White Sox select RHP Dylan Covey in the Rule 5 Draft

The White Sox selected RHP Dylan Covey from the Oakland A’s today in the major league portion Rule 5 draft. The White Sox passed on the minor league portion of the draft and no one was selected from the Sox in the major league or minor league portions of the draft.

Covey was a former first round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers in 2010. He went unsigned after a post-draft physical diagnosed him with diabetes. He instead went to University of San Diego and was drafted by the A’s in 2013. The White Sox drafted two players from USD in 2013 and two more in 2014 so the Sox are likely very familiar with Covey.

Covey has progressed steadily through the minor leagues. Unfortunately, he left his sixth start of last season with a strained oblique and never left the DL. The A’s didn’t really have a choice but to leave him off their 40-man this offseason.

Covey was the A’s #20 prospect on MLB.com. From the scouting report on MLB.com, he sounds like a White Sox reliever.

Covey can run his fastball up to 95 mph but typically sits between 91-93 mph, with heavy sinking action that results in a ton of groundball outs. His above-average curveball is his best secondary offering, and he's become more adept at mixing his slider and changeup, though neither pitch is particularly advanced.

He’s also got some control issues, walking 5.2 batters per nine innings last season. He’s a “Coop’ll fix ‘em” special and, because of his Rule 5 status, get’s penciled in as the last man in the bullpen for next season.

With the addition of Covey, the White Sox 40-man roster goes to 40.