White Sox round out Day 1 with pair of prep selections
Scott Merkin
@scottmerkinCHICAGO -- The White Sox selected shortstop Caleb Bonemer in the second round of the 2024 MLB Draft on Sunday night, at pick No. 43 overall, followed by left-handed pitcher Blake Larson at No. 68 in the Competitive Balance Round B, a pick acquired from the Mariners in the offseason Gregory Santos trade.
These two selections followed Hagen Smith, the left-handed starter from Arkansas taken at No. 5 overall. Bonemer and Larson were both part of the White Sox Area Code team, the same team that helped the White Sox gain information and build relationships to previously pick left-handed pitcher Noah Schultz (first round, 2022) and outfielder George Wolkow (seventh round, 2023).
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Bonemer is from Okemos High School in Michigan. But his showing on the summer circuit really influenced the White Sox.
¡°Caleb, from the first time he stepped on the main stage of the circuit last summer, has shown us dynamic tools, five tools, hit and power, he was one of the best players on the circuit last year,¡± White Sox director of amateur scouting Mike Shirley said on a Sunday night Zoom call. ¡°Our scouts were super excited about him.
¡°Felt his makeup was right, he was committed to the University of Virginia, a real piece of the pie in terms of his approach, his makeup in terms of his diligence to the game, and we think there¡¯s right-handed strength, both hit and power. He can run. His defense really took a step forward this year and was something he worked really hard on. Cold weather player who we think has a runway to continue to grow significantly when you look at the ceiling of a player.¡±
Shirley wants the right-handed hitter, who turns 19 in October, to start his pro career at shortstop.
¡°We want to send him out as a shortstop and exhaust every avenue to keep him at that position,¡± Shirley said. ¡°Up-the-middle-of-the-field type of player, with bat ability. Those are the type of profiles we continue to try to attack.¡±
Larson, 18, joined the IMG national team as a senior. He struck out 71 over 42 2/3 innings, with his fastball topping out at 96 mph. Brian Bannister, the White Sox senior advisor to pitching, was excited about what Larson did, as were the White Sox scouts, according to Shirley.
¡°[Crosschecker] J.J. Lally had had some real foundation with him as a high school player [in Iowa],¡± Shirley said. ¡°As he's transitioned down to IMG, Steff Segui, Alan Marr, the area scout in Florida, those guys really did a nice job tracking him. The interesting part about Larson, which is so different in the stuff world we're living in, if you watch, his fifth and sixth inning was better than his first and second.
¡°He gets stronger as the game goes, which is uncommon in this world of stuff. Guys come out blowing heaters. This guy is really competitive. You'll see his best stuff sometimes later in the game because he's trying to put his foot on the gas pedal when it counts and he's trying to get wins."
While the White Sox had to extend themselves a little bit with regards to their $14,593,300 bonus pool, Shirley was pleased with the day¡¯s work.
¡°It's a little tricky right now as you navigate the whole bonus pool situation,¡± Shirley said. ¡°There are a lot of people with elevated numbers, and I have a little bit of fight. We had to work. But we got three good pieces that we wanted. We're excited."