A few hours after selecting Andrew Vaughn with the 3rd overall pick, the White Sox cam back and took a prep arm with Matthew Thompson. Thompson, the 45th overall pick, has the upside of a mid-rotation starter. His best pitch is his curveball, which has a tight spin and can be a knee buckler at times. His fastball has hit96 in the past, but sits around 92. With him still being 18, there is room for growth which should give his velocity a few ticks north.
A high upside pitcher with plenty of time to develop in the minors, Thompson is overall a solid choice by the Sox. He would have to bypass his verbal commitment to play at Texas A&M, but that shouldn’t be a huge issue. Most sites had him ranked in the 80’s, and Chicago took him at over slot value at 45. All in all, it was a good first day of the draft and fans should be happy with the new prospects added to the farm.
