White Sox 2025 MLB Draft Notebook 4.0
The 2025 Major League Baseball Draft will take place in Atlanta as part of All Star weekend. This will be the fourth draft for the White Sox under the current rules. The draft is 20 rounds and a lottery determined the first six picks back in December. With all of the shuffling and change in the White Sox’ organization, Mike Shirley remains in charge of the amateur draft. This will be his sixth draft as the director of amateur scouting. He has selected Garrett Crochet, Colson Montgomery, Noah Schultz, Jacob Gonzalez and Hagen Smith with his first rounders to this point.
White Sox and MLB Draft Coverage
Major League Baseball has decided to make the MLB Draft a two-day event rather than a three-day marathon starting this year but the coverage of the festivities won’t change a great deal. ESPN will broadcast the first round on Sunday July 13th live from the Coca Cola Roxy Concert Hall in Atlanta, Georgia.
MLB Network will begin their coverage with a draft preview show at 4:00 pm central time on the same day. The MLB Network coverage of the actual event will start at 6:00 pm central time. MLB Network will also stream night one on their website and the broadcast will cover the first 105 selections; the entirety of the first three rounds. Sirius XM Radio will broadcast on Sunday evening as well.
Day two will begin on Monday July 14th at 10:30 am central time and it can be seen on MLB.com. Rounds four through 20 will take place on Monday for the first time with the changed format. The MLB Draft Combine also took place this past week from Chase Field in Arizona. Baseball America posted the Statcast data for every player who worked out at the combine.
Carlos Collazo also published articles from his notable combine performances from day one and day two in Arizona. Friends of the site, Ben Badler and Collazo detailed the combine performances on the latest Future Projection podcast courtesy of Baseball America as well.
Jesse Borek of MLB Pipeline wrote about a hometown guy lighting up the draft combine. There was a pitching prospect with a very unorthodox pitch grip on hand as well. Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com highlighted some standout performances from day one of the combine while Jim Callis highlighted the players from day two.
The White Sox and Mock Drafts
Jesse Borek also interviewed Georgia prep shortstop Daniel Pierce and he was the selection at #10 overall for the White Sox in Mock Draft 1.0 here at FutureSox. The White Sox have mostly been linked to prep infielders and college bats in mock drafts so far. There were heavy rumors that the decision makers were focused on bats in 2024 as well however and the White Sox decided to choose Arkansas left-handed pitcher Hagen Smith with the 5th overall pick.
Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com joined forces for a combined mock draft live from the draft combine. They sent Mississippi prep shortstop JoJo Parker to the White Sox with the 10th overall pick. They noted that he could go higher and has been linked to teams in the top five. It was also said that the club could take JoJo’s twin brother Jacob with a later pick as well. Jacob is ranked as the #107 prospect at pipeline at Parker checks in at #10 overall.
In Mock Draft 4.0 from Carlos Collazo at Baseball America, California prep Billy Carlson shortstop is called a “top tier defender with great contact skills to build on”. The White Sox land the 19-year-old infielder with the 10th overall pick in this projection. This would be a favorable outcome for the club. The White Sox were also linked to Texas A&M outfielder Jace LaViolette as well as Tennessee hitters Gavin Kilen and Andrew Fischer. FutureSox doesn’t believe that either Tennessee hitter will be an option at #10 overall however.
Billy Carlson of Corona High School was the selection for the White Sox in the latest projection from Kiley McDaniel of ESPN as well. He noted that the White Sox are “casting a wide net because of where they pick” while also stating that the Sox would likely take JoJo Parker or Tennessee southpaw Liam Doyle if they made it to ten as well. FutureSox has heard conflicting information on whether the White Sox would select Doyle.
Keith Law of The Athletic is the only draft writer to project University of California Santa Barbara right hander Tyler Bremner to the White Sox at #10 overall. It would be a surprising outcome based on what pitching advisor Brian Bannister typically covets in regards to extension. Law has heard the White Sox linked to prep pitchers Seth Hernandez, Kruz Schoolcraft and prep infielder Steele Hall as well.
At this point, it seems like the White Sox would love to end up with prep infielders JoJo Parker out of Mississippi or California standout Billy Carlson. Corona High School righty Seth Hernandez isn’t likely to get past #10 overall either. If all three players are off the board however, their plans will remain a mystery. While a college option should never be ruled out, the club seems to prefer a prep talent and Alabama teenager Steele Hall has support from high ranking officials in the organization.
Five Round White Sox Mock Draft
In MLB Draft Notebook 3.0, I looked at the overall bonus pool for the club and identified some prep players that the organization has been linked to. The White Sox haven’t been shy to take any demographic of player under the leadership of Mike Shirley so far. Here is a prediction of what the second draft with Chris Getz at the helm could look like.
10. Chicago White Sox: Steele Hall, shortstop, Hewitt-Trussville High School (AL)
After missing out on some other prep targets in the top ten, the White Sox settle on Steele Hall. The 17-year-old is a re-classification from the 2026 group and he’s drawn comparisons to a young Trea Turner. The 6-0, 180 pounder is a premium athlete with plus-plus speed who is expected to remain at shortstop long-term.
Hall possesses a quick, right-handed swing with 15 homer potential in the future but his aggressive style comes with some swing and miss concerns. The infielder is one of the youngest players in the class, plays with a very high energy style and should provide plus defense at the most important position on the infield. He should be slightly underslot as well which should help the White Sox employ a strategy that involved multiple prep players.
44. Chicago White Sox: Sean Gamble, outfielder, IMG Academy (FL)
Gamble ranks #23 overall at MLB Pipeline and #43 for Baseball America and he could end up selected before the White Sox get another turn. The 6-1, 185 pounder plays infield and outfield but likely profiles best in center field. The Iowa prepster transferred to IMG Academy to play his high school ball in Florida; similarly to Blake Larson who the club drafted in the second round in 2024.
Gamble will be 19-years-old on draft day which could deter some clubs but he’s oozing with tools, athleticism and upside. The left-handed hitter can drive the ball to all fields with a more efficient swing than before and he has some power upside. His swing is repeatable and he barrels up the baseball consistently as well. Gamble performed really well over the summer on the showcase circuit and he’s a plus runner.
76. Chicago White Sox: Uli Fernsler, LHP, Nori High School (MI)
Scouts have flocked into Michigan this summer to see 17-year-old southpaw Uli Fernsler and the White Sox have seen him plenty. The 6-4, 205 pounder throws tons of strikes and he’s polished and protectable with a commitment to TCU. Fernsler is advanced for a prep pitcher and his fastball gets up to 93 mph with a four pitch mix. He throws from a 3/4 slot and creates deception as well. More velocity should be coming and he could have plus control too.
106. Chicago White Sox: Sam Horn, RHP, Missouri
Horn is a 6-4, 217 pound righty who earned comparisons to Bubba Chandler as a Georgia prep. He attended Missouri to pitch and play quarterback for the football team. The right hander underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023 and missed the entire 2024 season for the Tigers. Horn’s fastball gets up to 98 mph with the potential for a plus slider within a four pitch mix. He’s a big time athlete who gets great extension on the mound but he’s only thrown 15 innings in college and he’s slated to compete for Missouri’s starting quarterback job this fall.
137. Chicago White Sox: Nate Snead, RHP, Tennessee
Snead starred as a Wisconsin prep and the White Sox are always fond of Midwest players. The 6-2, 212 pounder has pitched in relief in college after transferring to Tennessee from Wichita State. There’s some thought that he could transition to a starting role as a professional but there’s late inning relief upside regardless. Snead has shown a premium fastball that hits triple digits with a low 90’s cutter and an improved curveball. Command has been an issue.
