Chicago White Sox Face Dilemma Over Availability Of Ed Howard

The White Sox are well positioned to make a big splash in tonight’s draft. They have to at least be strongly tempted to use the 11th pick overall on the best position player prospect from Chicago in years, Mount Carmel High shortstop Ed Howard. 

Howard has been on their radar since he led the Jackie Robinson West team to a title in the Little League World Series. He has spent time in the Amateur City Elite program run by the White Sox, which helps inner city players hone both the baseball skills and academics necessary to attend college.

Recently Howard has been mentored by Sox shortstop Tim Anderson, who he told the Athletic’s James Fegan is his favorite player. He’s using Anderson’s agency, Reynolds Sports, as his draft advisor, and has the all-around skills to put himself in line to ultimately replace Anderson, whose commitment with the Sox runs through 2024.

Howard is expected to develop into an Andrelton Simmons-style defender with the ability to hit for average if not much power. He could be an extremely popular player for a long time on Chicago’s South Side.

But the White Sox face a dilemma in this draft: The 11th pick will present them with an intriguing choice of options that could help them chase titles quicker than Howard.

This is the first draft for Mike Shirley as the White Sox scouting director. He’s scouted for them for almost 20 years and been a cross-checker since 2010 so is well-versed in the organizational lean toward college players in the first round.

The White Sox’s last eight first-round picks have been college players: first baseman Andrew Vaughn, infielder Nick Madrigal, third baseman Jake Burger, reliever Zack Burdi, catcher Zack Collins, pitcher Carson Fulmer, pitcher Carlos Rodon and Anderson, who was at East Central Community College in Decatur, Mississippi. 

The last time they took a high school player in the first round? That was in 2012, when they took outfielder Courtney Hawkins from Carroll High School in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Howard could cause them to end that streak but industry experts aren’t betting on it. Most mock drafts show at least three high school players being selected in the top 10, which leaves the White Sox positioned to grab a top college player, most likely a pitcher. 

Among the players they’re strongly considering:

University of Louisville left-hander Reid Detmers — He’s as polished as college pitchers come but only has low-90s velocity. His slow curve is a plus pitch and his changeup has promise. In other words, the Mark Buehrle package.

University of Tennessee left-hander Garrett Crochet — He stands 6-6 and has a fastball that has touched 100. He isn’t as polished as Detmers and some others after splitting time between the bullpen and rotation in college. He was bothered by a shoulder injury early in 2020, which could cause him to slide into the Sox’s range.

North Carolina State catcher Patrick Bailey — Regarded as a strong defensive catcher as long as he’s been a prospect, the switch hitter surprised scouts with his bat in college. He led ACC freshmen in hitting in 2018 and has continued to develop power and plate discipline.

UCLA outfielder Garrett Mitchell — A three-year starter, he led the nation in triples as a sophomore and continued to impress with his bat before play ended this season. He’s a plus fielder in center and has top-of-the-scale speed. He has shown big-time power but is yet to unlock it. The combination of skills could have him off the board before the Sox pick.