The MLB draft is just a few days away, but actual MLB news -- the James Shields trade -- interfered with our weekly mock draft roundup attempting to establish whom the White Sox are most likely to draft when Thursday rolls around.
Baseball America hasn't updated its previous assessment, which had the Sox selecting Miami catcher Zack Collins at No. 10 and Kent State lefty Eric Lauer at No. 26. The other two were on schedule, which is welcome as we enter the home stretch.
The other two outlets -- MLB.com and Keith Law -- agreed on the White Sox settling on high school center fielder Blake Rutherford last week, but he keeps sliding toward the middle of the first round. That has allowed one dream scenario to emerge.
MLB.com
No. 10: Corey Ray, OF, Louisville
No. 26: Gavin Lux, SS, Indian Trail Academy (Kenosha, Wisc.)
Friend of the podcast Jim Callis lays out the White Sox' fantasy outcome, drafting Chicago/ACE product Ray, whose stock has been sliding a bit, and then picking up Lux with the compensation pick.
What's interesting is what happens if Ray doesn't slide all the way to the Sox, Callis says Lux could slide on up to No. 10, instead of somebody like Mississippi State righty Dakota Hudson.
The White Sox have cooled on Miami catcher Zack Collins and could decide between Hudson and fast-rising Wisconsin shortstop Gavin Lux if Ray doesn't get here.
Last week: Rutherford and Matt Thaiss, C, Virginia.
Keith Law
No. 10: Zack Collins, C, Miami
No. 26: Lux
On the latest episode of our podcast, Callis told Josh that Rick Hahn saw Collins go 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, which is reason enough to think the Sox would steer clear. Obviously, Law disagrees:
I've heard them on Hudson, Robert Tyler and suddenly on Collins, but less on high school guys.
This is where it'd be helpful to have a tiebreaker. Perhaps Baseball America can deliver one shortly.
Last week: Rutherford and Lux.