The White Sox head into next week’s draft with the No. 3 overall pick and a bonus pool of around $9.5MM. Here’s a look at what they might do, along with a glance ahead at the trade deadline, which the White Sox could conceivably approach as a surprisingly competitive team.
- Scouting director Doug Laumann says the White Sox will probably take a pitcher with the third overall pick, tweets Fred Mitchell of the Chicago Tribune.
- MLB.com’s Scott Merkin goes a bit further, saying that the White Sox’ choice at No. 3 will come down to California high schooler Brady Aiken, NC State lefty Carlos Rodon, Texas high schooler Tyler Kolek or LSU righty Aaron Nola. (Those four are widely considered the top four pitchers in the draft.) It’s very likely that at least one and perhaps two of those players will be gone by the time the White Sox pick, so the White Sox’ selection will likely depend on who’s still available.
- The White Sox will take signability into account with their first-round pick, but they don’t expect it to be a decisive factor, Merkin writes. “Is it a consideration? Sure. We wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t explore signability both above our number as well as below our number,” says GM Rick Hahn. “But ultimately, I think it will come down to taking the player that we feel fits the best.”
- At 29-29, the White Sox have played surprisingly well so far. But they don’t plan on making moves that would hamper their goals of winning in the long term, Merkin writes. “[O]pportunities to win are sacred. If we are in a position where we feel we have a real chance to win, we will address whatever needs we feel exist at that time,” says Hahn. “At the same time, we are not going to do anything that’s going to compromise our longer term goals … of putting us in a position where we can win on an annual basis.” Hahn emphasizes that the White Sox will not jeopardize their future for one playoff run.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
