June 16, 200421 yr White Sox Agree to Terms with Josh Fields 1st round pick ready to sign with Sox; will be assigned to Winston-Salem By Danny Santaromita The White Sox first round pick in this year's draft has agreed to terms with the team. Josh Fields, the Oklahoma State 3rd baseman and starting quarterback, will also be assigned to high A Carolina League affiliate Winston-Salem. The move puts Fields on the fast track right out of the gate. This season he hit .362 with 10 HR and 47 RBI in 62 games as a junior. Terms of the deal have yet to be disclosed. Baseball America named him preseason First-Team All-America at 3rd base. He has been rated as one of the best athletes and power hitters in all of college baseball this season. It was reported that he was told that if he signed quickly he would be assigned to Winston-Salem, which has come true, with a shot at making it to AA Birmingham before season's end. The Sox have had a recent history of moving players slowly through the system, but they seem to be bucking the trend with Fields. Fields will join a prospect laden lineup in Winston-Salem. The outfield is comprised of last year's first two picks Brian Anderson and Ryan Sweeney as well as hot hitting Aussie Thomas Brice. Anderson was just named to the Carolina League All-Star team and Thomas Brice was just promoted to Winston-Salem after dominating in Kannapolis. Sweeney has struggled this season after being a surprise in spring training. The White Sox have had very good luck in signing their draft picks so far this season. They locked up Compensatory draft picks Tyler Lumsden and Gio Gonzalez soon after the draft and just recently signed 2nd round pick Donny Lucy. The Sox have signed nine of the fourteen players they drafted in the first ten rounds. Wes Whisler, Adam Russell, Nick Lemon, Ryan McCarthy, and Adam Ricks are the five yet to sign. Ricks isn't even eligible to negotiate with the Sox because his University of Miami Hurricanes are in the College World Series. The Sox may not begin negotiations with him until his season ends.
June 16, 200421 yr This is awesome! I can't wait to see how he does when he starts playing! All we have left to do is sign those 5 guys from first 10 rounds who haven't signed, and I'll be ecstatic.
June 16, 200421 yr That's awesome news. I've started reading up a little bit about this guy, and I'm really excited to see his turnout in professional baseball. I'm really glad to see the White Sox were so quick on signing everyone this year; the quicker we can get them in the organization, the better chance they succeed.
June 17, 200421 yr I swear to god. Whoever came up with this futuresox board is fricken awesome. It's so cool that all I gotta do is come in here to find out everything I need to know and then some about our Minor Leagues. All you guys do a great job. Props from Jordan4life.
June 17, 200421 yr In Tribune article about FT sitting out I found this blurb. The Sox have signed 12 of their top 14 picks, with one playing in the College World Series and the other finishing up high school. Does not jive, 10 of top 11, 16 0f top 20 (16 rounds). If Ricks is signed just waiting to finish college WS, that is still 17 of 20, and 11 of top 14. So either Lemon/McCarthy/Whisler has signed as well.
June 17, 200421 yr In Tribune article about FT sitting out I found this blurb. <dohtml><i>The Sox have signed 12 of their top 14 picks, with one playing in the College World Series and the other finishing up high school. </i></dohtml> Does not jive, 10 of top 11, 16 0f top 20 (16 rounds). If Ricks is signed just waiting to finish college WS, that is still 17 of 20, and 11 of top 14. So either Lemon/McCarthy/Whisler has signed as well. I saw that too, didn't add up for me either. Baseball America is always behind on updating the signings, and after a couple of weeks, we get nothing from the Chicago media. Looks like we'll have to wait until Great Falls and Bristol start playing to see who's on the team.
June 17, 200421 yr I saw that too, didn't add up for me either. Baseball America is always behind on updating the signings, and after a couple of weeks, we get nothing from the Chicago media. Looks like we'll have to wait until Great Falls and Bristol start playing to see who's on the team. On our other Board, Blacksox said Whisler has agreed to terms, just waiting until school is out, now it adds up.
June 17, 200421 yr If Whisler has in fact agreed to terms, that makes me pretty happy. I can't wait to see what this guy can do once he gets some great instruction by our minor league pitching coaches. He's got 4 quality pitches; he's just got to put it all together. Plus, he's a lefty.
June 18, 200421 yr I wonder about Whisler, I see Ricks and McCarthy (the other UCLA player) are on Great Falls roster. So I wonder if they meant McCarthy and not Whisler.
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