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On Day 3, White Sox cash in on big value RHPs: Isaiah Carranza (12th), Jason Bilous (13th) and Davis Martin (14th)

Top target, prep SS Kelvin Maldonado, snagged in the 11th, and the team takes a flier on Illinois RHP Luke Shilling (15th)

Deep Dive: The White Sox get a presumed steal in the 13th round, with RHP Jason Bilous.
Coastal Baseball Twitter

Who thought eight picks were enough yesterday? Well, how about 30 today!

These players selected today will always be under the radar. However, that does not mean major league hitters and pitchers cannot be found. Just a quick Baseball-Ref check reveals Mark Buehrle (38th round) and Jermaine Dye (17th round) as eventual headliners from round 11-40. And there’s even a gem or two mined from the deep in the past decade of White Sox drafts.

Here are some notes by scouting director Nick Hostetler about some White Sox picks in the teens:

Now, let’s get to it!


11th Round: Kelvin Maldonado, No. 318 Overall, SS, Puerto Rico Baseball Academy and High School (P.R.)

Maldonado is a six-foot, 160-pound middle infielder. He’s 18 and resides in Puerto Rico, home of the Pro Baseball H.S. and Academy, but does not seem to be committed to any college.

Maldonado is a right-handed hitter who will obviously have to add strength at 160 pounds. Perfect Game laments his athleticism and defense. They note his arm strength and quick release, which is good enough to stay at shortstop. His bat will need work, but he is barely 18 at this point. His entire approach at the plate should and probably will change.


12th Round: Isaiah Carranza, No. 338 Overall, RHP, Azusa Pacific University

The White Sox seemed to snag a steal in the 12th round with right-handed pitcher, Isaiah Carranza.

At pick 348, the Sox chose the 166th-ranked player per MLB Pipeline. Carranza was drafted in the 35th round out of high school and it ended up working out for him to attend school. He is six-foot-five, 180 pounds, so again, weight should be added to his frame.

MLB Pipeline gives Carranza an above-average fastball that is in the low 90s. He also has an average slider and changeup, but they are “inconsistent.” He has a chance to be a starter but his makeup indicates a reliever.

Carranza started out at Oregon in 2016-17 before ending up at Azusa Pacific University. In 2016, Carranza was mainly a reliever, with a 3.63 ERA in 34 23 innings. He only had 18 strikeouts with eight walks.

In 2017, Carranza seriously regressed when he was shifted to the starting rotation. He had a 5.34 ERA in 30 13 innings, striking out 16 hitters while walking four.

In 2018, at Division II, Carranza had a 3.89 ERA as a starter. He pitched 74 innings with 86 strikeouts and 31 walks.


13th Round: Jason Bilous, No. 358 Overall, RHP, Coastal Carolina

Another supposed steal for the Sox is Jason Bilous. He was ranked 193rd per MLB Pipeline, and the White Sox took him 358 overall.

He stands at six-foot-two, 175 pounds with a plus (almost plus-plus) fastball that tops out at 99 mph. He has an above-average slider with an average changeup. However, he has below-average control of those pitches.

Per Jeff Ellis, Bilous was never a top starting pitcher at Coastal Carolina but was able to improve by his junior year. In his freshman season, he pitched in 44 23 innings with a 4.43 ERA. He was able to punchout 47 batters but also walked 35.

In 2017, a bit of a down year, he pitched 52 23 innings with a 4.61 ERA. He increased the strikeouts to 60, but added 42 walks.

This past season was his best. He pitched in 83 13 innings with a 4.00 ERA. Still not elite, but he is a 13th rounder. He added a career-high in strikeouts (105) and in walks (66). He clearly has command issues. In his three years in college, he threw 20 wild pitches and hit 32 batters.


14th Round: Davis Martin, No. 408 Overall, RHP, Texas Tech

Apparently, another steal for the White Sox is Davis Martin. He is rated No. 153 per MLB Pipeline but was taken 408th overall.

He is six-foot-two and 200 pounds, finally a guy that should not need to add build. He is above-average to average across the board. He has two fastballs, a four-seam at mid-90s and a two-seam/sinker at low 90s. He has the pedigree and wherewithal to use off-speed pitches at any time.

Martin was a starter in all three years at Texas Tech with his freshman season being his most productive.

In 2016, he has a 2.52 ERA in 89 13 innings. He was able to strike out 61 batters and walk only 27.

The next season he pitched in 44 innings with a 3.07 ERA. His K/9 did improve, with 37 strikeouts and still had great command with only 10 walks.

