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Whats with you having to compare all draft prospects to failed White Sox picks?

The injury stuff is being greatly exaggerated. He has some soreness so Tennessee shut him down to protect him in his draft year. That's what good college programs do. If they knew the season was going to be 4 weeks long he would have pitched from the onset. The only other injury was when he was hit in the face with a comebacker. He was back on the mound in 2 weeks pitching with a plate in his broken jaw. This is a tough kid. He's also extremely smart. He's a freakin nuclear engneering major. I love everything about what they would be getting here.

I am just thrilled to have actual baseball to talk about again. The thing I have missed more than anything the last three months is competitive sports.

Tell me this doesn’t get the juices flowing... Add in a 96+ MPH fastball that’s still gaining velo and wow.

The latest update from Baseball America has the Sox taking Mick Abel. This would be awesome. This pick is tricky. Chicago has been connected to Tennessee LHP Garrett Crochet, Detmers and North Carolina State catcher Patrick Bailey—the typical collegiate suspects for the White Sox. However the noise with Mick Abel has been significant enough that we think it’s legit and with a new scouting director in Chicago there’s no guarantee the team continues to heavily target college players. Still, it’s worth noting that Mike Shirley has been with the club in a high-level role going back to 2010.

Eh, the Sox can get Ed Howard in four years when they trade for Reynaldo Lopez in a pennant chase

I'll say this, I trust this system to develop a hard throwing college lefty a lot more than a high school bat

We don't allow our insiders to use their real names to protect them from their hoardes of adoring fans. Screen names only.

I’ve never heard this debate I’m only familiar with bad white sox draft comp vs bad white sox draft comp. Im assuming you meant it’s a choice between Aaron poreda or uh *looks through draft history* Steve...uh Steve trout

We pick #11. In my opinion (and in no particular order), there is no chance the 6 players below get to us. I'll throw Hancock as #7 even though he could be a guy who conceivably slips. From there, we just have to rank our top 4 players left. So I am basically hoping for Detmers but each of the last few days it seems less and less likely. Past him, Abel's upside is tantalizing and he could possibly be underslot so that'd be my fallback. If Detmers & Abel go in the top 10 I get less excited about our pick. 1. Tork 2. Martin 3. Lacy 4. Gonzalez 5. Veen 6. Meyer 7. Hancock 1. Detmers 2. Abel 3. Hassell 4. Kjersted.

I've come around on Crochet. I get it. If you hit on him, you could have a big payoff. If not, you are probably getting an impact reliever with that stupid fastball/slider combo anyways. That's nothing to sneeze at. Couple that with under-slot and some big value like Kelley with pick number 2, and I'm real happy.

The Sox were never taking Patrick Bailey. That was always nonsense. That's the thing about Crochet. He's never thrown enough innings to prove to me that he's a starter long-term. He does have pretty electric shit though. There's a chance that had the season continued, he makes 10 starts and he's not even on the board. He's also likely underslot I'd think.

not gonna lie if their scouts feel like crochet was different this year...it's just a different draft. I didn't get to see any of these guys. There's highlights and that's cool and all. If the sox swing crochet and get a dynamite #2 that's interesting. Crochet is an insanely talented arm we know very little about. Abel didn't even pitch his senior year. Maybe he gets shelled! Bitsko people are going off his circuit when nobody was scouting him! I'm just saying if they get swing crochet/howard or something it changes it. I could very well see a situation where they felt very similar to a lot of these guys and felt like they could get 2 in the same tier with their budget.

Hell yeah I get to get hyped for Kelley all night and tomorrow until he's selected in the first couple picks tomorrow

Howard needs to do right by the Sox and turn down millions to go to school.

Good better best Matt Thornton Andrew Miller Chris Sale

SoxTalk: Anyone but a college bat Draft gets weird, Veen becomes a possibility SoxTalk:

The real question is if ESPN skips from pick #10 to #12 with their propensity to entirely forget about the Sox

Hilarious that Vaughn is better than Torkelson and yet Torkelson is easily 1-1 because he MIGHT POSSIBLY POTENTIALLY COULD play LF MAYBE. Baseball teams have become so much smarter, yet still have weird stupid rules for prospects.

