White Sox win draft lottery, will pick #1 in 2026

[Bob Sacamano]

1 minute ago, Nardiwashere said:

Yeah, that's what I don't get.  If Sox draft him and want to give him $10 million, what difference does it make if Tampa Bay offers him $12 million?  

I understand if its a high schooler or something. 

Yeah he doesn’t really have a lot of leverage.

[Y2Jimmy0]

50 minutes ago, GreenSox said:

My preference in 2024 was "anybody but Smith."  I am more of a "do not draft" guy.

I still don't quite get why Sox need to honor other teams' promises to him:  He was a 3-year college player, so he had no leverage to not sign. Overslot obligation seems like another reason to pick someone else.

Given  that Sox philosophy is to overslot and punt, a comp pick would be particularly beneficial this year.

They haven’t really been “punting” but in order to go overslot without comp picks, the money has to come from somewhere. 

37 minutes ago, Nardiwashere said:

Yeah, that's what I don't get.  If Sox draft him and want to give him $10 million, what difference does it make if Tampa Bay offers him $12 million?  

I understand if its a high schooler or something. 

It doesn’t really but teams like having agreements in place so that they know how much they can spend throughout rest of draft. 

[GreenSox]

1 hour ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

They haven’t really been “punting” but in order to go overslot without comp picks, the money has to come from somewhere. 

 

 

The only overslot picked in first10 rounds since 2020 to reach the majors are Burke and Cannon, 2 college pitchers. 

In 2023, they decided to go underslot early instead of mid-rounds and ended up with Keener and Gonzalez from picks 3 and 1.    The one they played straight?  Grant Taylor pick #2.  Hopefully Oppr and Wolkow end up like early round picks.  

 

Edited 4 hours ago by GreenSox

[Y2Jimmy0]

2 hours ago, GreenSox said:

 

The only overslot picked in first10 rounds since 2020 to reach the majors are Burke and Cannon, 2 college pitchers. 

In 2023, they decided to go underslot early instead of mid-rounds and ended up with Keener and Gonzalez from picks 3 and 1.    The one they played straight?  Grant Taylor pick #2.  Hopefully Oppr and Wolkow end up like early round picks.  

 

They’ve done it with Bonemer and Fauske the last two years. Bonemer is a top 50 prospect in the sport. It’s how you get those guys. I just don’t look at the draft as slot amounts per round. I see it as, they have a certain total amount to spend and trying to get as much talent for that money as possible.