Should the Chicago White Sox Draft a Bat at No. 8?

The title of this article begins with Should rather than Will because the answer to the latter is likely “no.” According to CSN’s John Paschall, most draft prognosticators see the Chicago White Sox targeting a college pitcher with the number 8th pick in the 2015 First-Year Player Draft.

“While much can change before the 2015 MLB Draft, which begins on Monday, here are a few experts’ picks for the White Sox selection at No. 8: Callis’ take: Chris Sale (2010) and Carlos Rodon (2014) are the White Sox’s two best first-rounders in the past decade, and they’re on the hunt for more college pitching. They’ll probably opt for Fulmer, Jay, Harris or Buehler, in that order.”

Let me qualify by saying that I’m extremely high on RHP Carson Fulmer and would be fully content if he or Illinois product RHP Tyler Jay fell to the White Sox at number 8. Fulmer in particular has drawn comparisons to Sonny Gray and has the unorthodox type of delivery and small frame that may actually allow him to fall to 8. Hey, the White Sox have had success with another small, funky college arm in Chris Sale.

But what if Fulmer isn’t on the board, or even more intriguing, what if outfielder Kyle Tucker or LSU shortstop Alex Bregman, who MLBTopProspects.com had heading to Chicago in a recent mock draft, falls in their lap. Do they still take a college arm?

Here’s why they shouldn’t.

ESPN’s Doug Padilla sums it up pretty astutely here:

“Looking back at that 2014 draft, it was extremely pitching heavy. After Rodon was picked in the first round, the White Sox selected pitchers with four of their first five picks…A number of position players appear on their way to Chicago now, and next week’s draft could do wonders for adding more to the system.”

That’s merely scratching the surface though, because it is important to remember that the White Sox lack a 2nd and 3rd round pick this year due to the David Robertson and Melky Cabrera signings, both of whom had draft pick compensation attached to them last year.

It’s also important to note where the starting rotation currently stands. At the front end are lefties Chris Sale and Jose Quintana, who are both under team control through at least 2019 on team-friendly contracts. At the backend, Carlos Rodon is under control for six seasons, and won’t even hit arbitration within the next three years.

Jeff Samardzija has had a roller coaster season thus far, mixing in disastrous starts with outings that resemble the frontline starter the White Sox thought they traded for. It’s not out of the question that the White Sox still desire a long-term relationship with the competitive right hander and it may not come at the hefty $100 million price tag anymore.

That really just leaves open one rotation spot, assuming that John Danks isn’t retained after the 2016 season, and Danks may even be dealt before then depending on how much cash the White Sox are willing to eat.

The White Sox have plenty of upside arms already in the system, so Fulmer would be more of a luxury rather than a necessity.

This brings me to Chicago’s current top ten prospects. MLB.com rates right-hander Francelis Montas at number two, and righties Spencer Adams and Tyler Danish at three and six respectively. That’s discounting former top prospect Erik Johnson, who could be a capable rotation piece if he can round back into his 2013 form.

Montas and Danish are obviously closer to the majors than Adams, and Montas in particular has a ceiling of a frontline starter according to MLB.com. A steal in the Jake Peavy trade with Boston in 2013,  Montas could presumably crack the rotation as soon as next season depending on how the backend shapes out going into the year.

Next: More on the White Sox draft

Jun 25, 2014; Omaha, NE, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores pitcher Carson Fulmer (15) throws against the Virginia Cavaliers during game three of the College World Series Finals at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports

So while a guy like Carson Fulmer could make it to the bigs as a reliever in short order and maybe even as a starter by the time the ink fades on Danks’ contract, the White Sox have plenty of upside arms already in the system.

What the current system lacks, at the major and minor league level, is offense. Time and time again, the White Sox have made journeymen pitchers look like aces this season and hitting coach’s Todd Steverson‘s “selective-agressiveness” approach is looking more aggressive than selective, without the power dividends that usually come along with that type of approach.

Shortstop Tim Anderson and outfielder Courtney Hawkins look like prospects that can help the big league club down the road, but outside of those names the future of homegrown position player talent arriving on the South Side looks grim.

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There’s nothing wrong with capitalizing on an organizational strength, and for the White Sox that is manufacturing arms capable of making it to The Show. Just as the Chicago Cubs have almost exclusively drafted and traded for bats, planning to use the excess sluggers as assets to flip for pitching, the White Sox have employed a similar strategy except on the pitching side.

