The White Sox would be better served maximizing their draft pick by taking prep shortstop/outfielder Konnor Griffin.
He is the other player that has been connected to the Sox at No. 5 a lot. FutureSox thinks the Sox should take him along with Kiley McDaniel of ESPN (a subscription is required to access).
Griffin is considered the top prep prospect according to MLB Pipeline. He mashes the ball, runs like a deer, and fields well. He also won the National Gatorade High School Player of the Year this year.
Plus, he is 18 and can be molded into a superstar. While that might not satisfy ownership with how long it might take for him to get to the big leagues, it is drafting a better athlete with the ability to impact the game both at the plate and on the field.
One of the favorites for the #WhiteSox pick is Mississippi prep star Konnor Griffin. Could he still be the choice at #5? @Sleepy_Harold_ has the profile here: https://t.co/xPF3ont6ac
— FutureSox (@FutureSox) July 13, 2024
The Sox have selected Colson Montgomery and Jacob Gonzalez in the first round under Mike Shirley who runs the draft. Drafting another shortstop prospect should be a continued trend.
Plus, going prep gives Shirley cover in case Montgomery is nothing more than Paul DeJong 2.0 (i.e., someone who can hit the ball with power but not much else) and Gonzalez ends up finally solving the eternal issue of trying to replace Ray Durham at second base (he has a floor to be a solid player)
If you follow the NFL or NBA drafts, you might think this is a reach. In baseball, it is all about getting the best possible player at the lowest price so leftover money can be used to sign other players in later rounds with upside who fell to later rounds because of cost.
Money drives the draft since the MLB Draft since it is so hard to make it to the majors. A guy can rake in college, but injuries or not being able to hit even Triple-A pitching can derail a career.
Joe Borchard was a hitting machine at Stanford and the Sox took him with the 12th pick in 2000. Everyone heard about how hard he could hit the ball and he did crush one of the longest homers in Guaranteed Rate Field history. The problem was he rarely could make contact with the ball and washed out.
It is better to go with upside and athleticism than a guy who can hit the ball very far.