CLEVELAND — July has the makings of a busy month for the Chicago White Sox with the MLB draft and trade deadline ahead.
The Sox have three slots among the first 68 picks in the draft. And with the worst record in the majors, they’re in position for a possible sell-off at the deadline.
“We’ve got a team of people that can focus on certainly the draft and the potential trade acquisition that may be out there,” general manager Chris Getz said last month when asked about juggling the two circumstances. “We’ve got our scouts, we’ve got our analysts, we’ve got our front office that are able to walk and chew gum, so to speak, when it comes to handling both.
“When the draft’s over, the deadline kind of becomes the headliner and the attention and it’s kind of a quick change, but we’re well-positioned and that’s just because we’ve got a really talented group to be able to handle both.”
Here’s a closer look at three dates to watch in July.
July 14: MLB draft begins
The Sox, who have the No. 5 pick, recently hosted Florida first baseman/left-handed pitcher Jac Caglianone.
“Extremely impressive kid,” manager Pedro Grifol said Friday. “Tremendous makeup. TV doesn’t do any justice as far as how big he is (6-foot-5). He looks big on TV, but when you see him in person and he stood at home plate (during the Guaranteed Rate Field visit), when you see him in that box, he’s a really, really impressive kid.
“The makeup looks like it’s off the chart. He’s a very respectful kid. He’s just big and strong and lean. He looks the part. That’s what they look like at the top of the draft.”
The No. 5 pick will start an active stretch for the Sox, who also have the No. 43 and No. 68 selections (the latter of which came via a trade with the Seattle Mariners). The 20-round draft runs through July 16.
MLB.com’s latest mock draft had Caglianone going second to the Cincinnati Reds and the Sox selecting shortstop/outfielder Konnor Griffin of Jackson Prep in Flowood, Miss. ESPN.com’s most recent mock draft predicted the Sox will select Caglianone.
July 16: All-Star Game
Garrett Crochet has excelled in his move from reliever to starter, leading the majors with 141 strikeouts entering Tuesday.
The left-hander is 6-6 with a 3.02 ERA in 18 starts. He has a 1.63 ERA, .181 opponents average, 12 walks and 101 strikeouts in his last 12 starts.
“With each start it’s growing,” Crochet said after Sunday’s outing, in which he allowed two runs and struck out 11 with no walks against the Colorado Rockies. “I feel really good.”
Grifol said Crochet continues to learn “every time out.”
“If you are going to strike out that many guys, you’ve got to economize pitches and you can’t go deep in counts. You’ve got to be pumping strikes,” Grifol said. “That’s what’s remarkable to me, for him to be standing out there in the sixth and seventh inning. Guys with that kind of stuff don’t go that deep in games because they’re striking out 10, 12 guys a game and they just throw a lot of pitches, period.
“But he finds a way to economize some pitches. He strikes people out and then he gets quick outs. He understands how to navigate through a game.”
Crochet has a strong case for making the American League All-Star team. The full rosters will be announced Sunday, with the game slated for July 16 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Fellow starter Erick Fedde also deserves consideration. The right-hander is 11th in the AL with a 3.23 ERA (Crochet is seventh in the category).
The All-Star activities also include the Futures Game on July 13. The rosters were announced Tuesday, and Triple-A Charlotte shortstop Colson Montgomery and Double-A Birmingham pitcher Noah Schultz — the top two prospects in the Sox organization according to MLB.com — were selected to participate. The game features some of the top minor-league prospects.
“They deserve it,” Grifol said before Tuesday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. “Obviously top talents for us. Guys who are going to be a big part of the future here for a long, long time.
“I’m looking forward to seeing them participate against the best in baseball. Both have a very good career ahead of them, God willing, and I look forward to the day when I can watch them wear this uniform too.”
July 30: Trade deadline
Crochet and Fedde have been among the Sox players mentioned in trade speculation. That list also includes reliever Michael Kopech and outfielders Luis Robert Jr. and Tommy Pham, among others.
“That’s not in my hands,” Robert said through an interpreter Saturday about the trade talk. “I’m going to do my best wherever I play, wherever I’ll be.”
Grifol said the players have done a nice job of not letting the speculation become a distraction.
“The closer we get, these guys are superstars and these guys can help teams win a championship — not just get in, these guys can help teams win a championship,” Grifol said Sunday when addressing the discussion around Robert and Crochet. “So I guess it’s going to get magnified as we get closer (to the deadline).
“I want these guys to be with us forever. The game is the game, don’t worry about it. It’s hard to execute deals. If you start thinking about it, it’s going to take the focus away from what you’re supposed to do on the field. Then it kind of throws a little wrench in everything. Just stay focused.”