Very exciting draft!

Definitely Jake Eder then

You guys are overthinking my tweet. Crochet interest seems orchestrated to me. Too many people have it. There's another name frequently mentioned who I believe to be firmly in the mix. It'd be a surprise to many. Not most of you though.

Classics Pitcher vs. Thrower debate.

It was a hypothetical example to illustrate a concept since someone asked why teams create misdirection. Why don’t you add to that discussion instead of sitting on a high horse?

Abel has a much cleaner projectable motion. He will also mature and increase is velocity.

cubs.

Yeah, maybe they can teach him to command the ball like they did Alec Hansen.

He was ranked #1 on his board until the Sox drafted him

I’ve read it wasn’t much more than general soreness and them wanting to preserve him. ”overblown” was one word I heard regarding the injury concern. I do trust our scouting on pitching.

I like it. I also hope it's under-slot and allows someone fun to be pushed to pick number 2.

DING DING DING. It's not even a question. In a draft with a lot of questions, take the guy with a ton of talent, all the tools, and a great work ethic. A kid you know inside and out. Don't get cute; take the kid with the biggest ceiling there is.

I'm surprised ESPN hasn't highlighted all of Spencer Torkelson's dead relatives and friends.

What!?

No one breaks down mechanics, approach, a swing and video as poorly as Harold Reynolds. Gotta love it.

Also, GTFO if you care about spoilers. Like every year, the picks are going to hit twitter before TV, and they get posted here. Fair warning.

He was incredible early this season. It's truly a shame we didn't get to see more him. The velocity he added was crazy.

There are about 5-6 guys that I'd be fine with them taking at 11. The only way I think I'll truly be disappointed is if Detmers is there and they pass on him.

I’m so scared the Sox are going to mess this up.

Good shit.

Asa Lacy to White Sox. Make it happen Jim.

On Twitter Jimmy suggests all this Crochet smoke might be the standard draft day misdirection.

Poreda just had a big fastball. I don't ever remember anything at all about a plus slider and I can't find a record of it online. He was big fastball and that's all people talkied about, supposedly with the beginnings of a feel for a changeup which never turned into anything. Maybe his slider developed more in the minors. Poreda had size, strength, left-handedness and a big fastball. He was a longshot project at best if he was ever thought of as a SP. It was a safe pick also because there was a downside (and really ceiling) of MLB late inning reliever. I don't think Crochet is very risky as far as prospects go. Health and control are risks for most players, but his floor is as a very useful player and the timeline on him could be pretty quick.

Should take Detmers Will take Abel Would be happy with Detmers, Abel, Hassell, PCA, Howard, Hendricks unhappy: Crochet, Bailey, Kjerstad on the fence with Soderstrom Im not really interested in safe picks

Crochet has a ++ slider and a + changeup. Poreda didn't have a second pitch and threw 97, which backed up to 94 in the pros.

Interesting that he is willing to play in 2020, but wants to be released for 2021. That would line up with getting into next years international class quite nicely.

This is lazy.

1st - Crochet - underslot 2nd - Kelly - way over slot 3rd - someone - underslot to help cover Kelly

Also regarding Crochet. I wouldn't be surprised (unless there are still injury concerns) if he pitches out of the bullpen this season if selected. Publications seem to think you are going to see some of the highly regarded college arms deployed in the pen during the shortened season. Max Meyer being the one that is mentioned most. Crochet has a similar profile and the stuff to pull it off.

Abel definitely would be risky pick, there are so many failed first round HS pitchers. However of course this is also how you get a kershaw, greinke or Bumgarner (I think they all were drafted like in the 7-10 range overall of the draft) so if it works it also could be really good.

We also have a severe lack of dynamic arms in our minor league system now. Thompson has some project-ability there. We went from "zomg look how many power arms we have" to a bunch of 26 year old rhps from louisville throwing 88 across our A and AA teams.