2014 Draft class

[DirtySox]

That's kind of the nightmare scenario right now.

 

If that happened, you'd have to believe the Astros would take the local product Kolek and we could then select Aiken.

 

How is this a nightmare scenario? Aiken is largely considered to be the best player in the draft class. Getting a player of his caliber at 3 would be fantastic.

[Quin]

How is this a nightmare scenario? Aiken is largely considered to be the best player in the draft class. Getting a player of his caliber at 3 would be fantastic.

 

This. The nightmare scenario is taking someone other than Kolek/Aiken/Rodon

[DirtySox]

This. The nightmare scenario is taking someone other than Kolek/Aiken/Rodon

 

Word. See Cubs. The Hoffman injury sucks.

[caulfield12]

If Aiken's as good as the scouts are saying, it won't take him much longer than a college pitcher to get to the big leagues.

 

It just goes against almost everything we've seen from the White Sox for the last 30 years or so, since Reinsdorf took over. The one exception recently was Honel, and he was a local product.

 

And Jason Stumm, who I think was supplemental, but obviously both those guys didn't come close to the big leagues.

Edited May 8, 2014 by caulfield12

[Quin]

The nightmare scenario for me is Rodon-Aiken going 1-2.

 

I'd still be ok with Kolek and that fireball.

[flavum]

Does Kolek know how to pitch, or does he just blow away 16-18 year old kids?

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

Give me one of Rodon or Aiken and I'll be very happy.

[Jake]

I like Rodon the most. I think I may like Kolek over Aiken, but I recognize that he will need quite a bit more development than Aiken and I haven't yet decided how to weight that in my mind.

[Chicago White Sox]

Give me one of Rodon or Aiken and I'll be very happy.

Yup, at this point the best case scenario IMO is if the Astros take the local kid in Kolek.

 

I still prefer Rodon over Aiken, but I would be more than happy with either of them.

[DirtySox]

John Manuel's first mock is up. He still thinks Astros go with Rodon. Miami takes Kolek . Sox go with Aiken.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/college/201...top-first-mock/

 

This bit is very much worth noting though.

 

3. WHITE SOX: The new draft rules have opened up owner Jerry Reinsdorf’s wallet, so if Rodon were to fall here the White Sox would take him. If Rodon is gone and Aiken is available, he would make sense here. There’s some talk of the White Sox shying away from Kolek, potentially in favor of a college arm, if Aiken and Rodon are off the board.

 

Kind of what I alluded to before. Underslotting a Nola/Freeland/Fedde/Finnegan? Flexibility to grab a signability guy with pick 44 or later.

Edited May 8, 2014 by DirtySox

[southsider2k5]

Ben Badler ‏@BenBadler 5m

 

Bet on the Astros drafting Carlos Rodon with the first overall pick, says @johnmanuelba. His full mock draft: http://bit.ly/1qibOgz

[caulfield12]

John Manuel's first mock is up. He still thinks Astros go with Rodon. Miami takes Kolek . Sox go with Aiken.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/college/201...top-first-mock/

 

This bit is very much worth noting though.

 

 

 

Kind of what I alluded to before. Underslotting a Nola/Freeland/Fedde/Finnegan? Flexibility to grab a signability guy with pick 44 or later.

 

There’s some talk of the White Sox shying away from Kolek, potentially in favor of a college arm, if Aiken and Rodon are off the board.

 

Was that before or after Hoffman officially went down to TJ?

Edited May 8, 2014 by caulfield12

[Y2Jimmy0]

John Manuel's first mock is up. He still thinks Astros go with Rodon. Miami takes Kolek . Sox go with Aiken.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/college/201...top-first-mock/

 

This bit is very much worth noting though.

 

 

 

Kind of what I alluded to before. Underslotting a Nola/Freeland/Fedde/Finnegan? Flexibility to grab a signability guy with pick 44 or later.

 

 

The more I read, the more it sounds like Sox will be choosing between Aiken/Kolek/or someone off the board. I think Rodon will go to Miami if Houston doesn't take him. Getting Brady Aiken at #3 would be a great thing for the White Sox.

[Quin]

Ben Badler ‏@BenBadler 5m

 

Bet on the Astros drafting Carlos Rodon with the first overall pick, says @johnmanuelba. His full mock draft: http://bit.ly/1qibOgz

 

Has Conor's brother going 25th to the Athletics.

[royoung]

Ben Badler ‏@BenBadler 5m

 

Bet on the Astros drafting Carlos Rodon with the first overall pick, says @johnmanuelba. His full mock draft: http://bit.ly/1qibOgz

 

Hoping for this scenario. Good point by Manuel, the Cuban-American Rodon in Miami makes a lot of sense. Kind of screws us if Aiken goes #1 though.

 

My preference, in wake of the Hoffman injury,

 

1. Aiken

2. Rodon

3. Kolek

4. NO...la for 1 million.

 

 

[caulfield12]

John Manuel's first mock is up. He still thinks Astros go with Rodon. Miami takes Kolek . Sox go with Aiken.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/college/201...top-first-mock/

 

This bit is very much worth noting though.

