It’s never too early to think about the MLB Draft. Which players might be able to fill the Chicago White Sox draft needs. The White Sox are one of the messiest teams in all of baseball right now. They may just be the worst team in all of baseball at this time and their record shows it. They’re off to a slow start and just can’t seem to get the offense going. The defense has failed them as well, although not as much as the offense. It’s time the White Sox started thinking ahead to the future.
Far into the future.
White Sox Draft Needs
The draft is not a quick fix by any means. It takes a while for those guys to get up to speed and make it into the major leagues. But still, in looking at some of the talent the White Sox currently have in the pipeline and what they have at the highest level, it’s a little easy to pick out what they might need in the future.
There are three top needs that the White Sox are going to have in the next two to three years that they might be able to solve, or at least attempt to solve, through the 2024 MLB draft. Two of these needs are needs that you can see right now while one is a need that never goes away. The Chicago White Sox have a lot of needs and need a lot of talent because, right now, what they do have isn’t getting them anywhere.
Let’s take a look at the three needs that the White Sox have in the long term and how they might be able to fulfill these needs in this year’s MLB Draft.
Second Baseman
Nicky Lopez isn’t cutting it. Not at all. He’s not the long-term answer at second base for the White Sox. And if you look at their pipeline of players, they don’t have much coming up from the bottom either. There is only one second baseman in their top-30 pipeline and that’s Javier Mogollon. The White Sox need help at second base.
This year’s draft class is not loaded to the gills with second-base prospects but there are a few that might interest the Sox. Near the top of the draft rankings, there’s JJ Wetherholt, who could make a great asset to any team with a high pick. In looking a little bit at his play and understanding more about him he’s one of the highest-ranked players for a reason. He’s got a great bat and can run well making him a candidate to steal bases. Wetherholt would be a great addition to the Sox if they can get a chance to get him despite a few shortcomings.
Left Handed Pitcher
Pitching is a need for any team, in any year and at any time. You can never have enough pitchers and the White Sox need them. Their pipeline has just a few decent ones in it before it trails off and the Sox need to keep restocking themselves with pitching. This draft doesn’t have that many good left-handers at the top but there are some potential quality guys a little further down the line that might be good picks.
One guy that appeals to some is Cam Caminiti. There is a lot to like about this highly-ranked prospect. If you watch him play and listen to the talk about him, you will probably hear, at first, that he’s a very young guy. That’s fine because he will have time to develop before he gets to the big leagues. His raw talent is something to behold and, in the right situation, he might be one of the better pitchers to come out of this draft.
Keep an eye on him.
Third Baseman
Now, perhaps Yoán Moncada is going to be the player that everyone hopes that he’ll be. Hopefully, he will be there a long time. However, if he’s not able to show up, play better, and remain healthy, there will be a need for a third baseman. Now the White Sox have a couple of guys in the pipeline that could end up at third base. Those guys are Eduardo Herrera and Bryan Ramos.
Still, the White Sox could use more depth at the position in preparations for the eventual “fading away” of Moncada. There is one guy in this year’s MLB Draft that could serve the White Sox well. That guy is Tommy White. Coming in from Louisiana State, White has some skill and ability but has struggled with injuries in the past. He’s a good raw prospect who hopefully, with the right guidance, could be a top-end third baseman.
Main Photo: © Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK
