The FutureSox staff compiled a mock of who they would like to see the Chicago White Sox take in the first round of the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft. There is congruity among some, but not all. Do you agree with anyone?
JAMES FOX
The best case scenario for the Chicago White Sox at the 11th overall pick would be Max Meyer, Emerson Hancock or Reid Detmers falling to their spot. Detmers is the most realistic of the three. He has the best curveball in the class, is a young junior and is a local guy for those who care about that stuff.
He’s a pretty safe prospect, but also possesses a great deal of upside. I think Detmers will be the first pitcher to play in the majors from the college crop in round one. He could easily be off the board, though. In that case, the organization should take an unfamiliar path and select a high school hitter as Mike Shirley’s first draft choice. Ed Howard would be an interesting story but Tyler Soderstrom would likely be the guy. He’s a catcher, but he’d be drafted for his bat and would likely move to third base or the outfield pretty quickly.
SLEEPY HAROLD
With the 11th pick in the MLB draft, I’d like for the White Sox to break their recent run of college players. In my perfect world, Zac Veen falls to the White Sox, they select him, and all is well. However, that is EXTREMELY unlikely to happen, so back to reality. Who should be the player to break the mold and become the first high school first round selection of the White Sox since Courtney Hawkins in 2012? I believe that player should be Tyler Soderstrom.
Although he’s currently listed as a catcher, there are questions about whether he’d be able to stick at the position as a professional. That has never scared off the White Sox before, but his above average arm strength could lead him to the hot corner or the outfield and could make him move through the system quicker.
He’s a lefty bat with plus raw power and lots of offensive potential, which are traits that would be welcomed with open arms in the White Sox system. The first wave of prospects are mostly all in Chicago now, with the last few guys not too far behind. If the White Sox truly want the sustained success they’ve been talking about since the rebuild began, it’s time to start spreading out talent so another wave will be ready when the window is open.
SEAN WILLIAMS
With the 11th pick, I’d like the White Sox to select Tyler Soderstrom, a catcher and third baseman out of Turlock, CA. Picking Soderstrom would break the tradition of a college player in the first round, but he would be worth the change. He likely won’t stick at catcher, but scouts say he can play third base or shift to the outfield.
Soderstrom is a left-handed hitter with an above average hit tool and a good approach. In addition to that, he also makes a lot of hard contact. All of his tools are above average or better, except for fielding. With a 60-grade hit tool, the White Sox could select Soderstrom and move him off the backstop immediately. The bat could play almost anywhere and this will allow the White Sox to start grooming him defensively to where they see a fit.
KEN SAWILCHIK
With the on-the-field improvements the White Sox made entering 2020 and the anticipated upward trajectory of the team, it’s unlikely the White Sox will be picking this high for quite some time. Having opted for a safer choice by selecting college bats with two consecutive top five picks, the time to swing for the fences is here.
Texas high school right-hander Jared Kelley is expected to be available when the White Sox pick at number 11. The 6’3” 215-pounder has the potential to develop into a frontline starter in 2-3 years. He already has a fastball that tops out at 98 mph to go with a high-level change up. His breaking pitch needs work, but at only 18 years old, he should reach the South Side in time for the 108 guys to buy him his first beer.
The success rate of high school pitchers hasn’t been great, but Kelley already has a fluid delivery built for eating innings. Unlike a typical young fireballer, he has excellent command of the strike zone, which should help him do deep into games. The number one cause of Tommy John surgery is an overly heavy workload. By taking him straight out of high school, the team will control his pitch count to optimize his future potential. I like the opportunity to get a top of the rotation starter that could anchor the rotation for the next ten years with this years’ pick.
JASPER ROOS
It’s going to be a strange draft this year, but that doesn’t mean I’m not looking forward to the White Sox adding another major piece to their competitive future. Despite some intriguing options in the group (Jared Kelley primarily), I would like the organization to stay away from a high school pitcher. They’re generally too volatile for my liking, and the Sox have a pretty upsetting track record drafting high school pitchers – it’s been a while since they took a high school arm in the first round for a reason. As of right now, the Sox are only connected to Kelley and Nick Bitsko as high school pitchers; let’s keep it that way.
For me, it comes down to the age-old adage: pick the best player available. There’s a slim to none chance Heston Kjerstad makes it to 11, but he would be my easy pick if he remains on the board. Assuming he won’t be available, give me Minnesota right-hander Max Meyer on the pitching side or North Carolina State catcher Patrick Bailey on the position player side. If both are gone by the time the Sox pick, I would go the high school position player route and would trust the White Sox to pick the right guy.
MIKE RANKIN
I’m pretty much locked in to the idea of Ed Howard remaining in the Chicagoland area and signing with the White Sox. As a high school shortstop, Howard is advanced defensively to the point where experts believe he will remain at his position. That, in my opinion, is tremendously valuable.
The hit tools may raise some questions, but because of his mental makeup, I believe Howard’s approach is sound enough to adjust to any level of competition and he will be able to maintain the amount of quality contact with his swing. The power may or may not arrive, but if that’s the only tradeoff in a player who is high-character, defensively sound at a premium position and is an above average base runner with a high baseball IQ, then sign me up at pick 11.
Photo credit/MLB PR
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