Chicago White Sox director of amateur scouting Mike Shirley pointed out the uniqueness of the 2021 MLB draft after last year’s was limited to five rounds because of the pandemic.
“This was the highest draft inventory since 1965,” Shirley said during a Tuesday conference call. “We dealt with more players in this draft than we did in a long time. It’s been a lot of work. Since the draft ended last year, it’s been a nonstop grind to get through this. The staff has done a tremendous job working through that piece of the puzzle.”
When it was all done, Shirley said he was “tremendously excited” with the outcome for the Sox.
They selected 12 pitchers (seven right-handers and five left-handers), four infielders, two outfielders and two catchers. The group includes 16 college and four high school players.
It started Sunday with the selection of shortstop Colson Montgomery from Southridge High School in Indiana with the No. 22 pick. On Day 2, the Sox drafted third baseman Wes Kath from Desert Mountain High School in Arizona in the second round.
“Those first two pieces of the puzzle were something we targeted (and) were ecstatic to land,” Shirley said.
He said the two picks check a number of boxes for the Sox.
“When you think about who these two kids are and the left-handed potential of two bats that can grow up together, mix in and understand what it’s like to be White Sox, those are pieces of the puzzle that are hard to find,” Shirley said.
“When you want to go find high school players, you want big upside. Both these guys possess it. When you look at hitters, the looseness of the swing, the strike zone management, the people they are, how are they going to react to adversity.”
Shirley said Montgomery was “raised to do this his whole life.” And Kath has “this balance in the delivery of his barrel. You see it in the box, there’s not a lot of stress to it.”
“Both possess a high level of maturity that you’re willing to invest the type of dollars to secure these kids,” Shirley said. “They check so many boxes for us in terms of the talent, most importantly, and the makeup and the people that they are, and to put them together, it was too attractive to pass on. That’s the bet we’re willing to make in high school players. They just come from the right spots.”
Shirley said the Sox looked to add players from Power Five conferences during the final day of the draft (Rounds 11-20).
“Guys that come from programs that do a lot of the development already,” Shirley said, citing TCU pitchers Johnny Ray (12th round) and Haylen Green (20th), N.C. State outfielder Terrell Tatum (16th), Vanderbilt third baseman Jayson Gonzalez (17th) and Clemson catcher Adam Hackenberg (18th). “These guys come with the grit, grind and makeup to get into your system, balance it out, make a difference for you.
“When you take a Colson Montgomery and Wes Kath, you want to put pieces around these guys to help stabilize and make them understand from their peer group what it takes to be championship-like players. That’s what you buy with Power Five conference kids. They really provide stability in the clubhouse.”
Ray, who is from Quincy, Ill., and began his college career at Illinois State, was one of four players the Sox drafted with local or state ties. They also picked Bradley left-hander Brooks Gosswein (fourth round) — a Barrington High School alumnus — Bradley right-hander Theo Denlinger (seventh) and Northwestern shortstop Shawn Goosenberg (19th).
White Sox draft picks
1st round (No. 22): Colson Montgomery, SS, Southridge HS (Ind.)
2nd (57): Wes Kath, 3B, Desert Mountain HS (Ariz.)
3rd (94): Sean Burke, RHP, Maryland
4th (124): Brooks Gosswein, LHP, Bradley
5th (155): Tanner McDougal, RHP, Silverado HS (Nev.)
6th (185): Taylor Broadway, RHP, Mississippi
7th (215): Theo Denlinger, RHP, Bradley
8th (245): Fraser Ellard, LHP, Liberty
9th (275): Gil Luna Jr., LHP, Arizona
10th (305): Tommy Sommer, LHP, Indiana
11th (335): Christian Edwards, RHP, Jacksonville State
12th (365): Johnny Ray, RHP, TCU
13th (395): Colby Smelley, C, Shelton State CC (Ala.)
14th (425): Noah Owen, RHP, Golden West College (Calif.)
15th (455): Cameron Butler, OF, Big Valley Christian HS (Calif.)
16th (485): Terrell Tatum, OF, N.C. State
17th (515): Jayson Gonzalez, 3B, Vanderbilt
18th (545): Adam Hackenberg, C, Clemson
19th (575): Shawn Goosenberg, SS, Northwestern
20th (605): Haylen Green, LHP, TCU
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