In 2018, his command left him. In 71 innings pitched he had a 4.56 ERA with 71 punchouts and 34 walks.

With the Sox ending Day Two with two picks expected to be underslot, some of that money should be thrown at Martin.


15th Round: Luke Shilling, No. 438 Overall, RHP, University of Illinois

The White Sox go local with their next pick in Luke Shilling. Unlike the past three picks, Shilling does not find himself in MLB Pipeline’s Top 200. However, here is his scouting report:

An injury is never something to be excited about, especially in pitchers. However, an upper-90s fastball is enough for me to look past injury history.

In his freshman season, Shilling only pitched in 2 23 innings. In that small sample, he allowed two earned runs with four walks and one strikeout.

In 2017, he pitched in 29 innings, all starts. He had a 7.14 ERA, with 37 walks and 30 strikeouts.

Shilling showed something to one of the Sox scouts, but the player development staff will have their hands full with this pick.


16th Round: Ty Greene, No. 468 Overall, C, University of California-Berkeley

Tyrus Greene was ranked No. 244 according to Baseball America and projects to be average defensively as a catcher. You can just look at his college slashline to note how good a contact hitter Greene can be.

He has only been a starter for two seasons, so his five freshman at-bats do not mean much. He went 3-for-5 and walked three times with not strikeouts.

When he won the starting job in 2017, he slashed .317/.385/.393. He hit one homer to go along with 23 strikeouts and 14 walks.

His most games caught, and best season, was 2018. Greene slashed .320/.414/.393 and clubbed three homers, doubled his walks to 28 and only struck out 35 times.

Just from the college stats, Greene is a contact hitter who has patience at the plate. Every season, he struck out less than his games played. However, he does not have much pop. He only had 20 extra-base hits in three seasons. It seems we’ve found an old-school hitter here in the 16th round.


17th Round: Travis Moniot, No. 498 Overall, SS, University of Arizona

Travis Moniot has gotten around in his three years at the college level, playing for three different schools; 2016 at Oregon, 2017 at Orange Coast Junior College, and finally at Arizona.

At Oregon, he slashed .168/.286/.293 (a reason why he transferred to junior college!) with five home runs, 24 walks, and 53 strikeouts in 53 games. He was also 5-for-6 in stolen base attempts.

His season at Orange Coast was much more successful, but against much weaker competition. He slashed .353/.524/.608 with seven homers, 50 walks and 27 strikeouts. At the junior college level, he was 17-for-20 in stolen base attempts.

In 2018 year at Arizona, Moniot fell back down to his Oregon stats. As a part-time player, Moniot slashed .160/.295/.240, with only one home run. He also had eight walks and 18 strikeouts.

Usually, fielding percentage does not mean much, but Moniot’s percentages are too low not to mention. At Oregon, Moniot’s fielding percentage was at .955. Then it was .935 at Orange Coast. Finally, he was at .918 at Arizona.

This pick, like Luke Shilling, is a project for Chris Getz.


18th Round: Romy González, No. 528 Overall, 3B, University of Miami

Romy González was drafted as a third baseman but is listed as an infielder/outfielder at Miami. He was a part-time player his freshman season, but a starter his last two years.

As a freshman, he slashed an atrocious .173/.215/.280 with only three walks and 21 strikeouts. He also added one home run in his first season.

His sophomore year was more successful. He slashed .265/.344/.462 with 11 bombs, 27 walks and 58 strikeouts. Romy proved he had power this season, but that power fell back to earth as a junior in 2018.

This season, he slashed .273/.358/.394, with just four home runs. The increase in average is great, but he lost too much power. He also added 21 walks and 60 strikeouts.

González’s batting average and OBP went up each year but the White Sox must get his power stroke back to what it was in his sophomore year.


19th Round: Gabriel Ortiz, No. 558 Overall, C, PJ Education School (P.R.)

Gabriel Ortiz is an 18-year-old from Puerto Rico. He has a decent build already, at five-foot-eleven and 210 pounds. He bats lefty but throws right.

Perfect Game raves at how strong Ortiz is as a hitter. They see a lot of raw power, but are more enamored by his patience at the plate and bat speed.

As a catcher, they are not as impressed. They do not like his throwing motion, but he is agile and has a terrific pop time.

With Ortiz only turning 18 two months ago, there is not much known of his potential, but his intangibles as a hitter inspire, along with his athleticism and frame. Ortiz is raw and will probably be in the minors longer than any other draftee. Perfect Game also lists Ortiz as a first baseman.

