White Sox select Nick Madrigal in first round of 2018 MLB Draft

The Great White Sox Draft Debate is resolved.

The White Sox went with Nick Madrigal.

The Sox took the Oregon State second baseman with the fourth overall pick after weeks of back-and-forth speculation that also involved Florida right-handed pitcher Brady Singer. In the end, the Sox went with the diminutive infielder with the best hit tool in the draft.

Madrigal is hitting .406/.470/.586 for the Beavers, who are in the midst of a College World Series run. He’s struck out just five times to 13 walks and four HBPs over 133 at-bats, along with an above-average glove at second base and plus skills on the basepaths.

The big drawback is his lack of power, as he’s hit just eight homers over his collegiate career. Then again, he broke his hand earlier in the year, which might explain some of the relatively low .180 ISO. The other question is how much he can be stretched defensively, and whether arm will allow him to play on the left side of the infield.

What the White Sox say:

“Nick is recognized as one of the best hitters in college baseball, and we’re excited to add him to the organization,” said Nick Hostetler, White Sox director of scouting. “He possesses tremendous baseball skills, character and makeup, and we look forward to watching him compete for the national championship before joining the White Sox organization and beginning his professional career.”

Where did he rank?

First three picks:

  1. Tigers: Casey Mize, RHP, Auburn
  2. Giants: Joey Bart, C, Georgia Tech
  3. Phillies: Alec Bohm, 3B, Wichita State
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Anohito

All these questions about where he’ll play when he looks like an absolute hitting machine. Come on people. MADRIGAL!

CarolinaSoxFan

Gordon Beckham was also an absolute hitting machine in college, with even more power than Madrigal shows.

ForsterFTOG

Joey Cora 2.0

Trooper Galactus

Lord knows we’ve had worse outcomes than Cora’s 7.9 career bWAR.

zerobs

Singer really dropped. 

CarolinaSoxFan

Wow – now at #13 and Singer’s name still not called. Three high school pitchers taken in front of him? Wow.

Anohito

He goes now at 14. Calling it.

well guess not. How far will he fall?

Anohito

18 it is

Trooper Galactus

Why do I get the sneaking suspicion he’s going to be a Sox killer for years to come?

I don’t like his face.

metasox

Burke Granger on the podcast said clubs had widely disparate views on him. I guess so.

DrCrawdad

A Madrigal is a Singer

zerobs

With the amount of shifting going on is the side of the infield all that important?  Even at second base he needs a good enough arm to make long cut off throws. If he can hit and catch the ball he’ll have a decent career. 

asinwreck

Bo Jackson roasting Harold Reynolds about throwing him out at the plate in 1989. Great to have Bo get airtime.

Trooper Galactus

Now somebody needs to roast Harold for his shit baseball analysis.

Brett R. Bobysud

Well, Danny Mendick & Yeyson Yrizarri are no longer the top middle infield prospects in the system.

CarolinaSoxFan

The only question left for me tonight is where Seth Beer winds-up? Guess we didn’t need to tank for him after all. Of course, it would be cool to have Beer at first and Burger at 3rd.

Anohito

Stros

asinwreck

Stroh’s

zerobs

Headline: Stros Draft Beer

Keith Law hates the White Sox!

KenWo4LiFe

craig grebeck with the fourth pick in the draft. good job guys

lil jimmy

Matt McLain, first round! This is way we can’t have nice things!

Right Size Wrong Shape

Grebeck signed as an undrafted free agent in ’86. Look at the first six picks that year: Jeff King, Greg Swindell, Matt Williams, Kevin Brown, Kent Mercker, Gary Sheffield. Why can’t we suck the year before a draft like that?

lil jimmy

First Round, 19 position players,11 pitchers. Next 15 picks should be mostly pitching.

MrTopaz

I’m surprised your boy Naylor fell to the Indians. And disappointed he didn’t drop to #46. MLB had him listed as a SS, which seems rather optimistic on their part.

Trooper Galactus

Nander De Sandas is still available.

Don’t jinx it!

lil jimmy

De Dedas, Thomas, Meadows, Jackson, Will Banfield is still around. Kris Bubic LHP might be nice.

Right Size Wrong Shape

I like what the Royals are doing.

lil jimmy

Just Bubic gone with the to go.

lil jimmy

I think it will be Jeremiah Jackson at #46

MrTopaz

So when he’s really hitting, he’s Stick Madrigal. When he makes a great defensive play, Slick Madrigal. And if he sucks, Nick Badrigal.

Trooper Galactus

And if he’s a top BMX biker, he’s Nick Radrigal.

Trooper Galactus

I kinda wish the White Sox had been able to trade for a competitive balance pick. The pool money alone would be a great add.

sgp2204

Damn. Rays are going in on lefty pitchers. Nicely done.

sgp2204

Well, there goes one of our good options

PauliePaulie

OK Hoping for Jackson here.
darn

lil jimmy

Always college with Hostetler.

PauliePaulie

Then I would have preferred Knight.

Anohito

Steele Walker sounds like a hell of name.

jorgefabregas
As Cirensica

Small player, hitting machine, 2nd base. Some says Gordon Beckham, but I would say Jose Altuve. Power will come later with White Sox hitting coach Jose Abreu on the helms

mikeyb

I give it 1 season, tops, of him not hitting for power before they try to adjust that leg kick.