White Sox Shaking Off Their Poor Draft Reputation
via Laura Wolff/Charlotte Knights
The Chicago White Sox reputation for drafting poorly is well-deserved and well-earned. A quick check of number one draft picks beginning in the early 90s nets an alarmingly low number of recognizable names. The ones that jump out are more likely familiar because of their colossal failures than their successes. Things changed in 2010 with the selection of left-handed pitcher Chris Sale. However, the team quickly reverted to its old ways picking Keenyn Walker in 2011 and following him with Keon Barnum and Courtney Hawkins in 2012. Since then, things have been drastically different.
Look over the current White Sox roster and you’ll find that every first-round draft pick with the exception of 2015 first-rounder Carson Fulmer has contributed to the big-league club in 2021. If you want more evidence that the team has improved its draft performance, 19th rounders Adam Engel and Aaron Bummer have become integral parts of the team and players taken after the 20th round (Danny Mendick, Matt Foster) are also playing a role. In all, 17 draft picks have made an appearance with Chicago in 2021.
Here’s a breakdown:
| Player | Draft Year/Round/Overall | Notes |
| Tim Anderson | 2013 1st (17) | Batting titles and bat flips; team leader on the field and off; indispensable part of the team |
| Adam Engel | 2013 19th (573) | Speedy fourth outfielder; injured most of 2021; spectacular on defense; improving at the plate |
| Carlos Rodon | 2014 1st (3) | From non-tendered to one of the leagues best pitchers in 2021; An All-Star with a no-hitter under his belt; unhittable slider |
| Jace Fry | 2014 3rd (77) | Just back from injury after three solid years in the bullpen; can he recapture 2018 magic? |
| Aaron Bummer | 2014 19th (558) | Backend bullpen piece; Excellent 2019 and 2020 seasons; battling injuries and difficult 2021; regaining form? |
| Danny Mendick | 2015 22nd(652) | Utility infielder, fill-in in right field; current starter at second base replacing the injured Nick Madrigal |
| Zack Collins | 2016 1st (10) | Backup catcher showing signs of life on offense; Rodon’s personal catcher, caught his no-hitter |
| Zack Burdi | 2016 1st (26) | Toggling between Charlotte and Chicago; still unproven at MLB level; hasn’t been the same after Tommy John surgery |
| Jimmy Lambert | 2016 5th (146) | Currently in Triple-A; has made two appearances with the big league club; rotation candidate in 2022? |
| Matt Foster | 2016 20th (596) | Tough 2021 after promising rookie season in 2020 |
| Jake Burger | 2017 1st(11) | From four idle seasons to the bigs; top minor league performer; feel-good story of the year |
| Gavin Sheets | 2017 2nd (49) | Steady rise through the system; breakout season in Double-A in 2019; hot start as an outfielder in Chicago |
| Luis Gonzalez | 2017 3rd (87) | Has played in six games in the big leagues in 2021 as fill-in outfielder; could potentially fill the fourth outfielder role |
| Nick Madrigal | 2018 1st (4) | Important offensive performer at second base; stunning contact rates; out for the season with hamstring injury |
| Jonathan Stiever | 2018 5th (138) | Currently in Triple-A; made one appearance with Chicago in 2021; rotation candidate? |
| Codi Heuer | 2018 6th (168) | 2021 bullpen workhorse with 33 appearances; improving after slow start; Can he recapture his 2021 success? |
| Andrew Vaughn | 2019 1st (3) | Thrown in to LF to start the season has been amazing on defense; struggles against RHP; mashing lefties; big things expected |
| Garrett Crochet | 2020 1st (11) | Surprised everyone with jaw-dropping 2020 season; velo and performance down in 2021; long-term role a question |
Still Developing as Big Leaguers
Despite their recent track record, the White Sox still have a long way to go to match their run in the late 80s. In consecutive years, the team selected Cy Young award winner Jack McDowell, all-star third baseman and future manager Robin Ventura, Hall of Famer Frank Thomas and the underrated and underappreciated Alex Fernandez. These players formed the core of the early 90s World Series contending teams.
With the exception of a few significant contributors like Anderson, Rodon and Madrigal, the recent drafts have primarily consisted of role players or guys who are just getting their first taste of the major leagues. It’ll take time to determine if these players establish themselves as major leaguers, and become fixtures on the Southside. Still, their contributions cannot be dismissed. It’s a major benefit to the team to be able to plug in guys they drafted to fill a short-term hole rather than go picking through the scrapheap of players discarded by other teams. Not only does it give them valuable experience in their development process, but it helps maintain roster stability. Will the White Sox be able to continue the trend in 2021? The draft is July 11. We won’t find out for a few years.
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