Jacob

Gonzalez

The 2023 first-round pick seems to be coming into his own this season. Gonzalez has a .292/.408/.585 slash line with 10 home runs, 35 RBI, and five steals in 34 games at Triple-A. The 23-year-old had just eight home runs in 134 minor league games last season. He has played mainly shortstop this season, but has also started games at first base, second base, and third base, so the White Sox might be looking to find ways to bring him closer to his big league debut.

Gonzalez winds up receiving a $3.9 million signing bonus, which is nearly $500,000 below-slot value for the 15th overall selection. The 21-year-old shortstop figures to remain on the infield dirt and packs enough offensive punch that he could be relevant for fantasy managers in the near future.

While he spent the last three years as one of college baseball’s best players, the issue with Gonzalez is how he progressed. His best season was as a 19-year-old freshman, as he posted OPS’s of 1.005, .963 and .999 in his three seasons at Mississippi. There’s also concerns whether he offers enough range to be a plus defender at shortstop, although he’s reliable, and would almost certainly be a quality second baseman if the White Sox want to go in that direction. His left-handed bat is solid enough that he’s one of the safest bets in the draft to turn into a contributor in the majors. It’s just the upside that’s in question.