The Chicago White Sox began their MLB draft by selecting Oswego East pitcher Noah Schultz with the No. 26 pick. They also closed their draft with pitching, picking Ohio State’s Ethan Hammerberg in the 20th round.
In all, the Sox selected 12 pitchers (nine right-handers and three lefties), six infielders, one outfielder and one catcher.
“The depth of trying to get those (pitching) arms secured when you’re a little bit shorter with resources, we feel good about that,” Sox director of amateur scouting Mike Shirley said during a conference call Monday. “That was the plan going into that. It took a lot of effort by every scout in this organization to do the work on the pitching, day in and day out, to make sure that we had it viewed correctly.”
All but one of their 20 selections were from college or junior college. Schultz was the lone exception.
1. Pitching, pitching and more pitching.
Shirley made no secret before the draft of the organization’s desire for pitching, and the Sox executed that plan right off the bat. Six of their first seven selections were pitchers, beginning with Schultz.
“The best thing about what we’ve done is we’ve been able to secure pitching in what we didn’t feel like was a draft that was deep in it,” Shirley said. “Between Noah and (second-round pick) Peyton Pallette at the top, getting Jonathan Cannon (in the third round), throw (fifth-round pick Tyler) Schweitzer in there. The (Mark) McLaughlin kid we took from University of Tennessee (in the seventh round), this guy has that unique spin metric component with the heater.”
While discussing picks during Day 2 of the draft, Shirley described Georgia right-hander Cannon as “the type of guy who can really make a difference.”
“He’s got weapons and resources to work with,” Shirley said. “It’s the perfect athletic frame, it’s the starter pedigree. The unique thing about this guy is I think it was a stretch of 40 or 50 innings where he hadn’t walked a hitter this year. Early on in his process, he was dominant.”
Cannon was 9-4 this year with a 4.02 ERA, 68 strikeouts and 12 walks in 13 starts. He went 6-2 in eight SEC starts.
“Four-pitch mix, it’s the sinker and two breaking balls and the second breaking ball being that cutter,” Shirley said. “It’s dynamic and the changeup is kind of the icing on the cake with him. The pedigree. He maneuvered through those SEC lineups pretty well in his career.”
2. Sprinkling in the position players.
The Sox picked UC Santa Barbara shortstop Jordan Sprinkle in the fourth round.
“It’s a top-of-the-charts speed guy who can play shortstop,” Shirley said. “Many guys in our room feel like he could play shortstop in the big leagues tonight defensively. It’s that kind of athlete, that kind of mover.”
Sprinkle had 26 stolen bases in 2021 and 25 this year. He slashed .353/.402/.536 in 2021 and .285/.381/.416 this season.
“I kind of feel like Jordan from his offensive performance, these kids are under a lot of stress and a lot of duress in their draft year,” Shirley said. “Famous name, a lot of people in the park to watch you every day. These kids press on themselves sometimes. The performance doesn’t always accelerate itself.
“I think someone had gotten in Jordan’s ear about trying to be more of a power guy this year. So he was trying to pull the ball a little bit more and I don’t think that was productive for him. Trying to maybe do too much this spring instead of be who he is, use his speed better on the opposite half of the hit tool, using right-center field more. We were lucky to secure him. He’s an elite athlete we’re excited about.”
First baseman Tim Elko, whom the Sox selected in the 10th round, played for College World Series champion Mississippi.
Elko hit 22 home runs and was named a third-team All-American. He finished his career with 46 homers, second all time at Ole Miss.
“It’s a real bat,” Shirley said. “It’s got power. You watched him, he was the heart and soul of that team.
“He understands how pitchers are going to attack him. He’s got a chance to have a nice career in front of him.”
3. Noah Schultz appreciates the Chris Sale comparisons.
The 6-foot-9 Schultz was asked if he ever had been compared to another tall lefty in Chris Sale.
The Sox drafted the 6-6 Sale with the 13th pick in 2010.
“I’ve been compared to him a lot,” Schultz said during a video conference call Sunday. “And it’s definitely somebody that is awesome to be compared to. Somebody I can look up to.”
Sale went 74-50 with a 3.00 ERA and 1,244 strikeouts in seven seasons for the White Sox before they traded him to the Boston Red Sox during the 2016 offseason, a deal that brought Michael Kopech and Yoán Moncada to Chicago. He won a World Series title with the Red Sox in 2018.
“I don’t try to copy what he does. I’m my own pitcher,” Schultz said. “But he’s definitely somebody that shows how successful left-handed pitchers for the Chicago White Sox can be.”
White Sox draft picks
Round 1 (No. 26): LHP Noah Schultz, Oswego East HS
Round 2 (No. 62): RHP Peyton Pallette, Arkansas
Round 3 (No. 101): RHP Jonathan Cannon, Georgia
Round 4 (No. 131): SS Jordan Sprinkle, UC Santa Barbara
Round 5 (No. 161): LHP Tyler Schweitzer, Ball State
Round 6 (No. 191): RHP Eric Adler, Wake Forest
Round 7 (No. 221): RHP Mark McLaughlin, Tennessee
Round 8 (No. 251): 2B Mario Camilletti, Central Michigan
Round 9 (No. 281): C Michael Turner, Arkansas
Round 10 (No. 311): 1B Tim Elko, Mississippi
Round 11 (No. 341): OF Jacob Burke, Miami (Fla.)
Round 12 (No. 371): 3B Brooks Baldwin, UNC Wilmington
Round 13 (No. 401): RHP Mason Adams, Jacksonville
Round 14 (No. 431): LHP Shane Murphy, Chandler Gilbert CC (Ariz.)
Round 15 (No. 461): RHP Billy Seidl, Duke
Round 16 (No. 491): RHP Tristan Stivors, Texas State
Round 17 (No. 521): RHP Nick Altermatt, Minnesota State-Mankato
Round 18 (No. 551): 3B Bryce Willits, UC Santa Barbara
Round 19 (No. 581): 3B Drake Logan, Shelton State CC (Ala.)
Round 20 (No. 611): RHP Ethan Hammerberg, Ohio State
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