See the Chicago White Sox's 2025 MLB Draft strategy. GM Chris Getz bets big on bats, drafting 11 position players to build the future around new prospects.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
While the White Sox were off on Thursday, the front office's vision for the future came into sharp focus. With the 2025 MLB Draft now complete, it's clear that General Manager Chris Getz is executing a deliberate, bat-first strategy aimed at one thing: reloading the organization with high-upside, athletic position players who can form the next competitive core on the South Side.
It’s not easy to pry an every-day shortstop. The best way to get that talent into your system is likely drafting them or signing them in the international side.
Why the obsession with shortstops? Scouting director Mike Shirley explained it's about more than just finding the next great shortstop; it's about acquiring premier athletes. 'Up-the-middle field players are the piece of the puzzle that really you can do a lot with,' Shirley said. 'They have the athleticism, the skills, the mindset, the instincts to play multiple [positions].' Armed with a bonus pool of over $12.1 million and three picks on Day 1 (10, 44, 76), the Sox invested heavily in this philosophy, aiming to build a versatile and dynamic group of future major leaguers.
While the 2025 draft was all about the hitters, the development on the pitching side offers another reason for optimism. Last year's top pick, lefty Hagen Smith, is absolutely dominating at Double-A Birmingham. After undergoing what the team called a 'biomechanical reset,' Smith has been electric, racking up an incredible 50 strikeouts in just 30 innings. It's a promising sign that the player development system is working to maximize talent on both sides of the ball, creating a balanced and exciting pipeline for the years to come.
With the draft in the rearview, the focus now shifts to signing these young prospects and getting them into the development pipeline. While the big-league club rests, the future of the South Side is being actively shaped. All eyes will be on the new draftees as they begin their pro careers, and on guys like Hagen Smith, Colson Montgomery, and Kyle Teel as they knock on the door to Chicago.
