament team. Hit .397/.465/.675 this year as a senior. OPS .900+ in his three years as a starter. Big power bat with football background. Could stay at position. BA says profiles well as a backup. Pitt player bio
8 (261): Ian Gardeck, RHP, 6-2, 215, Angelina JC (TX)
Local kid from Crystal Lake South High School. BA ranks him No. 171 overall prospect. Profiled as first rounder before bad spring. Started college career at Dayton. Redshirted in ’09. In 2010: 27.1 IP, 5.93 ERA, 25 K, 25 BB, 26 H. Mid 90s fastball and potentially plus slider as a reliever. Started pitching as a junior in high school, needs to improve mechanics. Alabama commit.
9 (291): Matthew Lane, LHP, 6-5, 195, NW Florida State Coll. SIGNED – Bristol – $110,000
8-5, 2.17 ERA, 92 K, 34 BB, 79 H in 99.1 IP this spring. 6-5, 195. Outside BA’s top 100 Florida prospects. Pitched for Mississippi State as a freshman in 2010: 12 IP, 5.25 ERA, 9 K, 12 BB, 13 H.
10 (321): Benjamin O’Shea, LHP, 6-5, 255, Santa Fe CC (FL)
3.03 ERA with 98 K, 15 BB and 57 H in 65.1 IP this spring. BA ranks him the No. 49 prospect in Florida. Typically sat in the upper 80s, but his frame obviously gives hope for a velocity bump. Good change, mediocre curve. Maryland commit.
11 (351): Blair Walters, LHP, 6-0, 200, Hawaii SIGNED – Great Falls
The college senior makes it three LHP in a row. Reliever. 4.14 ERA, 34 K, 17 BB, 42 H in 41.1 IP. As a junior: 35.2 IP, 7.07 ERA, 35 K, 12 H, 47 H. Transferred to Hawaii after two years of JuCo ball. Throws a hard sinker in low 90s, needs to develop secondary pitches.
12 (381): Andrew Virgili, RHP, 6-2, 205, Lynn U. (DII) SIGNED – Bristol
2.35 ERA, 94 K, 25 BB, 86 H in 95.2 IP (14 starts) as a junior this spring. Struggled in two years of JuCo ball before transferring to Lynn. Lynn player bio
13 (411): Chadd Krist, C, R/R, 5-11, 199, Cal
That makes three Cal Bears drafted by the Sox today. Hit .306/.386/.444 with 27 BB and 32 K in 216 as a junior this spring. Struggled as a freshman but hit .344/.422/.609 as a sophomore. BA says strong arm with good agility behind the plate and is a hard worker. Defense sounds solid, but the bat is the question mark. Cal player bio
14 (441): Mark Ginther, 3B, R/R, 6-3, 200, Oklahoma St.
Hit .292/.337/.517 with 16 BB and 34 K in 236 AB as a junior this spring. .320/.369/.569 as a sophomore (notice the trend yet? bat changes killed offensive numbers this year). Big power bat with good athleticism and arm strength. Also pitched and played football in high school. BA says could have been taken in top three rounds out of high school, but needs to improve his approach at the plate. Too aggressive. Ok State player bio (says he’s a Cubs fan). MLB.com’s scouting video
15 (471): David Herbek, SS, R/R, 6-1, 180, James Madison SIGNED – Great Falls
Hit .362/.443/.672 with 15 HR, 24 BB and 30 K in 229 AB this spring as a senior. 13/17 in stolen bases. BA says he has a chance to stick at SS. Big pop from SS. JMU player bio
16 (501): Chris Bassitt, RHP, 6-5, 205, Akron SIGNED – Bristol
The fourth-year junior made 28 relief appearances for the Zips this year. 1.42 ERA, 48 K, 15 BB, 24 H in 38 IP with 7 saves. Throws a low 90s sinker and a slider from a 3/4 arm angle. Akron player bio
17 (531): Collin Kuhn, OF, R/R, 6-0, 195, Arkansas SIGNED – Bristol
Another fourth-year junior and another four-year college player. Hit .282/.370/.466 with 22 steals in 24 attempts. Hit .336 with 15 HR as a sophomore. Good speed, but weak arm. Arkansas player bio
18 (561): Bryan Blough, RHP, 6-1, 190, Kennesaw State SIGNED – Bristol
BA says fastball 88-92 with a decent slider. 3.61 ERA, 84 K, 20 BB, 94 hits in 84.2 IP this year as a senior. 10.29 ERA in 28 innings as a junior after two years at JuCo. Kennesaw player bio
19 (591): Kevin Vance, RHP, 6-0, 205, Connecticut SIGNED – Great Falls
Vance is another reliever in the White Sox draft class. 1.57 ERA, 31 K, 6 BB, 13 H in 28.2 IP. The junior is the closer on the UConn team that won the Clemson Regional last weekend. Low 90s fastball, but inconsistent velocity. BA says good curve and decent change. 19:5 K:BB in 18 IP with a 0.50 ERA in the Cape Cod League last summer. UConn player bio
20 (621): Martin Medina, C/1B, R/R, 6-0, 195, Cal State Bakersfield SIGNED – Great Falls
Hit .287/.362/.478 with 26 BB, 37 K and 9 HR in 209 AB. The junior also pitched and struck out 45 in 33.2 IP this year out of the bullpen. Bakersfield player bio
21 (651): Joe De Pinto, 2B, R/R, 6-1, 190, USC SIGNED – Great Falls
The senior hit .300/.409/.379 with 9 steals this spring. Similar numbers throughout his career. USC player bio
22 (681): Blake Drake, RHP, 6-7, 195, Indiana St. SIGNED – Great Falls
