With a week left before the 2015 MLB Draft, there is no clear indication on who the White Sox could eventually go after.
Apparently, the team has been keeping an eye on collegiate players but for now, there is no clear indication on who has the inside track. The White Sox will be drafting eighth in the first round and this year, the team wants to make it count.
By saying that the team wants to make it count has something to do with how they ended up with a less-than-impressive choice once draft day comes.
Last year, the White Sox had a good position in the draft with the no. 3 selection overall. Chicago went for Carlos Rodon but the left-handed pitcher’s performance apparently didn’t pan out as they had expected. And now they are in almost in the same predicament and pretty much cautious on who to draft.
Critics believe that the White Sox should go for someone that could help out their cause. At the top of the list is a pitcher who could possibly be the best in the mix. He goes by the name of Dillon Tate.
Tate is a 6-foot-2 right-handed pitcher who was virtually an unknown, until he started to get some attention after saving 12 games and posting a 1.45 ERA with 46 strikeouts in 43 innings.
Tate got the opportunity when a regular starter for the Gauchos suffered an injury. And Tate did not disappoint.
As SB Nation pointed out, he went 8-5 with a 2.26 ERA over 103 innings, struck out 111 while allowing just 66 hits and 28 walks in the regular season. Based on various rankings, Tate is seen to be among the top 10 players in the coming draft, which means that the White Sox have a golden chance to land the right-hander.
Unless the White Sox are leaning more towards the credentials and track record, Tate could be a wise choice. The team could make do of his talent and hone it to become an asset to the team, depending on how fast he progresses.
One thing that the White Sox could be wary about is the fact that Tate faded around the 100-inning mark. And apparently this is one area that needs to be improved and something Chicago will take into consideration.
So will Chicago take a chance on Tate? The White Sox may want to make a thorough assessment and learn from their lesson last year when they got Rodon. The last thing the White Sox need right now is wasting their pick on a potential bullpen player.