White Sox Prospect Carson Fulmer to Pitch in Futures Game

2015 White Sox first round draft pick Carson Fulmer will complete in the Futures Game in San Diego on July 10th. Fulmer’s selection is based more on his future than his present. Fulmer is struggling at AA Birmingham this season with a 5.28 ERA.

Less an All-Star or exhibition game, the futures game is truly what its name suggests. Coming out of Vanderbilt with a lot of fanfare, Fulmer has not been able to perform on the field indicative of his status as the eighth pick in the 2015 draft.

On the season, Fulmer is 4-8 with a 5.28 ERA and 1.57 WHIP. His WHIP is high because his Achilles heel has been walks. Fulmer has issued 53 walks in 75 innings with 74 strikeouts. He will get a shot with the White Sox at some point. If he is going to succeed in the Majors, he is going to have to work on his control.

Fulmer’s selection by the White Sox created a lot of buzz. A year after a taking Carlos Rodon and a five years after taking Chris Sale, the thought process was that Fulmer would be fast tracked like his future teammates.

Both Sale and Rodon made it to the big leagues less than a year after being drafted. Sale advanced in his draft year. Fulmer’s performance this year has to be concerning. In their preview and scouting reports on this year’s futures game, Baseball America said of Fulmer:

"Carson Fulmer, rhpWhite Sox (Double-A Birmingham)Born: Dec. 13, 1993. Ht.: 6-0. Wt.: 200. B-T: R-R.Career Transactions: Selected by White Sox in first round (eighth overall) of 2015 draft; signed July 3, 2015.Background: Fulmer was one of the stars of Vanderbilt’s pitching staff, helping the Commodores to the 2014 NCAA national title.What to Watch For: Fulmer has excellent stuff, but his high tempo, high energy pitching delivery is hard to keep under control at times, which explains why he’s struggled with walks this year."

Fulmer has not been as efficient as he was at high-A Winston-Salem last season. He faced 4.09 batters per inning last season and he’s at 4.54 per inning this year. The walks are hurting his pitch count and the number of batters faced. He has also given up seven home runs this season. Fulmer is averaging 88.73 pitches per start in only five innings. That’s 159 pitches per nine innings.

Although he doesn’t possess the stats to be in the futures games, getting him in the game is a coup for both Fulmer and the White Sox. He is the 22nd White Sox prospect  since 2002 in the futures game. Current White Sox Dioner Navarro, Justin Morneau, and Michael Ynoa advanced to the futures game with other organizations.

"List of White Sox Prospects in the Futures Game2015 P Frankie Montas2014 2B Micah Johnson2013 P Andre Rienzo2012 2B Carlos Sanchez2011 P Gregory Infante2010 P Daniel Hudson2009 C Tyler Flowers2008 P Clayton Richard/ IF Chris Getz2007 P Fautino DeLos Santos2006 3B Josh Fields/ P Gio Gonzalez/ OF Anderson Gomes2005 P Bobby Jenks/ OF Chris Young2004 P Arnie Munoz2003 P Neal Cotts2002  P Edwin Almonte2001 OF Joe Borchard2000 P Jon Garland/ P Aaron Myette1999 P Kip Wells"

Next: White Sox offense quiet in loss to Twins

Carlos Sanchez who has been shuttled between Charlotte and the White Sox for the last few years played in the2012 Futures Games.