White Sox fans can expect to see Carson Fulmer in 2016

Standing at just 6-feet tall Carson Fulmer is smaller than most MLB pitchers, but he makes up for his lack of size with his abundance of grit and guts. Fulmer is largely regarded by former coaches and teammates as a ultra fierce competitor on the baseball field.

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“He’s the nicest, meanest kid I’ve ever seen from the standpoint of getting on the mound and competing on a level and not taking a backseat to any situation. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a kid go through his career quite like him and he did that his freshman year and up to his junior year and didn’t skip a beat. He was highly, highly competitive his freshman year, which is very unique to see.” said Tim Corbin, Fulmer’s head coach at Vanderbilt. Fulmer displayed this in his three seasons at Vanderbilt where he led the Commodores to consecutive College World Series championship appearances in 2014, when they won as well as 2015 before they were defeated by the University of Virginia.

In his three years at Vanderbilt Fulmer compiled a record of 24-3 with a 1.99 ERA, while striking out 313 hitters. After being drafted by the Chicago White Sox with the eighth overall selection in the 2015 MLB Draft, Fulmer was assigned to the White Sox minor league affiliate the Winston-Salem Dash in July. Fulmer essentially picked up where he left off at Vanderbilt as he struck out 25 of the 90 batters that he faced over 22 innings-pitched for the Dash. He only allowed five runs on 16 hits during that stretch, finishing with a 2.05 ERA.

Fulmer is listed currently as the number two prospect in the Chicago White Sox system behind only Tim Anderson. White Sox fans will get to see Fulmer in action this spring as he earned a non-roster invite to spring training with the Sox when they report to camp on February 19.

Given the success the White Sox experienced last season when they promoted former first round pick Carlos Rodon to the major-leagues in April, Rick Hahn and company will likely be willing to approach Fulmer’s path to the big leagues in the same fashion.

“He’s the strongest-willed kid we’ve had come through”-Tim Corbin, University of Vanderbilt Head Coach

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I’m excited to see Fulmer this spring, and while I don’t see him making the big league roster out of spring training I am confident that he will be a part of the White Sox 25-man roster at some point in 2016. He has the make-up of an MLB ready pitcher much like Rodon did last year, and given the continued regression of John Danks as well as the need for a right-handed pitcher in the rotation.