MLB Draft: White Sox Select Wake Forest First Baseman Gavin Sheets
By Matt Manetti
White Sox select power-hitting first baseman with the 49th overall pick in MLB Draft. Gavin Sheets gives the team some power from the left side.
The Chicago White Sox added Wake Forest University first baseman Gavin Sheets with the 49th overall pick in the MLB Draft on Monday. The left hander adds some much-needed power to the organization, specifically from the left side.
In drafting Sheets, the White Sox add someone that could potential serve as the replacement for Jose Abreu. Without a clear replacement for him in the minors, this was an area of need. Sheets also gives the White Sox the left-handed power bat they haven’t had since Adam Dunn.
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The 21-year-old was drafted in the 37th round of the 2014 draft by the Atlanta Braves. At 6’4″ he has a great frame and his power graded out at a 55. The son of former major leaguer Larry Sheets, Gavin Sheets batted .322 with 20 home runs in 227 at-bats for the Demon Deacons. Scouts loved him because of his bat and if that holds true, the White Sox are getting another slugger.
This organization doesn’t have a first baseman in their top 30 prospects. Coming into the draft, Sheets was ranked 60th overall by MLB.com and had one of the best bats in the draft. He has also developed himself into a pretty good defender. All those attributes make him a perfect fit for this club.
Rick Hahn and staff have done an excellent job making over this team. Sheets fills another need and will hopefully develop into the first baseman of the future. The best thing is he doesn’t need to develop right away. Abreu is still a great first baseman and should have some good years ahead of him.