White Sox: Top 5 First Round Draft Picks in Franchise History
White Sox draft history hasn’t been the best with first-round draft picks but there have been some success stories that have come out of the first round.
Throughout the history of the Chicago White Sox franchise, there have been many first round draft picks by the team that didn’t pan out. From Brian Anderson to Joe Borchard, the White Sox have missed the mark with many of their first round draft picks.
However, while the White Sox haven’t had a lot of success recently with first-round draft picks, there have been some good picks made by the organization. Some first round picks have gone on to become Hall of Famers while other picks are currently still active and could be on their way to Cooperstown once they retire.
The Sox draft success in the first round hasn’t been the best but players that are mentioned in this list have had a great impact on the franchise. Sox fans can all agree that the players that are listed not only have had or are having a positive impact on the franchise, but they each lived up to their potential. While some players are starting to blossom right in front of our own eyes.
This list of players that are deemed the top five first-round draft picks in Sox history includes many fan favorites and a player that many fans wish was still with the team. The list also includes a player that has worked hard to become an above-average contributor this very season. With the current team still working through a rebuild, let’s take a look at the best draft picks from the first round for the Sox.
Tim Anderson
Tim Anderson was drafted with the 17th overall pick in the 2013 draft. Coming out of East Central Community College, Anderson was considered raw when he was drafted as he hadn’t played baseball for that long. Anderson was a point guard in basketball in high school but an injury would change the trajectory of his career afterward.
Anderson made his MLB debut in June of 2016 after an impressive minor league career. He hasn’t looked back ever since. In his rookie season, Anderson would finish seventh in American League Rookie of the Year voting. He had a .283/.306/.432 slash line in his rookie year with nine home runs, 30 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.
While Anderson had some success in his first season in MLB, he would find the adjustment to major league pitching to be very challenging. In his second and third seasons in the Majors, Anderson wouldn’t hit over .260 but he still showed improvement, especially in 2018. Last season, despite finishing with a .240 batting average, Anderson hit a career-high 20 home runs to go along with another career-high of 26 stolen bases.
Entering this season, Anderson not only stepped up as an emotional leader for the Sox, but he’s also proving to be one of the better first-round draft picks for this franchise. Through the first two months of this season, Anderson is hitting over .300 and already has over 10 stolen bases. He’s playing his way into his first All-Star Game appearance as well.
Not many Sox fans would have considered Anderson as one of the top first-round draft picks for the franchise before this season. But after his start to the 2019 season, it’s hard for any Sox fan to not agree that he should be considered as one of the top first-round draft picks for the Sox.
Chris Sale
This could be hard to read for most Sox fans. Chris Sale was not only a fan favorite during his stint with the Sox, but he was also the best player on the team. Sale was drafted with the 13th overall pick in the 2010 draft and made his MLB debut later that year.
Sale was a five-time All-Star with the Sox and finished in the top five of Cy Young Award voting in the American League on four separate occasions. Sadly, Sale never got to experience the postseason with the Sox and would be traded after the 2016 season. His trade to the Boston Red Sox was the start of the Sox current rebuild.
Although Sale was traded to Boston and has enjoyed much success there, including winning the World Series, he will still be considered as another top first-round draft pick for the Sox. He didn’t need much time in the minors to get ready and once he became a starting pitcher, he proved to be one of the best pitchers in Sox history.
It would have been great if Sale could’ve had more success with the Sox. However, Sox fans will always remember just how great he was when he was pitching on the Southside while wearing no. 49 on the back of his jersey.
Robin Ventura
No matter how you may feel as a Sox fan about Robin Ventura‘s stint as the team’s manager, you can’t deny that he was a good player for the team. Ventura was drafted by the Sox with the 10th overall pick in the 1988 MLB draft out of Oklahoma State University.
The third baseman would play 10 seasons with the Sox and became a fan favorite. Through his 10 seasons with the Sox, Ventura had a .274/.365/.440 slash line with 171 home runs. He also was a five-time Gold Glove Award winner at third base while with the Sox.
Ventura’s managerial stint with the Sox wasn’t the best, but his playing time with the franchise was more memorable. Ventura was part of some great Sox teams that unfortunately weren’t able to come away with a World Series championship. However, along with another first-round draft pick that’s mentioned in this list, Ventura would become a legend on the Southside during his playing days.
Much like Anderson and Sale, Ventura can also be listed as another success story for the Sox in regards to first-round draft picks. Ventura might not have his number retired by the Sox but he will be remembered by many fans as a good player during his stint with the franchise.
Harold Baines
Earlier this year, Harold Baines was elected to the Hall of Fame via the veterans committee. While his selection into the Hall of Fame was controversial to most, Sox fans agree that it is well-deserved for the former first-round draft pick.
Baines was selected with the first overall pick in the 1977 MLB draft and would make his major league debut in 1980. Through his career that lasted 22 seasons, Baines collected 2,866 hits. He would play 14 seasons with the Sox over three separate stints with the franchise. With the Sox, Baines was a three-time All-Star.
The Sox did have some success while Baines was a player with the team that includes a postseason berth in 1983. Baines would finish his playing career in 2001 with the Sox. He has a statue of himself at Guaranteed Rate Field and his no. 3 jersey number has been retired by the Sox.
Baines could easily be considered as the best first-round draft pick in Sox history. However, the next player on the list as more of an edge when it comes to not only the best first-round draft pick but the best draft pick overall in Sox history.
Frank Thomas
In 1989, the Sox drafted Frank Thomas with the seventh overall pick in that year’s MLB draft out of Auburn University. Thomas would make his major league debut in 1990 and transformed the Sox franchise.
After being a part of the Sox team that closed the old Comiskey Park in 1990, Thomas would quickly become a legend on the Southside as he became a household name in the ’90s. With a new Comiskey Park opening in 1991, Thomas wasted little time making that ballpark into a hitters paradise for himself.
Thomas not only made the Sox more relevant during his playing time with the team, but he would also become one of the better hitters in major league history. ‘The Big Hurt’ as he was dubbed by famous Sox broadcaster Ken ‘Hawk’ Harrelson, would win back-to-back AL MVP awards in 1993 and 1994 and hit a team record 448 home runs during his 16 seasons with the Sox.
The Sox have had some good first-round draft picks as listed in this article, but none were better than Thomas. Thomas brought many fans to Sox home games to see him blast home runs and he would leave a lasting impact on the franchise.
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There hasn’t been another player that has come close to matching Thomas’ dominance with the Sox. It’s surprising that Thomas wasn’t drafted first overall in 1989 as he went on to become a Hall of Famer. Much like Baines, Thomas not only has a statue at Guaranteed Rate Field but his no. 35 has also been retired. The best draft pick in Sox history is Thomas and it might remain that way for a long time.