The second he got drafted, he would be best defensive player in the organization

Smith, White, Beck, Haseley pipe dream, Hiura, hell even Burger before Kendall... please.

The second he got drafted, he would be best defensive player in the organization

I know there's talk of moving him to the OF so his bat plays better, but he'd be perfectly fine at 1B for me. Elite defense makes a difference there as well, and though he doesn't have huge power, it's not like he's Juan Pierre either. Guy can hit.

Someone with twitter should ask Frankie about the WSox

 

Done.

The second he got drafted, he would be best defensive player in the organization

 

Ok, I'm sold. If he's available, I'd like that pick.

Frankie Piliere @FPiliereD1

22s

The Bubba Thompson rumor is legitimate & I think it could speak to them believing their top priorities - Lewis, Gore, Greene, could be gone

John @Citizens_

@FPiliereD1 What do you think about #Rays ? Over draft ?

Frankie Piliere @FPiliereD1

22s

Not a reach for White, but I think they'd prefer Haseley or Smith if they can get them

Alan @ProfessorFog

@FPiliereD1 Any ChiSox buzz? Is White a reach?

The second he got drafted, he would be best defensive player in the organization

 

To be fair, so could Kendall

FYI, there is now a Draft Day One thread pinned in PHT, along with a link to the Tracker. Feel free to discuss over there with the larger audience!

 

Frankie Piliere @FPiliereD1

22s

Not a reach for White, but I think they'd prefer Haseley or Smith if they can get them

Alan @ProfessorFog

@FPiliereD1 Any ChiSox buzz? Is White a reach?

 

White seems like he could be a solid pick as the bat seems to be improving and he doesn't have nearly the swing and miss concerns that Kendall does. If White can play average to above average outfield he could be a solid player.

Frankie Piliere @FPiliereD1

22s

The Bubba Thompson rumor is legitimate & I think it could speak to them believing their top priorities - Lewis, Gore, Greene, could be gone

John @Citizens_

@FPiliereD1 What do you think about #Rays ? Over draft ?

 

What is this rumor?

What is this rumor?

 

Ray's cutting an underslot deal with Bubba Thompson with their first round pick.

Ack, I just can't get behind choosing a 1b here without more power than these guys. I get the lack of good hit tools in our org, but IMHO, you want to use your 1st round choice to select the player with the chance to be really special, particularly if you are rebuilding and envision having a lot of money to spend on payroll.

 

Spend the money for the high OBP 1b in free agency, please.

Ray's cutting an underslot deal with Bubba Thompson with their first round pick.

 

Not sure why a team drafting in the top 5 would want to reach that far back for a player, even if well underslot?

Ray's cutting an underslot deal with Bubba Thompson with their first round pick.

 

Oh, sorry, I get the formatting now. Thank you.

Ack, I just can't get behind choosing a 1b here without more power than these guys. I get the lack of good hit tools in our org, but IMHO, you want to use your 1st round choice to select the player with the chance to be really special, particularly if you are rebuilding and envision having a lot of money to spend on payroll.

 

Spend the money for the high OBP 1b in free agency, please.

 

If the Sox select White it would clearly be with the intention of having him move to the outfield, where his tools actually profile pretty well.

 

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 60 | Arm: 55 | Field: 70 | Overall: 55 are MLB.com's scouting grades on him as a 1B. 70 field = good hands, 55 arm is plenty for the outfield and 60 speed gives him solid range abilities.

 

Think of him as a 55 hit, 50 power, 60 speed, 55 arm, 50/55 field outfielder and see if that changes your opinion?

Not sure why a team drafting in the top 5 would want to reach that far back for a player, even if well underslot?

 

If they are really sold on the player and can reallocate the draft allotment to get harder to sign premier talent in later rounds, its totally a viable strategy. Happens every year with certain teams. The Braves do it often. Did it with Ian Anderson last year I believe.

Edited June 12, 20178 yr by DirtySox

Today's Baseball America mock has the Sox taking Pavin Smith:

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/2017-...UDeI7U6gv2Lp.97

11. White Sox

 

This would be a tough choice for Chicago—Bukauskas, whom they have kept tabs on even when it seemed he would go higher, or Jordon Adell, the raw prep outfielder? This mock says neither; the Sox need hitters and polished ones at that.

 

Pick: Pavin Smith, 1b, Virginia |

 

 

Read more at http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/2017-...OQYiwegOEo3z.99

 

If the Sox select White it would clearly be with the intention of having him move to the outfield, where his tools actually profile pretty well.

 

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 60 | Arm: 55 | Field: 70 | Overall: 55 are MLB.com's scouting grades on him as a 1B. 70 field = good hands, 55 arm is plenty for the outfield and 60 speed gives him solid range abilities.

 

Think of him as a 55 hit, 50 power, 60 speed, 55 arm, 50/55 field outfielder and see if that changes your opinion?

I don't think he "clearly" has to move to the OF just because he won't hit a lot of HRs. It would be refreshing to see a good bat, great glove 1B in the Sox system, and there is literally not a single prospect in his way through the ranks.

Lots of guessing on the Sox pick. Not really seeing draft experts say they "love" anyone like you see with a lot of other teams

Ack, I just can't get behind choosing a 1b here without more power than these guys. I get the lack of good hit tools in our org, but IMHO, you want to use your 1st round choice to select the player with the chance to be really special, particularly if you are rebuilding and envision having a lot of money to spend on payroll.

 

Spend the money for the high OBP 1b in free agency, please.

 

Same. It just seems like these types are already way too close to their ceilings on draft day, nearly every time. There are some exceptions, of course, but I'm not seeing anything to suggest that Smith/White look like those exceptions.

Not to mention Robert has a lot of the same tools...so not quite the same amount of pressure to find a future CFer on Hahn right now. (And Basabe.)

This is not a good reason to not draft someone. There are so many reasons as to why players don't make the MLB that it is poor policy to not draft someone just because there is a similar player in the minors.

 

They should draft their highest rated person, period.

I don't think he "clearly" has to move to the OF just because he won't hit a lot of HRs. It would be refreshing to see a good bat, great glove 1B in the Sox system, and there is literally not a single prospect in his way through the ranks.

 

And let's face it, even a slightly above average Major League position player is better than what most of the roster has been the last five years

Ack, I just can't get behind choosing a 1b here without more power than these guys. I get the lack of good hit tools in our org, but IMHO, you want to use your 1st round choice to select the player with the chance to be really special, particularly if you are rebuilding and envision having a lot of money to spend on payroll.

 

Spend the money for the high OBP 1b in free agency, please.

 

Moreland and Logan Morrison two of the best FA deals.

M. Reynolds, Smoak, Alonso, Thames, Holliday, T. Shaw, Gyorko, Jay Bruce also come to mind.

If they are really sold on the player and can reallocate the draft allotment to get harder to sign premier talent in later rounds, its totally a viable strategy. Happens every year with certain teams. The Braves do it often. Did it with Ian Anderson last year I believe.

 

And when you have an extra high pick like the Rays do this year (or the Braves did last year) with their Comp Round A pick that is probably when it makes most sense.

Today's Baseball America mock has the Sox taking Pavin Smith:

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/2017-...UDeI7U6gv2Lp.97

 

I'm not really down for the Pavin Smith selection, as he is a 1B/DH only player which grow on trees. The approach is solid, but I would argue that Brent Rooker appears to be the better bat than Smith