They traded homegrown starter Hector Santiago for current center fielder Adam Eaton, the type of player the White Sox system has consistently failed to develop. Homegrown pitching talent Addison Reed was dealt for third base prospect Matt Davidson, who unfortunately fell into the plagued position side of the farm system.

Davidson is a perfect example of the failure of the current process. A Futures Game standout the summer before the trade, Davidson was regarded as an MLB ready third base prospect, with a 20-30 home run ceiling in his prime from the coveted right side.

One year in the White Sox’s farm system and his career has gone off the rails. Davidson can still recover but a player like Jared Mitchell, who will stand as one of the White Sox’s most colossal busts considering he was taken a pick before Mike Trout, will not.

More than anything, I think the White Sox are hesitant to draft a position player because they have a very poor track record developing them. They can’t let that stop them though.

The White Sox can’t let a poor position player track record faze them into drafting an arm.

Gordon Beckham was taken with the 8th pick in the 2009 draft, and while he had bust written all over him last year, he’s looking like a competent piece this season. Whether that’s sustainable is up for debate.

Still, Beckham was an instant fan favorite because he was a homegrown player. In fact, he’s the only current regular on the team to originate from the draft. Micah Johnson was fun to root for because he’d been a product of the system, but has since been demoted due to awful defense.

Sure the White Sox have had success on the international market, bringing in names like Alexei Ramirez, but Dayan Viciedo was another example of a failed position prospect.

The White Sox need another Gordon Beckham. Scratch that. Not a carbon copy of Beckham, but the idea of him. They need a high-end talent that they can mold into a homegrown cornerstone player, and this 8th pick is their best chance of landing such a piece.

Next: Former position player draft choices

Apr 25, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; A detailed view of practice baseballs before the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

OF Kyle Tucker:

The whole point of this article is to point to the fact that the White Sox must go off script if Kyle Tucker actually makes it to them. High school prospects are risky, but Tucker has five tools that have the potential to grade out just above average, per MLB.com.

His MLB comp is listed as Hunter Pence, and why wouldn’t the White Sox want to jump on a player with that type of comp. Another benchmark is his older brother Preston Tucker, who has recently made it to the majors via the Houston Astros system.

MLB.coms Doug Miller had this to say about the Plant High School slugger:

“He’s a more well-rounded player than his older brother and should have average-or-better tools across the board…A very strong spring moved him behind fellow Floridian Brendan Rodgers as the second best high school bat in the class.”

Considering that 24 year-old Preston Tucker has an .806 OPS over his first 24 games in the majors, whith 8 doubles and 2 home runs, it’s intriguing that a player with an even higher ceiling may be available whether Fulmer is there or not.

Next: Prospect: Andrew Benintendi

Mar 5, 2015; Jupiter, FL, USA; A general view of baseballs on the field at Roger Dean Stadium prior to a game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

OF Andrew Benintendi: 

Here’s another player I think the White Sox should strongly consider. The Arkansas outfielder would be closer to the big leagues than Tucker and things might line up where he could take over left field at the conclusion of Melky Cabrera’s current deal.

Benintendi has less power potential than Tucker but still sports hit, run, and field tools that project to grade out above average. His MLB comp is Jon Jay with more pop, per MLB.com.

MLB.com’s Paul Casella dropped this line regarding Benintendi:

“Benintendi has plus speed, which should allow him to be a basestealing threat and stick in center field.”

Honestly, that sounds like the type of player the White Sox desperately need; an athletic outfielder who has a some power. As a college aged player, Benintendi could still fit into the current core if he panned out. He’d be a nice piece near the top of the line up on the South Side.

Unfortunately, the White Sox won’t find help at catcher with the 8th pick, but SS Alex Bregman could be a candidate to shift to third if he winds up going to Chicago.

So should the White Sox draft a bat at number eight?

The answer is yes, because that could be their ticket to developing their first homegrown all-star on the position side in quite some time. Wouldn’t that be nice, seeing U.S. Cellular field littered with “Tucker” or “Bregman” jerseys. Fulmer would be great, but if he’s gone by the 8th pick, going with a player who plays behind the bump might be the right idea for the White Sox.

Next: Chris Sale pitching like an All-Star again

More from Southside Showdown

• The Chicago White Sox might have had a season ending loss
• The Chicago White Sox are expecting Tim Anderson back soon
• Miguel Cairo’s words spark life into the Chicago White Sox
• Dylan Cease should be the favorite for the AL Cy Young Award
• Ozzie Guillen speaks the whole truth about Tony La Russa