The Sox probably got some looks at Drake when scouting Jacob Petricka last year. The senior made four starts and 22 relief appearances as a senior. He struck out 37, walked 21 and allowed 50 hits in 49 innings for a 4.78 ERA. BA ranks him the No. 15 draft eligible prospect in the state of Indiana. Indiana State player bio
23 (711): Mike Marjama, C, R/R, 6-2, 205, Long Beach St. SIGNED – Bristol
This is the fourth catcher the Sox have drafted. Hit .290/.329/.378 as a junior after two years at JuCo. BA rates him as the No. 99 prospect in Southern California. LBSU player bio
24 (741): Mark Haddow, OF, R/R, 6-2, 220, UC Santa Barbara SIGNED – Great Falls
The first fifth-year senior the Sox drafted. Haddow hit .356/.438/.545 for the Big West Gauchos. 16/22 in stolen bases. He actually has decent tools and is a solid defender with decent speed. Finally turned the tools into production this year. UCSB player bio
25 (771): Chris Devenski, RHP, 6-3, 200, Cal State Fullerton SIGNED – Great Falls
4.98 ERA with 26 K and 8 BB in 21.2 IP as a junior reliever. Previously played two years at junior college, where he also played shortstop. BA says he fit in the 5th-15th rounds, which probably means he is a tough sign. Low 90s fastball with slider and change. Fullerton player bio
26 (801): Grant Buckner, 3B, R/R, 6-2, 215, West Virginia SIGNED – Bristol
Buckner pounded the ball this spring: .364/.440/.555. Another fifth-year senior. Hit over .320 and slugged over .500 in his three years as a starter. WVU player bio
27 (831): Jake Cose, RHP, 6-5, 200, San Joaquin Delta College (CA) SIGNED – Bristol
Has both hit and pitched at Delta College. Fastball sits low-90’s. Delta College player bio
28 (861): Kyle Robinson, 1B, R/R, 6-3, 215, Arkansas SIGNED – Bristol
Athletic first baseman with some power. Hit .286/.358/.507 this year with the Razorbacks. Arkansas player bio
29 (891): Dustin Hayes, CF, R/R, 6-2, 190, No School SIGNED
Struggling to find info on Hayes, but he is the youngest draft pick in the class so far, born in Nov. ’91.
30 (921): Brandon Parrent, LHP, 6-3, 215, Texas A&M SIGNED – Great Falls – $100,000
Parrent throws a low-90’s fastball with a plus curve. Command needs work. Didn’t live up to expectations this year as a well thought of JUCO transfer that some expected to either be a weekend starter, or a major bullpen piece. Finished the year with 28 SO/13 BB in 44.1 IP and a team high 6 home runs allowed. A&M player bio
31 (951): Michael Johnson, SS, L/R, 5-9, 175, Samford SIGNED – Bristol
Hit .342/.415/.433 this year with 11 steals. The senior is the first lefty bat the Sox have drafted. Samford player bio Naples News article about being drafted
32 (981): Brent Tanner, C, L/R, 6-2, 225, South Alabama SIGNED – Great Falls
Fifth-year senior hit .342/.432/.539 with 10 HR this year for the Sun Belt school. Redshirted in 2007 at Mississippi State before going to a JuCo for two years. So. Alabama player bio
33 (1011): Bryce Mosier, C, R/R, 6-2, 200, Valhalla HS (CA) SIGNED – Bristol
It’s truly amazing this is the first high schooler taken by the White Sox. Given they’ve drafted five college catchers ahead of him and he committed to San Diego State, it’s a surprise signing. BA rates him as the No. 37 prospect in Southern California (27 of the overall top 200 are in that region so 37 is very good) and says he is a good catcher with power potential. Perfect Game profile
34 (1041): Dakota Freese, RHP, 6-4, 187, Washington HS (IA)
Committed to play junior college ball at LSU-Eunice, but this article makes it sound like he wants to go pro. Late growth spurt and low 90s velocity. BA rates him as No. 7 prospect in Iowa. Perfect Game profile
35 (1071): Joe Dvorsky, RHP, 6-2, 200, Texas State SIGNED – Great Falls
2.83 ERA with 38 K, 10 BB in 41.1 IP mostly as a reliever. This was first year of regular action in D1 for the senior . JuCo for two years followed by rare use last season. BA ranks him the No. 78 prospect in Texas. Texas State player bio
36 (1101): Cody Winiarski, RHP, 6-4, 200, Virginia SIGNED – Great Falls
Winiarski is part of top-seeded Cavaliers rotation. 3.20 ERA with 55 K and 20 BB in 70.1 IP. BA says high 80s fastball with ‘solid secondary stuff.’ Virginia player bio
37 (1131): Todd Kibby, LHP, 6-4, 240, St. Petersburg JC (FL) SIGNED – Bristol
If you look at St. Petersburg’s roster and scroll all the way to the bottom, you’ll find that Kibby has a Brian Wilson beard. 4.17 ERA with 71 K, 55 BB and 68 H in 69 IP. Signed with Bowling Green out of high school, but went to St. Petersburg instead. Youngstown State commit (described as a power arm in the article).