Three Oritz videos from Perfect Game


20th Round: Jimmy Galusky, No. 588 Overall, SS, West Virginia University

Jimmy Galusky is yet another middle infielder taken by the White Sox. He was a three-year starter at West Virginia.

His first year was his best as a contact hitter. He slashed .282/.330/.367 with one homer, 13 walks and 41 strikeouts. After 2106 season, it seems Galusky made an effort to sell out for more power.

Galusky’s sophomore year did feature more homers (four) but his slash line decreased to .244/.329/.350. His strikeouts also increased to 56, along with his walks (22).

This past season, Galusky was able to find some more power. He slashed .253/.332/.412, with seven homers. His walks fell to 18, but his strikeouts also slimmed down to 45.

He also seems to have decent speed. He stole 24 bags over his college career, including 13-of-18 this past season.


21st Round: Nick Johnson, No. 618 Overall, RHP, University of Rhode Island

Nick Johnson was mostly a reliever during his four years of college — and an effective one by his senior season.

In his freshman year of 2015, he only threw 5 13 innings, allowing four runs with five walks and six strikeouts.

The next season, he took a more vital role in the bullpen, but still not as closer. He pitched 31 13 innings with a 3.16 ERA, punching out 35 batters while walking 12.

As a junior, URI attempted to shift Johnson to the starting rotation, but he regressed. He threw 62 23 innings, with 61 strikeouts and 25 walks. The regression prompted a move back to the bullpen.

In 2018, Johnson became the Rams’s closer and earned nine saves. He threw 29 23 innings, with a blistering 1.21 ERA. He also had his best K-rate, with 48 strikeouts against 11 walks.


22nd Round: Ryan Fitzpatrick, No. 648 Overall, 1B, University of California-Irvine

Ryan Fitzpatrick played in just three of his four years of college. He spent the first two at Saddleback College and played the final two at UC-Irvine at first base.

At Saddleback, he slashed .312/.473/.576 with seven home runs. That slash line is special but what is more impressive was that his walks (28) almost doubled his strikeouts (15).

In 2017, he moved over to UC-Irvine and struggled, slashing .219/.345/.438 with six home runs. His walks and strikeouts flipped, as he walked 15 times and struck out 26.

However, Fitzpatrick broke out in 2018. He slashed .307/.436/.526, with eight homers. He also closed the gap between his walks (33) and strikeouts (38).

Fitzpatrick seems to have a patient approach to the plate, as he was only punched out 38 times in 56 games. He also offers plentiful raw power, at six-foot-three and 225 pounds.


23rd Round: Lane Ramsey, No. 678 Overall, RHP, University of Oklahoma

The best aspect of Lane Ramsey is his size. He is six-foot-8 245 pounds! Ramsey has played the past two seasons in Oklahoma, but in a limited role after transferring from Newman University.

In 2015 at Newman, Ramsey pitched in 43 13 innings with a 6.02 ERA, along with eight walks and 26 strikeouts.

He sat out 2016 because of transferring, and in 2017, he only pitched eight innings for the Sooners. He allowed eight runs, five walks, and struck out three.

The 2018 season was slightly better, but not by much. He pitched in 19 innings with a 6.16 ERA. He walked 13 batters and punched out 16.

In 2017 in summer college ball, Ramsey did show potential. In 47 23 innings, he had a 3.21 ERA with 24 strikeouts. It seems like whatever scout recommended Ramsey viewed this stretch as representative of the pitcher he should be.


24th Round: Rigo Fernandez, No. 708 Overall, LHP, Cal State-Dominguez Hills

More than halfway home by the time this pick rolls around, and it seems like the White Sox are in “this player has a tool we like” mode.

Fernandez spent two years as a reliever before making the jump to the starting rotation in 2018.

In 2016, Fernandez pitched in 23 1/3 innings, with 18 walks and only 16 strikeouts. Obviously, having more walks than strikeouts is not beneficial and it showed in his 6.94 ERA.

The next year was a slight improvement, to a 6.46 ERA in 39 innings. However, he still had more walks (41) than strikeouts (38).

By the time Fernandez moved to the rotation in 2018, it seems like he figured something out with his command or pitch selection. In 57 23 innings he had a 4.99 ERA, along with 80 strikeouts and 52 walks. Still, that’s more walks than what a team should be comfortable with, but the spike in strikeouts is appealing.


