(670 The Score) The White Sox went with a college pitcher with their first-round pick in the MLB amateur draft Wednesday evening.
Chicago selected Tennessee left-hander Garrett Crochet with the No. 11 pick. Crochet, 20, has drawn comparisons to former White Sox ace Chris Sale because of his 6-foot-6, 218-pound frame, upside and velocity.
Crochet threw just 3 1/3 innings as a junior before the season was halted because of the coronavirus pandemic. He had a 4.02 ERA in 65 innings across 18 appearances, including six starts, in 2019.
Crochet didn't produce at an elite level in college, registering a 4.64 ERA for the Volunteers across three seasons. He also doesn't have as much game experience as many fellow prospects, making just 36 appearances and 13 starts across three seasons. His sophomore season was interrupted by a broken jaw.
What Crochet does have is high upside, as he hits 100 miles per hour on the radar gun and has a slider that has drawn praise from scouts. Crochet was rated as the No. 18 prospect by MLB.com.
"This kid has improved a lot, both mentally and physically," Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin said on the MLB Network broadcast. "Have fun trying to hit this guy, because he's throws around the corner. If you're left-handed, you're in trouble. If you're right-handed, you're in trouble. I do know in talking to our hitters, the ball is very dark downstairs. He throws a fastball that's very heavy. It works in the lower quadrants of the zone. He's got a good breaking ball, and there's a changeup too."
The amateur draft has been shortened to just five rounds this year as part of the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic and MLB's initial return-to-play agreement. The final four rounds will be conducted Thursday.
