Chicago White Sox 2024 MLB Draft Guide: Picks they have, bonus money available, hoping how things shake out
The Chicago White Sox have a pivotal draft tonight.
This is a pivotal draft for the Chicago White Sox.
Due to the new draft lottery rules, the Sox will not pick in the top nine in next year's draft no matter how historically bad they finish this season.
Since they finished with 101 losses in 2023, the Sox ended up with the No. 5 overall pick in this year's draft that features some impact college bats at the top and a couple of pitchers with ace stuff. The Sox have a chance to add a player who can be a vital piece on the next competitive team.
That is why it is such a pivotal draft. A team is not built on first-round picks alone. It is usually put together by also hitting on picks in the first six rounds.
Also, the MLB Draft is more like the NHL Draft and less like the NFL or NBA Draft.
Teams select from high schoolers who just graduated, junior college players who have completed at least one year, or college players who have finished three seasons or turned 21.
What time is the draft and where can it be seen on television?
Rounds 1 and 2 are today with a 6pm CST start time on ESPN. Round 2 will move over to ESPN+ and MLB Network.
Monday has Rounds 3-10 with an 11am start time and will stream on MLB.com. Tuesday is Rounds 11-20 starting at 11am and streaming again on MLB.com.
How many draft picks do the White Sox have?
The Sox have 21 picks in this year's draft. They have six picks among the draft's top 150 picks. The picks where a team can typically get a star player are among those picks. They have four picks among the top 80.
That is a good number to have for spins at the wheel early in the draft to snag a player who can help down the road.
How much bonus pool money does the Chicago White Sox have?
Teams are only allowed to spend so much money on each pick's signing bonus.
The goal is to get a good player in Rounds 1 and 2 who a team can sign for under the slotted amount of money and then use that remainder to take a prep or JUCO player with a high upside and entice the kid to skip college for bigger money.
The Sox have the sixth-most bonus money to spend in the draft. James Fox of FutureSox.net breaks down the allotted money the team has in the first 10 rounds.
Who are the White Sox targeting at No. 5?
Most mocks are tying the Sox to Florida Gators slugger Jac Caglianone. He has tremendous power and he can also pitch. The problem is most scouts do not seem him being a Shohei Ohtani-type impact pitcher.
The other problem is he plays first base when not on the mound and that is not the best use of a first-round pick.
The Sox are also tied to prep shortstop/outfielder Konnor Griffin who is the reigning National Gatorade Player of the Year.
How can the Sox avoid having to decide to pick Caglianone over Griffin?
Hope the Colorado Rockies remember that Todd Helton had a Hall of Fame career crushing home runs at Coors Field and Caglianone can do the same.
The Rockies pick third but have tied to Wake Forest pitcher Chase Burns, a player the Sox should consider if he somehow falls.
Cleveland is picking first and they have been linked to West Virginia shortstop JJ Wetherholt or Oregon State infielder Travis Bazzana. Most mocks have the Reds taking Georgia's Charlie Condon and no one is really tying Caglianone to the Oakland A's at four.
The Rockies make some sense based on their park always needing power.
What are the White Sox needs in this draft?
As many bats as possible that project to either be an impact bat or solid everyday player. Right now the White Sox system is deep in pitching.
Outside of Colson Montgomery, Bryan Ramos, Edgar Quero, and Jacob Gonzalez, there are not a ton of positional prospects that project to have a major-league impact.
Brooks Baldwin is showing some promise as an overachiever. Maybe Lenyn Sosa and Oscar Colas can still salvage a career. Other than 18-year-old low-A prospect George Wolkow, there are not a ton of hitting prospects that jump out as making a significant impact.
Also, the Sox defense has been a problem ever since 2006, so it would be nice to add some impact bats that can also defend.
The Sox should still target some pitching as a team can never have enough. The organization does need more help in the batter's box.
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