25th Round: Jack Maynard, No. 738 Overall, RHP, University of North Carolina-Greensboro

Jack Maynard may have missed an opportunity earlier in his career, as he was previously drafted in the 21st round by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

He started out his career as a starter at Patrick Henry Junior College in 2015. He was brilliant at that level, throwing 86 13 innings with a 1.36 ERA. He tacked on 72 strikeouts and 15 walks.

His second season with Patrick Henry was not as good, but Maynard still overwhelmed his opposition. He pitched in 88 13 innings with a 2.75 ERA and struck out 121 batters.

He then transferred to UNC-Greensboro, and his stats fell accordingly. He was not a full-time starter, but still pitched 68 innings. He recorded 80 strikeouts, along with 26 walks.

The 2018 season was his best, as he became a full-time reliever. He pitched 63 13 innings, with 81 punch outs and only 11 walks. He was one of the two closing options on the Spartans and recorded nine saves.

This video is a little dated, from 2015 when Maynard was at Patrick Henry:


26th Round: Devon Perez, No. 768 Overall, RHP, University of Oklahoma

Like many of the recent draftees, Devon Perez started at a lower level before transferring to a Division I program.

He spent his first couple seasons at Iowa Western Community College. In Perez’s first season, he pitched in 59 13 innings, with a 2.43 ERA and 69 strikeouts.

His second season at community college was not as successful, but he did not pitch as much, throwing 24 innings with a 4.13 ERA and 27 strikeouts.

Perez then transferred to Oklahoma where, in his junior season, he was a part-time starter. He pitched in 64 13 innings, with 81 strikeouts and only 11 walks.

His senior season was disappointing, after that breakout junior year. Perez started more games, but only pitched 58 23 innings. His strikeouts fell to 41 and his walks rose to 19, as his ERA skyrocketed to 4.76.

Perez was also a former 21st round pick and it seems his senior season may have lost him some money.


27th Round: Ian Dawkins, No. 798 Overall, OF, Cal State-Sacramento

Ian Dawkins started at Chabot College in 2014 and eventually transferred to Cal State-Sacramento.

There is not a plethora of information available on Dawkins but in 2014, he hit .372 and stole seven bases. His second season at Chabot College was a down year, as he hit .329 — but his speed showed as he swiped 12 bags.

When he transferred to Cal State-Sacramento, he was a full-time starter from 2017-18, and his high batting average came with him. He slashed .340/.401/.439 in his first season, adding 15 stolen bases and three home runs. The contact hitter only struck out 27 times compared to 21 walks.

His senior season was his most productive, and Dawkins added some pop to his bat. He slashed .359/.415/.528, with eight stolen bases and six homers. He added one more walk (22) but it seems like he swung more at pitches to find power as he struck out 41 times. In his two seasons in California, he only committed one error in 119 games.


28th Round: Logan Sowers, No. 828 Overall, OF, Indiana University

Sowers joins fifth round selection Jonathan Stiever as a Hoosier-turned-Sox draft pick. He’s now the third Hoosier to join the Sox in the past two years, as outfielder Craig Dedelow was drafted in the ninth round last year. Sowers is a big kid (six-foot-five, 230) who played outfield for the Hoosiers throughout his four-year career there.

Sowers’ offensive power numbers slid in 2018 compared to 2017, but his plate discipline improved during that time.

2017: .291/.356/.536 over 59 games, 20 BB, 74 K, 2 SB, 13 HR, 43 RBI, 34 R

2018: .299/.407/.484 over 59 games, 37 BB, 58 K, 1 SB, 10 HR, 34 RBI, 42 R

Sowers resembles a right-handed version of Daniel Palka a bit. Palka’s power reduced in part last year as he was focusing on plate discipline, and the same may have happened to Sowers this year. Both Palka and Sowers are huge hitters and likely limited defensively (though Sowers had for just four errors over the past two years).

According to MLB Draft Countdown in January, Sowers’ top tools are arm and power (55) while his hitting, fielding and speed all grade 40. However, his future grades rank 60 for power, 55 for arm, 45 for hitting and fielding and 40 for speed.

Sowers has the classic profile of a right fielder who would likely be moved to first base at some point in his career. Being a senior, he should be a relatively easy sign. Here’s a video of Sowers hitting a grand slam against Purdue in 2015:


29th Round: Taylor Varnell, No. 858 Overall, LHP, Oral Roberts University

Varnell is a southpaw (six-foot-one, 195) who looks a little like Jace Fry, at least facially. His fastball tops around 93 mph with some life, while he also throws a 79 mph changeup and an above-average curveball.

