Rounds 2-16 of the MLB Draft are underway on Tuesday, and the White Sox have sprung for pitching and up-the-middle position players so far. Here's a look at who the Sox selected today:
Round 2, Pick 76: Chris Beck, RHP, Georgia Southern University
From the MLB.com scouting report, it sounds like Beck has three fairly well-developed pitches, but the report says he doesn't always throw like a power pitcher despite a fastball that tops out at 94 mph. In 103 23 innings for GSU, Beck posted a 3.91 ERA with 115 strikeouts, 29 walks and 11 home runs allowed in 103 23 innings.
Round 3, Pick 108: Joey DeMichele, 2B, Arizona State University
For a second baseman, DeMichele has shown decent power, hitting 15 home runs in just under 400 at-bats in the last two years (stats go up to Memorial Day). He's a low-strikeout player who doesn't walk a ton, relying mostly on contact skills to boost his OBP near .400 with the Sun Devils.
Round 4, Pick No. 141: Brandon Brennan, RHP, Orange Coast College (Calif.)
Brennan was a 40th-round pick of the Rockies in 2010 but opted to attend the University of Oregon, where he spent one year before transferring to Orange Coast College. Here's a YouTube clip of the right-hander from earlier this year:
MLB
Round 5, Pick No. 171: Nick Basto, SS, Archbishop McCarthy HS (Fla.)
Per South Florida Sun-Sentinel preps reporter Dieter Kurtenbach, Basto, who's committed to FIU, intends to turn pro -- although the Sox will have to squeeze him in under their bonus cap to make that happen. Video:
Round 6, Pick No. 201: Kyle Hansen, RHP, St. John's University
The brother of former Red Sox and Pirates reliever Craig Hansen, the younger Hansen appears destined to land in the bullpen despite working as a starter in college. MLB.com's report describes a good fastball-slider combo with a change that needs refinement, which sounds pretty typical of a pitching prospect who ultimately will wind up being used as a reliever.
Round 7, Pick No. 231: Jose Barraza, C, Sunnyside High School (Calif.)
Barraza cracked Baseball America's top 500 draft prospects list at No. 472, and per FutureSox, he's not committed to a college. That doesn't necessarily mean the Sox have a better chance at signing him, as JuCo is always an option.
Round 8, Pick No. 261: Zach Isler, RHP, University of Cincinnati
Pitching nearly exclusively in relief, Isler struck out 55 in 55 innings with 26 walks during his junior year at Cincinnati, but he has a mid-90s fastball that could play with some development.
Round 9, Pick No. 291: Micah Johnson, 2B, University of Indiana
Johnson put together a fine 2010 (.335.402.474) before an elbow injury stunted his growth in 2011. He only played in 24 games and didn't hit well, perhaps a product of his injury. Could be an interesting guy to watch if he gets back to his pre-2012 trajectory.
Round 10, Pick No. 321: Brandon Hardin, RHP, Delta State University (Miss.)
No, not the Bears' rookie safety. He struggled as a starter but excelled as a reliever, where he'll probably end up in the White Sox system.
Round 11, Pick No. 351: Eric Jaffe, RHP, UCLA
A 19th-round pick of Boston in the 2010 MLB Draft, he transferred from Cal to UCLA and didn't pitch a whole lot while on campus. He's a big guy (6-foot-4, 235 lbs.) who pitches in relief. Video: