South Side Sox Prospect Vote: Round 14

Congratulations, Spencer Adams, you’re the lucky 13th-best prospect in the SSS rankings!

Adams won the battle of starters over Ian Clarkin, earning 38% (57 of 150 ballots).

Next up is a pitcher who saw considerable time with the White Sox this spring.

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%) (+3 jump from consensus)
8. Jake Burger — 29% (Rutherford 26%, Adams/Collins 21%, Sheets 3%)
9. Blake Rutherford — 31% (Collins 26%, Adolfo 20%, Adams 19%, Sheets 4%)
10. Micker Adolfo — 39% (Collins 25%, Adams 22%, Clarkin 8%, Sheets 6%) (+4 jump from consensus)
11. Luis Alexander Basabe — 47% (Collins 26%, Adams 16%, Sheets 6%, Clarkin 5%) (+5 jump from consensus)
12. Zack Collins — 46% (Adams 22%, Clarkin 17%, Sheets 14%, Puckett 2%) (-5 fall from consensus)
13. Spencer Adams — 38% (Clarkin 29%, Sheets 19%, Gonzalez 8%, Puckett 6%) (-1 fall from consensus)

Here are your choices for the 14th round of voting:

Ian Clarkin, SP

2018 Age: 23

2017 High Level: Winston-Salem (A+)

Overall 2017 stats: 17 starts ▪️ 86 ²⁄₃ IP ▪️ 2.60 ERA ▪️ 63 K ▪️ 33 BB ▪️ 1.28 WHIP

Like Adolfo, Ian Clarkin has struggled with injuries: In 2013 his season was shortened by an ankle injury, 2015 was plagued by elbow problems and his 2016 season was truncated by a torn knee meniscus. But the lefthander still has the stuff that could make him a viable major leaguer: fastball topping out at 95 mph with sink, a strong curveball, a changeup and a slider that he’s still taking for a test drive.

Luis Gonzalez, CF

2018 Age: 22

2017 High Level: Kannapolis (A)

Overall 2017 stats: 67 games ▪️ 2 HR ▪️ 15 RBI ▪️ 42 BB ▪️ 53 K ▪️ .236/.351/.348

A college pitcher/outfielder, Gonzalez is now a full-time outfielder with the White Sox, with a killer batting eye. He has extra-base power and boasts five tools. One big advantage Gonzalez has going forward in a crowded CF scenario is his plate discipline. MLB Pipeline has likened Gonzalez to Ender Inciarte, and you can bet the White Sox would love that outcome.

A.J. Puckett, SP

2018 Age: 23

2017 High Level: Winston-Salem (A+)

Overall 2017 stats: 25 starts ▪️ 135 ²⁄₃ IP ▪️ 3.98 ERA ▪️ 119 K ▪️ 51 BB ▪️ 1.42 WHIP

A.J. Puckett has one hell of a crazy origin story. A blue-chip prep quarterback, he was in a car accident and suffered an epidural hematoma while in high school in 2011, and spent weeks in a coma. The righty quit football and eventually starred on the diamond at Pepperdine, becoming a Kansas City Royals second-rounder (67th overall) in 2016 and ranking as the No. 5 prospect in the Royals system entering 2017 (per Baseball America). That might say a bit about the weakness of the Royals system, but still, he was a Carolina League All-Star in 2017 with a 7.9 strikeout rate. Despite the All-Star honor, Puckett dropped to No. 13 on K.C.’s prospect list by midseason (MLB Pipeline), perhaps explaining how he was acquired by the White Sox for the relatively low price of Melky Cabrera. Puckett’s fastball can hit 94, and he has great control. His curve needs work. But cutting against the grain and avoiding, in the words of larry, prospect trope, Puckett actually has a great changeup — BA called it the best in the White Sox system. So he’s got that going for him, which is nice.

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.

Jordan Stephens, SP

2018 Age: 25

2017 High Level: Birmingham (AA)

Overall 2017 stats: 16 starts ▪️ 91 ²⁄₃ IP ▪️ 3.14 ERA ▪️ 83 K ▪️ 35 BB ▪️ 1.30 WHIP

Hailing from Alvin High School, in the hometown of Nolan Ryan, Stephens starred for two seasons at nearby Rice University before tearing his UCL in 2014 and getting Tommy John surgery. Less than a year later, he finished his college career with 59 ²⁄₃ innings and added a smattering of outings in rookie ball after being drafted. The White Sox saw enough in Stephens that he jumped up to Winston-Salem in 2016, and he proved equal to the challenge, with a 3.45 ERA, 3.1 BB/9, 9.9 K/9 in 141 total innings. A forearm injury pushed Stephens’ 2017 season debut back to June, but handled Birmingham well in an abbreviated year. Stephens has a fastball that can get up to 95 mph, but his out pitch is a curve thrown at three-quarters.