In 59 innings this year (16 games, 11 starts), Varnell has allowed 58 hits and 30 walks while striking out 62; his ERA was 5.95 and WHIP was 1.49. It seems that Varnell has had more success as a reliever, as his control and ERA were significantly better last year when he was primarily a reliever. Last year, he struck out 33 and walked just seven while posting a 2.02 ERA (and 1.16 WHIP).

This is the role that Varnell will probably fill in the Sox organization. The lefty started his collegiate career with Western Oklahoma State College, but pitched his last three years with Oral Roberts. He should be a relatively easy sign, as he just concluded his senior season.

Here’s a brief post-game interview of Varnell, which also reveals the rather casual dress code for Pilots TV broadcasters:


30th Round: Micah Coffey, No. 888 Overall, SS, University of Minnesota

Coffey is a left-handed hitting shortstop who hails from Batavia, Ill.. He has good size for an infielder (six-foot-one, 190). Like many players picked late, his numbers fell in comparison to a solid 2017. In 2018, he slashed .281/.370/.414 after hovering around .340/.400/.500 in his sophomore and junior campaigns.

Coffey walked 25 times while striking out in 38 appearances in 2018, in comparison to 21 and 42 respectively in 2017. He hit five homers this year, while his career high was seven in his junior season. Coffey didn’t steal any bases this year, and has just eight for his collegiate career.

In the Cape Cod League last offseason, Coffey hit .282/.366/.366 in 34 games for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks, while hitting two homers and five doubles.

Coffey’s grades as of January 2018, according to MLB Draft Countdown: 55 arm, 50 hitting, 45 fielding, 40 running and hitting. His future grades are 55 for hitting and arm, 50 fielding, 45 power and 40 running.

The profile for Coffey seems to be that of a utility infielder, with the opportunity to play more if he can show increased prowess at the plate. Here’s footage of Coffey playing against Cal-Irvine:


31st Round: Austin Conway, No. 918 Overall, RHP, University of Louisville

Is anybody really surprised the White Sox drafted a player from Louisville? 2016 was a banner year in that department, as Lincoln Henzman, Blake Battenfield and Logan Taylor were all Cardinals drafted by the Sox. Conway (six-foot-two, 210) transferred from Indiana State and accumulated 22 saves in his collegiate career.

Why did Conway fall this low, when he had a 1.96 ERA for a successful collegiate program? While striking out 27 hitters in 23 innings, he also walked 17. Conway has shown control problems in the past as well, as he walked 16 in 15 23 innings for the Cardinals during the 2016 season.

According to Baseball Draft Report, “Conway’s fastball peaks at 94 with a crisp 78-84 breaking ball that flashes above-average to plus.”

Conway will be another project, with a ceiling as a solid middle reliever or setup man — if he can get his stuff under control.

Here’s a pregame Cape Cod interview with Conway:


32nd Round: Aaron Soto, No. 948 Overall, LHP, Florida International University

Aaron Soto is listed as a pitcher on the FIU roster, but he has never pitched for them due to Tommy John surgery. In fact, he has not pitched since 2016 when he was with Tennessee.

Soto has only had one real season of baseball, and that was in 2016. He pitched in 62 innings, with a 3.63 ERA. He also struck out 40 batters and walked 19. He split his time between relieving and as starting.

Not pitching in two years is a concern, but for a 32nd round pick, the risk is minimal. Soto has four pitches he could use, a low-90s fastball along with a plus changeup, curveball and cutter (although those readings were taken before his injury).


33rd Round: Bryce Bush, No. 978 Overall, 3B, De La Salle Collegiate H.S. (Mich.)

Bryce Bush is an 18-year-old third baseman who has also seen action as a first baseman and a corner outfielder. He is committed to Mississippi State, so a signing here should not be expected.

In the meantime, Perfect Game likes his strength and athleticism. They are also enamored with his bat speed and his bat control (they like his swing). Seems to be a jack-of-all-trades fielder who can and should be given every opportunity to be a third baseman, but could easily move to first or left field.


34th Round: Alec Valenzuela, No. 1,008 Overall, C, Great Oak H.S. (Calif.)

Valenzuela is a catcher who played just one year of varsity baseball for Great Oak High School in Temecula, which is located between Los Angeles and San Diego. He slashed .275/.327/.411 in his senior season, with four doubles, a homer and nine RBI in just 51 official at-bats. He walked four times while striking out 18.

