Rankin Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 Our draft coverage continues with a preview from James Fox on Georgia high school shortstop CJ Abrams. Experts believe Abrams may have the highest upside in this year's draft class, and several sources believe the White Sox will be taking Abrams at pick No. 3. It would be the first time since 2012 the Sox decide on a high school product in the first round. How would you feel if they selected CJ Abrams? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mqr Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 'He doesn't possess much swing and miss in his game and projects as a "plus hitter". ' People really need to stop lumping this kid as a 'toolsy athlete'. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmags Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 This is about as thorough a collection of reports as you can find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiSox59 Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 I'd prefer Rutschmann or Witt, but Abrams would be my third choice and I certainly won't be upset if he is the pick assuming Rutschmann and Witt are off the board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmags Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 3 minutes ago, mqr said: 'He doesn't possess much swing and miss in his game and projects as a "plus hitter". ' People really need to stop lumping this kid as a 'toolsy athlete'. thank you. Much of the "project" with him is on defense, where he needs reps to prove he can be a SS. I think he may have a bit of the tim anderson problem where when you trust your athleticism so much you don't know how to tune it to let technique lead it sometimes. His plate approach just needs refinement in focusing on pitches to drive which needs to come from higher competition, when you have 80 speed and can hit everything its tough to refine it in competition when you want to win. But sox PD staff has done a really bad job of communicating the "just because you can, doesn't mean you should' aspect of hitting to madrigal so who knows. This guy is an incredible package that you don't get many shots at beyond the top ten. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Y2Jimmy0 Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 30 minutes ago, bmags said: This is about as thorough a collection of reports as you can find. Thanks man. We have Bishop and Rutschman coming to close out the week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmags Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 Just now, Y2Jimmy0 said: Thanks man. We have Bishop and Rutschman coming to close out the week. With the recent uptick in reports that sox saw a lack of up the middle talent and wanted to supplement it in this draft, I think it would be interesting to see a rundown of player profiles that sox should target to fill gaps in their farm. Speed/power arms/ strike throwers/ power bats/etc., it would be interesting to grade against after the draft on how they filled up. but I should have mentioned that before a week before the draft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Y2Jimmy0 Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 27 minutes ago, bmags said: With the recent uptick in reports that sox saw a lack of up the middle talent and wanted to supplement it in this draft, I think it would be interesting to see a rundown of player profiles that sox should target to fill gaps in their farm. Speed/power arms/ strike throwers/ power bats/etc., it would be interesting to grade against after the draft on how they filled up. but I should have mentioned that before a week before the draft. We can definitely look at it after the draft. I'm expecting lots of pitching though in this draft class Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmags Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 1 minute ago, Y2Jimmy0 said: We can definitely look at it after the draft. I'm expecting lots of pitching though in this draft class That's fine with me, even with the struggles to refine pitchers in MLB level, there doesn't seem to be a lot of stuff in the system after Cease. I'm hoping they can add some guys. It ain't gonna show up from international that's for sure. That said, there are dudes like Ethan Small from MSU that I really like as a profile but not much of a "stuff" guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Y2Jimmy0 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 You can read the article? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron883 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 Just now, Y2Jimmy0 said: You can read the article? It's all literally right there in the article. Ridiculous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCCWS Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 RR would love this kid: The report also lauds his "game-changing speed" and notes that he uses quickness to beat out bunts and grounders Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lillian Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 (edited) Abrams' best tool is his speed. The problem is that the game has moved away from stealing bases and bunting. It's now all about hitting the ball out of the park. That is not the kind of game, which I would prefer, but unfortunately, that is what it has become. Moreover, he may lose a step, when he fills out. He is a very lean youngster and if he is going to get bigger and stronger, so that he can develop more power, he'll likely sacrifice some speed. I don't know about this one. Seems like a long shot to me. Now, Witt is another story. There is a SS with all of the tools to be a big impact player. I still rank them 1) Rutschman, 2) Witt, 3) Bleday. Edited May 29, 2019 by Lillian 