38 (1161): Keegan Linza, RHP, 6-6, 225, Liberty SIGNED – Bristol
11-3 with 2.08 ERA, 67 K, 22 BB, 104 H. Senior with a big frame pitched at NW Florida State College (same school as 9th rounder Matt Lane) before Liberty. Liberty player bio
39 (1191): Javier Reynoso, LHP, 5-11, 182, Brooks-DeBartolo Collegiate HS (FL)
Coastal Carolina commit. Perfect Game says 3/4 arm angle. Good stuff (low 90s fastball, curve, change), but not good control. Could play OF in college as well. PG profile MLB.com scouting video
40 (1221): Jacob Reed, RHP, 6-2, 180, Helix HS (CA)
BA top 200 overall prospect. Oregon commit. Good athlete that also played quarterback in high school. Fastball sits around 90. Decent breaking ball and change that have room for improvement. MLB.com scouting video San Diego Union-Tribune article
41 (1251): James Shepherd, RHP, 6-3, 185, Lawrence County HS (KY)
Goes by Chandler. Set the state record for consecutive scoreless innings (46) as a sophomore. Barely pitched as a junior because of Tommy John surgery, but was able to DH that year. Kentucky commit. Expected to be a tough sign. BA says 87-91 fastball with good curve and change.
42 (1281): Aaron Pangilinan, RHP, 6-0, 215, Escalon HS (CA)
Brother of current Sox minor leaguer Leighton, who signed out of high school in the 40th round in 2009. 84 K to 15 BB in 58.1 IP for a 0.84 ERA. Max Preps profile
43 (1311): Joel Effertz, RHP, 6-3, 240, Madison Area Tech College (WI)
3.03 ERA, 79 K, 27 BB, 69 H in 71.1 IP. Redshirted in 2010 at Arizona before transferring. MATC finished third in NJCAA World Series. Low 90s fastball.
44 (1341): Joseph Pistorese, LHP, 6-1, 165, Flathead HS (MT)
Recently struck out 19 in a Legion game.
45 (1371): Cory Farris, OF, L/R, 6-0, 190, Cumberland (TN) SIGNED – Bristol
Hit .279/.369/.502 with 12 HR as a junior for the NAIA school. Played two years at Kentucky before transferring to Cumberland. Hit .310 as a freshman and .259 as a sophomore. Went to same high school as Jackson Laumann, the son of White Sox scouting director Doug Laumann. Cumberland player bio
46 (1401): Michael Mancuso, RHP, 6-6, 240, Brecksville Broadview Heights HS (OH)
Georgia commit. 1.33 ERA with 57 strikeouts and 10 walks in 42 innings as a sophomore in the Cleveland area. Cleveland Plain-Dealer article
47 (1431): Roberto Llera, C, R/R, 6-0, 205, Hialeah Senior HS (FL)
Hitting .449 before the Florida state semifinal that Hialeah lost.
48 (1461): Dontrell Rush, CF, R/R, 5-11, 155, Harlan HS (IL)
Part of the White Sox program to support African-American baseball in Chicago. Pitched and hit for Harlan. Low 90s sinker. Committed to John Logan JC. Player profile
49 (1491): Zach Regier, OF, L/R, 6-0, 175, Gilbert HS (AZ)
Son of a White Sox scout that played for one of the best programs in Arizona.
50 (1521): Jack Graham, 2B, R/R, 5-10, 178, Seneca Valley HS (PA)
Son of former Major Leaguer and current Baltimore Orioles’ special coach for the minor leagues Brian Graham.