Valenzuela was part of the Area Code Games White Sox squad, which teamed Valenzuela with the likes of high-ranking draftees from 2017 and 2018 such as Jo Adell, Sam Carlson and Alek Thomas.

While it’s clear that the Sox liked what they saw, Valenzuela is extremely raw offensively. It’s assumed that his defense is top-notch, which would be the ultimate reason why the Sox would draft him. Providing there’s no commitment to a major university, it’s possible that Valenzuela may be willing to sign with the Sox. If so, he’d likely be a third or fourth-string catcher for the Arizona League Sox for the time being.

Here’s footage of Valenzuela taking some cuts against Eleanor Roosevelt High School:


35th Round: Jason Morgan, No. 1,038 Overall, P, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Usually, when a college player is taken this late, he doesn’t have any eligibility left. However, Jason Morgan does have one year remaining, after being redshirted because of injury this season.

In 2015, he only pitched in 23 innings. He was able to achieve a 3.91 ERA with only five walks, but he was not able to miss bats and only struck out eight.

The 2016 season was the year Morgan moved exclusively to the starting rotation. He threw 63 23 innings, with a 4.10 ERA, 47 strikeouts and 32 walks.

By 2017, Morgan was a part-time starter. He pitched in 43 23 innings with a 3.92 ERA. The walks were still high at 20, but his K/9 improved with 36 punch outs on the year.

Depending on injury severity and how long he is out for, it might be smart for Morgan to go back to school to increase his stock.


36th Round: Adrian del Castillo, No. 1,068 Overall, C, Gulliver Prep School (Fla.)

Adrian del Castillo is an 18-year-old catcher who is committed to the University of Miami, so again, a signing here should not be expected.

He is listed as a catcher, but can also play first and the corner outfield. He has an impressive pop time to go along with a strong, accurate arm. The left-handed batter is more of a power hitter than contact, but Perfect Game likes his swing. Overall, del Castillo seems like a better defensive player than offensive at this point in his career.


37th Round: Cannon King, No. 1,098 Overall, 2B, Beverly Hills H.S. (Calif.)

King, brother of Chance who was drafted in the 39th round last year (also the son of broadcast legend Larry King), is an right-handed infielder (six-foot-one, 185) who can play both middle infield spots. In 11 games for his varsity squad, he hit .297 with an OBP of .349, with 6 RBI and seven runs scored.

King was a member of the Atlanta Braves scout team in 2016, participated in the Area Code Games 2017, and was UA Pre-Season All American in 2018. He won both Freshman and Sophomore Athlete of the year at his high school, so it appears he does have some talent.

Like his brother, it is not expected that Cannon will sign with the Sox; however, stranger things have happened.


38th Round: Matthew Klug, No. 1,128 Overall, OF, Brookwood H.S. (Ga.)

Klug (five-foot-six, 165), is an outfielder for the ninth-ranked varsity baseball team in Georgia, and was a teammate of fellow Brookwood draftee Will Banfield. In addition to outfield, this left-handed hitter has also pitched and played third base. However, Klug is so much more than a good player on a great team. Here’s his story:


39th Round: Mason Montgomery, No. 1,158 Overall, LHP, Leander H.S. (Texas)

Montgomery (six-foot-two, 183) is a southpaw with good size, and is committed to Texas Tech — so it is unlikely he will sign with the Sox. He won the Prep Baseball Report Pitcher of the Week in February, when he struck out 19 batters in a 2-0 shutout (in a seven-inning game). He currently features a 90 mph fastball, slow curve (68-70 mph) and 75 mph changeup. With projection, he could be a very high pick in a few years. Here’s footage of his Rangers Area Code Tryout last year:


40th Round: Kyle Salley, No. 1,188 Overall, LHP, Homewood-Flossmoor H.S. (Ill.)

The 40th round pick in recent White Sox draft memory goes to a participant in the ACE program. This year, it was Duke commit Kyle Salley.

He is 18 years old, but has a 91 mph fastball. He also has a mid-70s curveball and a low-80s slider in his arsenal. The five-foot-nine, 170-pound pitcher has a full enough frame, but will hopefully gain a few inches at Duke to help push the MPH to another level.

As a junior, Salley was able to strike out 46 batters in 39 13 innings. He can also play outfield, but pitching is his specialty. He is the 387th overall prospect and the 50th-best left-handed pitcher in the nation per Perfect Game.