Chicago White Sox director of amateur scouting Mike Shirley believes high school shortstops are the strength of the upcoming Major League Baseball draft.
“You should probably get ready for the trend of how youth baseball is being defined today with these high school players, they’re built to be special,” Shirley said Thursday afternoon at Rate Field. “They’re the quarterbacks when they play in the six-hole. The way it’s modeling out, the way the world is being changed, that is to where the best player is going to morph to. We understand what high school pitching is, we understand pitching as a whole. So the security of finding position players that can be special, play in the middle of the field, that’s a target for all major-league teams — that you should build your clubs that way.
“Middle-of-the-field players matter to (general manager Chris Getz), so we’re attacking that sector nonstop. And it’s a good group of players. There’s a bunch of talented kids in the draft, starting at the top, all the way to probably pick 15 you’ll find some guys filtered in there that are going to be high school shortstops that are going to fit pretty well.”
Where the Sox go with the No. 10 pick remains to be seen. The two-day draft begins Sunday evening.
The latest MLB.com mock draft has the Sox selecting shortstop JoJo Parker from Purvis (Miss.) High School. Eli Willits, Billy Carlson, Daniel Pierce and Steele Hall are other high school shortstops slotted in the 7-15 range in the MLB.com mock draft.
The topic of “need vs. best available player” always comes up this time of the year.
“Today, when you look at the draft as a whole, we’re looking at need, we’re looking at it as a whole, but we’re also looking at the best player,” Shirley said. “There’s so much information that’s available to you in the draft room. Sports science is in there. You can’t beat the science of what the game’s providing today. So you have to look at all that.
“We also have people that really have gut feels on players. That’s where my instincts lie. I’m starting to tighten that board up in there really tight. It’s just hard for me when I’m standing there, my gut tells me that player’s better than that player. And so you’re still trying to build off what the best player is.”
Pitching is considered the strength of the Sox organization. But that doesn’t mean the club would avoid going that route if the player fits.
“Something we talk about internally, and I keep bringing this up — don’t get weak where you’re strong,” Shirley said. “If you have some strength, build off your strength. Don’t lose where you’re strong at. We’ve had some injuries. All these guys are coming back next year. You think about strong now, wait until all the guys come back.
“The pitching department, guys are really excited about, you get all these guys back next year and we have more experience — Noah (Schultz) has another year, Hagen (Smith) has another year, Grant (Taylor’s) in the major leagues. You get Mason Adams and some guys back (from injury), watch out. So yes, you would prefer to find position players, but you don’t want to lose where you’re strong at too.”
Despite losing a modern-day major-league record 121 games in 2024, the Sox have the No. 10 pick. They were not eligible for the draft lottery after having a top-six pick last year (No. 5) and paying into the revenue-sharing plan. The Sox have the first pick of Round 2 and the rounds that follow. They have a reported bonus pool of $12,169,100.
“If we can capture 2-for-1, we’re trying to do that,” Shirley said. “That would be a goal, if we can do that — match No. 10 and No. 44 up. How do you match 10 and 44 up to secure two pieces you feel strong about, from an evaluation standpoint that matches up financially. If you can get 2-for-1, that’s always the goal.
“Every organization would want to have that, we’re trying to target that the best we can.”
Sox acquire outfielder
The Sox acquired Will Robertson from the Toronto Blue Jays for cash considerations on Thursday and optioned the outfielder to Triple-A Charlotte.
The Blue Jays designated Robertson, 27, for assignment on Sunday. He went 1-for-10 in three games.
Robertson made his major-league debut on June 15 in Philadelphia, recording his first career hit and RBI. He has a .292/.403/.578 slash line with 14 home runs, 11 doubles and 44 RBIs in 62 games with Triple-A Buffalo this year.
