Jacob Gonzalez knew the Chicago White Sox had some curiosity.
“They were my best meeting at the combine,” Gonzalez mentioned throughout a video convention Sunday. “When I met with the White Sox, they were the only team to show video of my swing and they were very interested — on the video — they wanted to know what I was trying to do in it and what they see I can do with my swing.”
Gonzalez goals to showcase that swing sometime at Guaranteed Rate Field after the Sox chosen the Mississippi shortstop with the No. 15 choose within the MLB draft Sunday.
“It means a lot,” he mentioned. “It’s a small step in the long term. But it feels good to get going within the journey.
“I felt like I got a little bit trolled by the A’s pick (at No. 6) when they said Jacob Wilson. I got my hopes up for half a second, but it was good. I had my friends and family surrounding me. They were all really supportive and very excited for me.”
The Sox drafted LSU right-hander Grant Taylor with the No. 51 choose within the second spherical.
“Jacob’s an elite left-handed hitter,” Sox Director of Amateur Scouting Mike Shirley mentioned. “It’s bat management. He doesn’t swing and miss lots. He controls the strike zone. We suppose the ability goes to proceed to evolve with him. Couldn’t be extra excited to land him.
“We felt like we landed two first-rounders. Unfortunately Grant had (Tommy John) surgery in February. There were times this fall at LSU where Grant was showing us first-round ability. We feel ecstatic to land him in the second round.”
Gonzalez, 21, earned second-team All-SEC honors this yr after beginning all 54 video games at shortstop and main the Rebels in doubles (18) and walks (35).
He completed second on the crew in batting common (.327), on-base share (.435) and RBIs (51) and was third in slugging share (.564), runs (46), hits (66) and whole bases (114).
As a sophomore Gonzalez began all 65 video games at quick and made first-team All-SEC as Ole Miss received the College World Series. He went 3-for-4 with a house run, two RBIs and two runs scored within the title-clinching win in opposition to Oklahoma.
“My sophomore year I got a little bit pull-happy, hit more home runs (18 compared with 10 last season), but my average went down,” Gonzalez mentioned. “The previous yr, I hoped to drive the ball the opposite approach. I’m nonetheless figuring it out now. I’m attending to the place I’m driving balls over the fence in left area. Just with the ability to unfold out the ability.
“Defensively, I feel I’ve gotten way better and will continue to get better because I love to take ground balls. It’s fun to me. And getting better defensively makes me feel like I’m contributing when you’re good defensively.”
He slashed .319/.427/.561 with 43 doubles, 4 triples, 40 residence runs, 158 RBIs and 186 runs in 186 video games throughout three seasons at Ole Miss.
“It’s elite eye-hand coordination,” Shirley mentioned. “This is a university man who has the contact expertise we’re on the lookout for, the zone administration we’re on the lookout for, plus we predict we will get him to extra energy.
“He plays above his actual tools because the instincts allow that.”
Sox scout Warren Hughes beneficial the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Gonzalez, who bats left-handed and throws right-handed. The native of Glendora, Calif., was ranked No. 18 on MLB.com’s Top 250 draft prospects checklist.
“Jacob Gonzalez has that championship pedigree,” Shirley mentioned. “He always plays big in big moments. That’s what we’re excited about.”
Here’s a breakdown of the Sox’s alternatives within the 2023 MLB draft.
- No. 15 (bonus slot worth $4,488,600): Shortstop Jacob Gonzalez
- No. 51: Pitcher Grant Taylor
- Round 3: No. 84
- Round 4: No. 116
- Rounds 5-20: No. 152 and each thirtieth choose thereafter
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Source: www.bostonherald.com