NIck Delmonico

Position: OF/3B/1B
Born: 7/12/1992
Ht: 6’2″ Wt: 200 lb B-T: L-R
Acquired: Signed as a minor league free agent, Feb. 2015
Career Stats

FutureSox Prospect Rankings

  • #29 – 2015 Midseason

FutureSox Media

Accolades

  • South Atlantic League All-Star, 2012 Midseason
  • International League All-Star, 2017 Midseason

Scouting Report

Delmonico is a bit of an enigma. He was a sixth round pick by Baltimore in 2011, signing a $1,525,000 bonus that was more in line with the second round. The Tennessee prep signee reached as high as the Orioles’ fourth rated prospect by 2012 (according to Baseball America), before things started to sour. He was traded to the Brewers (for Francisco Rodriguez) mid-2013, then failed to report to camp as expected in the spring of 2014. After finally getting going that year, he was suspended 50 games for amphetamines, and then during the 2014-2015 offseason (with eight games left on that suspension) Milwaukee released him when they claimed they couldn’t find him (see our interview link above for his side of that story).

Now with the White Sox and having paid his PED dues in 2015, he spent time in extended spring training, then bashed in a brief tune-up in Kannapolis before going to Double-A Birmingham. With the Barons he hit .238/.313/.386 in 62 games. He also played 18 games in the Arizona Fall League to make up for lost time, where he didn’t hit much (.162/.237/.279, 18 K in 76 PA).

In 2016, Delmonico broke out (or rebounded?). In 38 games at Birmingham as a still somewhat young-for-level 23-year old, he posted a monster .338/.397/.676 line, and was then promoted to Triple-A Charlotte in May. He missed some time there to minor injury, but finished strong in his return (.294/.372/.471 in August and September).

He posted an .856 OPS in 43 games with the White Sox in 2017, but was unable to hold to replicate that. He bounced between Charlotte and Chicago for four years.

Offensively, Delmonico has shown a nice balance of patience and power at times as as pro, and there is some significant potential there. He puts on good shows in BP, has natural power and some loft in his swing. He’ll draw some walks and does work long counts, but despite making mid-line contact rates he hadn’t hit for a high average until his breakout 2016 campaign. Defensively he’s been moved off 2B to 3B, 1B and eventually the outfield as his fielding hasn’t been particularly good, though more current reports at third are a little more positive at the corners.