South Side Sox Prospect Vote: Round 8

Congratulations, Zack Burdi!

With 39% of the vote (70 of 180 ballots), Burdi beat out his counterpart in Zack-anity, Zack Collins, in our closest battle yet.

Next up, a pitcher who’s had a steady and aggressive climb through the White Sox system so far.

South Side Sox Top White Sox Prospects for 2018

1. Eloy Jimenez — 70% (Kopech 16%, Robert 11%, Hansen 2%, Cease 1%)
2. Michael Kopech — 75% (Robert 18%, Hansen 4%, Cease 2%, Dunning 1%)
3. Luis Robert — 63% (Hansen 24%, Cease 8%, Dunning 4%, Collins 1%)
4. Alec Hansen — 64% (Cease 25%, Dunning 6%, Burger 2%, Collins 2%)
5. Dylan Cease — 70% (Dunning 21%, Rutherford 4%, Burger 3%, Collins 2%)
6. Dane Dunning — 68% (Burdi 14%, Collins 7%, Burger 6%, Rutherford 5%)
7. Zack Burdi — 39% (Collins 30%, Rutherford 17%, Burger 14%, Sheets 1%)

Here are your choices for the eighth round of voting:

Spencer Adams, SP

2018 Age: 22

2017 High Level: Birmingham (AA)

Overall 2017 stats: 26 starts ▪️ 152 ²⁄₃ IP ▪️ 4.42 ERA ▪️ 113 K ▪️ 40 BB ▪️ 1.38 WHIP

Spencer Adams was a Christmas in June pick for the White Sox, falling out of the first round to No. 44 with the White Sox. Initially a Top 30 prospect on at least two surveys, the righty ran into some trouble in his first full season at Kannapolis in 2015, but was promoted for five late starts at Winston-Salem and kicked ass. He began 2016 in Winston-Salem, young for the league, and had similarly erratic results. He was promoted to Birmingham for nine end-of-season starts and ended up posting a 3.98 overall ERA for the year. In 2017, among other improvements, Adams filled out a bit and improved his endurance. The youngster has been fast-tracked through the system, but failed to jump in class this year, starting 2018 back in Birmingham. Adams may be bumped up to Charlotte as soon as Alec Hansen is released from extended spring training.

Jake Burger, 3B

2018 Age: 22

2017 High Level: Kannapolis (A)

Overall 2017 stats: 51 games ▪️ 5 HR ▪️ 29 RBI ▪️ 14 BB ▪️ 30 K ▪️ .263/.336/.412

The No. 11 overall pick for the White Sox in 2017, Burger hit Kannapolis and flashed some power and a decent eye. Getting some early reps with the big club at the dawn of Cactus League play, Burger ruptured his Achilles running out a ground ball and will miss the 2018 season. Which is a shame, as Burger in 2018 was attempting to improve his conditioning while retaining all of the power that made him a slugger the Chisox couldn’t pass on last summer. For a power hitter, Burger doesn’t miss the ball very often. His relatively poor conditioning entering the pros made Burger a presumptive future first baseman or DH, but he has demonstrated some nimbleness at the hot corner. To his credit, it’s easy to imagine a clubhouse leadership role for Burger given his friend-to-all personality.

Zack Collins, C

2018 Age: 23

2017 High Level: Birmingham (AA)

Overall 2017 stats: 113 games ▪️ 19 HR ▪️ 53 RBI ▪️ 87 BB ▪️ 129 K ▪️ .224/.370/.445

Zack Collins his been a mixed bag as a pro. The White Sox picked him No. 10 overall in 2016 almost exclusively due to his massive bat at the University of Miami. At Winston-Salem after the draft, Collins hit .258/.418/.467 with six homers, but carried a high 25.5 K%. There were doubts about his ability to catch at the major league level going into the draft, and Collins did little to alleviate those with his first pro games. In 2017, acquitted himself better behind the plate but struggled offensively, spending much of the season hovering at the Mendoza Line. The White Sox still believe he will be a major league catcher, assigning him to Birmingham to begin his second full minor league season, but questions still linger on both the offensive and defensive sides.

Blake Rutherford, CF

2018 Age: 21

2017 High Level: Kannapolis (A)

Overall 2017 stats: 101 games ▪️ 2 HR ▪️ 35 RBI ▪️ 38 BB ▪️ 76 K ▪️ .260/.326/.348

It was a bit of a surprise that Rick Hahn got Rutherford from the New York Yankees as part of the Tommy Kahnle trade last summer, as a Top 100 prospect at the time. It may be another case of Rick getting his man, as the White Sox were said to be hot on Rutherford’s tail for the 2016 draft. Rutherford has struggled in A ball but is still younger than the average player at the level. Chicago anticipates seeing bigger power out of the center fielder, perhaps a 20-25 homer level, but overall he earns solid marks for all five tools. Behind Luis Robert in center, Rutherford could possibly move over to right in a future White Sox outfield, as he has the arm to pull the move off.

Gavin Sheets, 1B

2018 Age: 22

2017 High Level: Kannapolis (A)

Overall 2017 stats: 56 games ▪️ 4 HR ▪️ 28 RBI ▪️ 23 BB ▪️ 34 K ▪️ .279/.365/.397

Gavin Sheets was the White Sox’s second round choice in 2017, and had been rated the No. 60 prospect in the draft by MLB Pipeline. He is a product of Wake Forest University, where he earned plaudits for a pretty swing, plate discipline and overall strength. Sheets is a limited fielder and a lefthander, so he will live or die with his bat. The reports from his hitting work in Arizona this spring were positive, indicating he may be working on a loftier launch angle to drive the ball even better. He starts his first full White Sox season at Winston-Salem.