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanne Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 I'm really not a fan of using the #3 on Abrams at all. Billy Hamilton is fast too...would you use the 3rd pick on him? I could live with the Bleday pick...but IMO you really can't pass up on a bat like Vaughn. Hell given the fact that McCann is in the fold now I'd have gone with Langeliers here over Abrams. "Toolsy" HS players just scare me...especially when you're biggest tool is speed. I'd even consider Lodolo or Stinson over Abrams to be honest. If it's my call tho I'm not passing on Vaughn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiSoxJon Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 4 hours ago, Wanne said: I'm really not a fan of using the #3 on Abrams at all. Billy Hamilton is fast too...would you use the 3rd pick on him? I could live with the Bleday pick...but IMO you really can't pass up on a bat like Vaughn. Hell given the fact that McCann is in the fold now I'd have gone with Langeliers here over Abrams. "Toolsy" HS players just scare me...especially when you're biggest tool is speed. I'd even consider Lodolo or Stinson over Abrams to be honest. If it's my call tho I'm not passing on Vaughn. Rutcshman and Witt seem so obvious...Bad year for pick 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitesoxbrad Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 4 hours ago, Wanne said: I'm really not a fan of using the #3 on Abrams at all. Billy Hamilton is fast too...would you use the 3rd pick on him? I could live with the Bleday pick...but IMO you really can't pass up on a bat like Vaughn. Hell given the fact that McCann is in the fold now I'd have gone with Langeliers here over Abrams. "Toolsy" HS players just scare me...especially when you're biggest tool is speed. I'd even consider Lodolo or Stinson over Abrams to be honest. If it's my call tho I'm not passing on Vaughn. I do not want anything to do with Abrams Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmags Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 11 hours ago, Wanne said: I'm really not a fan of using the #3 on Abrams at all. Billy Hamilton is fast too...would you use the 3rd pick on him? I could live with the Bleday pick...but IMO you really can't pass up on a bat like Vaughn. Hell given the fact that McCann is in the fold now I'd have gone with Langeliers here over Abrams. "Toolsy" HS players just scare me...especially when you're biggest tool is speed. I'd even consider Lodolo or Stinson over Abrams to be honest. If it's my call tho I'm not passing on Vaughn. Guys speed is good. And Abrams has a good hit tool, he makes a lot of contact and has good feel to hit. He does the things people claim to love in this forum like go the opposite way when it takes him. What he hasn’t learned to do yet is translate the power into games, but he’s in high school, is likely to fill out, and has a sixty raw power grade. I really don’t understand how this forum is so traumatized by the few high schoolers this team has drafted in the last decade despite being the most heavily college focused team in the league. Notice we aren’t particularly good at drafting! check out the top 100 lists and how the top 30s are filled with HS guys and INTL. Them going up against better competition at younger ages has made many better prospects. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierSox Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 (edited) 13 hours ago, Wanne said: I'm really not a fan of using the #3 on Abrams at all. Billy Hamilton is fast too...would you use the 3rd pick on him? I could live with the Bleday pick...but IMO you really can't pass up on a bat like Vaughn. Hell given the fact that McCann is in the fold now I'd have gone with Langeliers here over Abrams. "Toolsy" HS players just scare me...especially when you're biggest tool is speed. I'd even consider Lodolo or Stinson over Abrams to be honest. If it's my call tho I'm not passing on Vaughn. The comparison to Hamilton is ridiculous. Abrams hit tool is light years ahead of Hamilton's. I am not sure why so many here are afraid of high school players who are good athletes. The reality is that the Sox haven't many high school kids and certainly none this high so you can't really say they can't develop them. Edited May 31, 2019 by HoosierSox 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harold's Leg Lift Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 9 hours ago, ChiSoxJon said: Rutcshman and Witt seem so obvious...Bad year for pick 3 Yep. All we can do is hope the O's do something stupid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmags Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 30 minutes ago, Harold's Leg Lift said: Yep. All we can do is hope the O's do something stupid. I feel like people say this every year. I feel pretty strongly one of the 3-6 players will end up as a guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harold's Leg Lift Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 I like my odds better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmags Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 35 minutes ago, Harold's Leg Lift said: I like my odds better. What odds are these, the Os do something stupid odds? I hope so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarava Posted June 2, 2019 Share Posted June 2, 2019 On 5/31/2019 at 8:37 AM, bmags said: I feel like people say this every year. I feel pretty strongly one of the 3-6 players will end up as a guy. Well it was said 2 years ago when the Sox took Jake Burger, and it turned out to be true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiSox1917 Posted June 2, 2019 Share Posted June 2, 2019 I'd much prefer Abrams to Witt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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