The Chicago White Sox picked the 71st ranked draft prospect according to MLB Pipeline’s in the seventh round of the 2023 draft. Talk about a value pick for the White Sox. However, ever since George Wolkow was selected by the White Sox, everyone knew the Downers Grove product was going to sign for a much bigger figure than his original slot value as the 209th overall pick.
The number is in and the White Sox have signed the high school outfielder to a $1 million signing bonus, which is 4x higher than the value assigned to the 209th pick.
The 17-year-old is already a built like a monster on the field, standing at 6-foot-7, 239 pounds. Wolkow was committed to attend the University of South Carolina, but he’s taking the massive signing bonus that is line with a player picked early in the third round of the draft.
This could end up being a huge steal for the White Sox, as Wolkow was seen as a first-round pick in 2024, if he hadn’t reclassified this past year. Here is MLB Pipeline’s scouting report on Wolkow.
Wolkow ranked as one of the top position prospects and a likely first-round pick in the 2024 high school class until he reclassified to this year’s Draft in March 2022. He’s one of the youngest and most physical prospects in this crop and reminds some scouts of Spencer Jones, the Yankees’ first-rounder last July out of Vanderbilt. But he also comes with questions about his bat after mostly scuffling against older competition on the showcase circuit last summer, though he did perform well at the Area Code Games.
Wolkow already has the strength and leverage for massive power, and he’s still growing and adding muscle. But his size also comes with a naturally long left-handed stroke and swing-and-miss concerns. His swing decisions are still rudimentary. He’ll miss fastballs in the strike zone, and he doesn’t deal well with offspeed pitches.
Built like a tight end and athletic for his size, Wolkow takes a while to get out of the batter’s box but is at least an average runner once he gets underway. He has played all four outfield and infield corners, and while he handled third base well at the Area Codes, he profiles best in right field with solid arm strength. The South Carolina recruit has a huge gap between his floor and ceiling, but it’s a lofty ceiling, and he won’t turn 18 until six months after the Draft.
As a varsity baseball player at Downers Grove North High School, Wolkow had a .369 batting average with a .498 OBP, hitting 10 home runs in 64 games.
On Sunday, the White Sox announced that they signed 17 of their 20 draft picks. The team has also signed five undrafted free agents: right-handed pitchers Luke Bell, Jake Bockenstedt, Carson Jacobs, Connery Peters and catcher Dominic Tamez.
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