The White Sox held the 4th overall pick in the 2023 Rule 5 Draft, and with the 40-man roster sitting at 39, they were widely expected to make a selection at that spot. This proved to be correct, as with that pick, they selected Shane Drohan, a left-handed starting pitcher from the Boston Red Sox system.
Drohan, who will be 25 years old at the beginning of the 2024 season, was the Red Sox 19th ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline. He was excellent in 34 innings at the Double-A level, pitching to a 1.32 ERA. He struggled after his promotion to Triple-A, where his ERA ballooned up to 6.47. He possesses a four-pitch mix, with his low 80s changeup being his best offering. The rest of his arsenal includes a low-90s fastball, a slider, and a curveball, which are both considered to be average pitches.
Drohan was originally drafted in the 5th round of the 2020 First-Year Player Draft. He is an athletic pitcher, however, he does struggle with his command. He also doesn’t have overpowering stuff, leading to a ceiling of a back-end starter or potentially a multi-inning reliever. With this draft pick, Drohan has the inside edge to a spot on the Opening Day roster with the White Sox. By selecting Drohan, the White Sox owe the Red Sox $100,000 to acquire him. If they decide to not keep him on the roster, they must offer him back to the Red Sox for $50,000 before being able to assign him to their minor league system.
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