CHICAGO – The Chicago White Sox selected shortstop Jacob Gonzalez from the University of Mississippi with their first pick (15th overall) in Saturday night’s Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
Gonzalez, 21, is ranked by MLB.com as the No. 7 college position player in this year’s draft. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Gonzalez hit .327/.435/.564 (66-202) with 18 doubles, 10 home runs, 51 RBI and 46 runs scored over 54 games with Ole Miss this season. He was named First Team ABCA All-South Region, Second Team All-SEC and was a Brooks Wallace Award Semifinalist in 2023.
Gonzalez, a native of Glendora, Calif., helped guide the Rebels to their first College World Series title in school history in 2022. He batted .319/.427/.561 (225-706) with 43 doubles, four triples, 40 home runs, 158 RBI and 186 runs scored over 186 games in three seasons at Mississippi.
“We could not be more excited to add a talent like Jacob to the White Sox organization,” said Mike Shirley, White Sox director of amateur scouting. “He shows power that continues to evolve and his ability to control the barrel and strike zone are mature. His instincts to play shortstop are unique, as is his overall ability and how he approaches the game. Jacob shows up every day to play and is going to be a consistent performer for us. He was an integral part of an Ole Miss championship team and he is going to bring that type of leadership to this organization.”
Gonzalez joins left-handed pitcher Noah Schultz (2022, 26thoverall), infielder Colson Montgomery (2021, 22nd), left-hander Garrett Crochet (2020, 11th), first baseman Andrew Vaughn (2019, third), infielder Nick Madrigal (2018, fourth) and third baseman Jake Burger (2017, 11th) as the White Sox most recent first-round selections.
Gonzalez was recommended by White Sox scout Warren Hughes.
Nine of the White Sox last 11 first-round selections since 2013 have reached the major leagues with the club. Tim Anderson (2013) is a two-time All-Star, Vaughn ranks third among American League first basemen with 53 RBI, and Burger is tied for fifth in the AL with 19 home runs this season.
The next Sox selection (second round; 51st pick overall) will be made later Sunday night. The draft will resume Monday at 1 p.m. CT with the start of the third round and continue through the completion of Round 10.
