NorthSideSox72

This is the first of what will be a number of deep dives into key draft prospects that the White Sox could select in the 1st round this June. First up - Nick Madrigal

Not broken. No cast or anything, per that source.

Glad he's turning it around. But a 32% K-rate (27% even during his 7-game streak), and some of the worst defense I've seen from a catcher in A-ball, make me very hesitant with him. I think he's going to need a lot of time.

Are you sad about Jake Burger's unfortunate re-injury? You can read this and, well, you might not be any less sad. But at least you can further explore the depths of White Sox prospect history in the act.

For pitchers it's usually 12 months to pitch, but that can be less. So hopefully he pitches in minors for like a month or two, then goes to the AFL.

Burdi had TJ in May/June last year. He should be back throwing in the next month or two, and start pitching in the minors around July/August. But I doubt he sees the majors this year. Puckett did not have TJS, he's got some other injury. He's in Arizona last I heard. Davis has a knee injury. JB Olson had TJS.

Our draft coverage at FutureSox started yesterday with a primer, which was meant to educate on the draft process and the Sox' part in it. Now we have the Cheat Sheet from Brian (Rabbit), which looks specifically at who the White Sox might select and why. It includes mentions and descriptions for about a dozen potential first round candidates. Lots of detail here!

This one is a two-week edition, since the normally weekly Hot List was replaced by the April POTM last week. Here it is - plenty of hot bats and arms on the farm in the last couple weeks.

Yeah he had a minor injury, was re-activated a day or two ago (Mason Robbins was sent to Charlotte). Trey has become essentially a utility infielder now.

FutureSox draft primer is now up, and the FS draft coverage generally is underway. Lots of content coming.

The draft coverage has begun at FutureSox. And it begins with this Primer from James (Y2Jimmy), which lays the groundwork for everything else. Over the next month we will release a number of profiles for possible targets of the Sox, as well as some other related features. Then of course we will cover the draft itself, including the Tracker (which is far and away our most popular post every year).

How about a detailed scouting report with video.

Your place to get caught up on transactions, affiliate team performances thus far, news links you should check out, individual highlights and more from the farm.

1. It happens but not often. Even with bigger stars it is the exception, not the rule. The great majority hit AAA first. 2. AAA does have a lot of "fodder", but also a lot of guys with MLB experience which can be a very helpful test for prospects. 3. Why the rush? I'd rather let him spend a few months in Charlotte. Not like this year's team is going anywhere. 4. If/when you are in a season where the MLB team's record is not important (or they even want to keep it down a bit for the time being), it's not outlandish to also consider throwing your AAA club a bone for a month or two. Charlotte has a premier park, but a lousy team right now.

If he got picked off, the manager may also have pulled him for falling asleep at the wheel or maybe doing something stupid.

He actually appears to have lost a little weight, or at least is in better shape. He's not a burner or anything, but he's got a little speed. Big long strides can make runners look slower, but I clocked him home to first last year and got him at 55-level at near-max effort. As others have said, I don't think that's the case. I will say, his current approach favors line drives up the middle and slicing balls to left, but when he does go for the pull there is some substantial pop. And yeah, he's still getting stronger.

I was surprised myself. Watched him in two games, and two practice sessions. He doesn't have the pure arm strength of Adolfo for example, but Rutherford was dead-on accurate and had more strength than Booker or Call in my admittedly subjective viewing. I've been arguing on this a lot lately. I don't think Booker is a major leaguer. What he has is 70-grade speed, good to very good glove work in CF, and he's a smart guy. All of that is good. But his swing and approach at the plate give me major pause, and his bat looks slow to me. I just think he will get exposed, and soon, at the plate. I don't think he'll hit for much average, almost no power, and he doesn't walk much. Clearly I'd happily be wrong, but that's my view on him. I really think people are reading far too much into one (very hot) month while returning to a level where he's a year or more older than the core prospects.

Defensively, just notes on the ones I have seen and/or gotten evals from people I'd trust... Jimenez will be at best average in LF. Robert, it's so early to say, but early reports were very good. Just can't read much into them yet. Rutherford is very good on the corners in all facets, and has plenty of arm for all three slots. CF is an open question. He showed an arm in Winston-Salem that will rival Adolfo's or close to it. Adolfo has the atheticism for LF or RF just fine, plenty of speed, and has an absolute cannon arm. But his routes, last I saw last year, are still on the immature side. Basabe looks pretty damn good in CF or the corners, though not elite. Plenty of speed, enough arm, routes and approach on and off. But like Adolfo, lots of room for growth in that area and all the tools to do so. Gonzalez looks really good in CF in all facets - a true center fielder already. His best asset probably.

He was in the 20's on the FS T30 I think? His cold start wasn't a huge deal, but the injury complicates things in terms of the stack. Tilson may now get his shot in Chicago before Cordell does. Also, having seen him in Charlotte, I wasn't overly impressed. But I could also see having Cordell higher than my list, he was a tough call. I'm not super-attached to where he is. Also part of it is people who leaped him more than whatever he did negatively.

Fun idea. I'll even go deeper than 5... 1. Jimenez 2. Robert 3. Adolfo 4. Rutherford 5. Basabe 6. Gonzalez 7. Palka (if he counts for this exercise) 8. Polo 9. Tilson 10. Call 11. Dedelow 12. Cordell 13. Fisher 14. Frost 15. Booker 3-4-5 is a really tight group, could be any order really. And if I had to put a line at where players are likely to be contributing major leaguers or not, it would be likely around 13.

Check in on how the top fifteen prospects on the White Sox farm have been doing so far in 2018 (there are also a couple bonus players beyond the top 15). Get up to date on players likely to see the majors.

I think you see one small wave when Robert arrives (as SS2K5 said), just the outfielders. But I think more like June you'll see some bigger waves involving catchers, pitchers, and more outfielders, in part because I think Kopech goes to Chicago in June, Cordell will return in June, and of course the draft and signings will start to take effect later that month. I bet you see lots of movement in June. The hard part is what the hell to do with the outfielders when Robert returns this month,

He swings like Juan Uribe, trying for a 600 foot home run every time. The swings are eerily similar, even if the body builds are very different.

Scouting report here from last year. This year he's pumping 2-3 mph quicker on his fastball. That sort of thing does happen as pitchers adjust to a full pro season. Come on man, career path? He was in AA so young that he was one of the youngest pitchers in the Southern League in his SECOND YEAR there. And the numbers - and the look - improved a lot that second year. That said, I have no idea what has happened this year. He did miss most of Spring Training with that finger injury, so maybe that's related. Or he's trying something new. Seems unlikely he suddenly lost stuff at his age. Scouting report here.

That is hinted at in the article.