 

 

 

Kind of what I alluded to before. Underslotting a Nola/Freeland/Fedde/Finnegan? Flexibility to grab a signability guy with pick 44 or later.

 

Isn't Fedde ranked in the mid to late 20's?

 

That would be a HUGE reach. Even Beede would be ahead of him on the majority of lists.

[caulfield12]

Hoping for this scenario. Good point by Manuel, the Cuban-American Rodon in Miami makes a lot of sense. Kind of screws us if Aiken goes #1 though.

 

My preference, in wake of the Hoffman injury,

 

1. Aiken

2. Rodon

3. Kolek

4. NO...la for 1 million.

 

 

Well, the best MLB pitcher the last couple of months/post-season was Wacha, and he went 13th, I think.

 

The question is which 8-22 collegiate pitcher is the next Wacha, lol?

[DirtySox]

Isn't Fedde ranked in the mid to late 20's?

 

That would be a HUGE reach. Even Beede would be ahead of him on the majority of lists.

 

It depends who you ask and when. He's been up and down this year. But just look at this mock. He's going 8th to the Rockies. Some teams obviously think highly of him.

[Y2Jimmy0]

Isn't Fedde ranked in the mid to late 20's?

 

That would be a HUGE reach. Even Beede would be ahead of him on the majority of lists.

 

 

I bet Fedde ends up in the top 10. I would much rather have Fedde than Beede. Beede scares me. He's so erratic.

[DirtySox]

I bet Fedde ends up in the top 10. I would much rather have Fedde than Beede. Beede scares me. He's so erratic.

 

I'd agree. Beede's stock is down. I think my preference for college pitchers past Rodon is between Freeland and Finnegan at this point in time.

[harfman77]

Ben Badler ‏@BenBadler 5m

 

Bet on the Astros drafting Carlos Rodon with the first overall pick, says @johnmanuelba. His full mock draft: http://bit.ly/1qibOgz

 

Based on that, the Sox would have some really intriguing options available at 44 with Davidson, Chavis, Ti'Quan Forbes, Gettys, and Weaver still available. Some of them wont make it there, but if you can grab one of those guys you are in great shape.

[maggsmaggs]

I'd agree. Beede's stock is down. I think my preference for college pitchers past Rodon is between Freeland and Finnegan at this point in time.

Yeah, if we don't take one of the big three somehow, I am all on board with Kyle Freeland. 106-7 K-to-BB ratio. Was terrific in the Cape League and can throw 92-95 mph with his fastball.

[DirtySox]

Yeah, if we don't take one of the big three somehow, I am all on board with Kyle Freeland. 106-7 K-to-BB ratio. Was terrific in the Cape League and can throw 92-95 mph with his fastball.

 

He's also a lefty which I'm not sure everyone is aware of.

[DirtySox]

My personal take on the mock. Rodon or Aiken is best case scenario. Soxtalk will be quite amusing if Kolek is there and a college pitcher is taken instead. Jeff Hoffman to the Jays who have two picks sounds about right. I think Grant Holmes would be a steal at 17 for KC. I also think Newcomb would be a steal at 21 for Cleveland. Nick Burdi would be SUCH a Tigers type pick. The Royals heavily scouting Medeiros is also noteworthy since I think he would be great at 44.

Edited May 8, 2014 by DirtySox

[DirtySox]

Via Callis' MLB Pipeline Inbox:

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/pipeli...p;vkey=news_mlb

 

With Jeff Hoffman's most recent setback and White Sox general manager Rick Hahn's stated desire to draft a college pitcher, what does Chicago do with its No. 3 overall pick? I can't imagine the White Sox passing on whomever of California high school left-hander Brady Aiken, North Carolina State lefty Carlos Rodon or Texas prep righty Tyler Kolek falls into their lap.

-- Nick D., Chicago

 

With Hoffman out of the running, there are three clear candidates to go at the top of the Draft: Aiken, Rodon and Kolek. The White Sox might prefer a college arm, but I haven't seen where Hahn has said anything that makes it seem like he's set on one. I agree with Nick that they'll just take whichever of the big three remains on the board.

 

If Rodon goes to the Astros at No. 1 or the Marlins at No. 2 -- and I think he probably will -- that would leave righties Aaron Nola (Louisiana State) and Tyler Beede (Vanderbilt) and lefties Kyle Freeland (Evansville), Brandon Finnegan (Texas Christian) and Sean Newcomb (Hartford) as the top college arms available. And while all of those guys are talented, and Nola likely will be the first starting pitcher from this Draft to reach the Major Leagues, I also can't imagine the White Sox ignoring the higher upsides of Aiken and/or Kolek.

 

Chicago has a history of drafting high-ceiling players in the early rounds and hasn't had much success taking college pitchers in the first round in the past decade. The White Sox scored big when Chris Sale unexpectedly dropped to them at No. 13 in 2010, but they missed badly on Lance Broadway ('05), Kyle McCullough ('06) and Aaron Poreda ('07).