White Sox select RHP Zach Franklin in the 10th round (No. 299 overall)

Fringe starter has some upside if he can get his mechanics together

With the 299th overall pick in the 2023 MLB draft, the White Sox selected Zach Franklin. He made 10 relief appearances for Mizzou before starting in his final six appearances this season. With a fastball that currently tops out at around 97 mph, he isn’t an all-out fireballer, but with 59 Ks in 38 2⁄3 innings, he has some upside with his stuff.

On the downside, with a 7.45 ERA this year and 19 walks and 35 hits in that 38-inning span, it’s clear he’s very much in the feast-or-famine category of pitcher. If the White Sox can get Franklin’s mechanics in order, there’s an opportunity here for a nice bullpen arm, if not a back-of-the-rotation starter.

That wraps up our Day 2 coverage at South Side Sox. We’ll be back tomorrow, with me, Brett Ballantini and Melissa Sage-Bollenbach bringing the draft home. The White Sox will make their first pick, No. 329 overall, at approximately 1:15 p.m. CT.

Zach Franklin’s Baseball Cube Talent Ratings

Durability 74
vs. Power 73
Hittable 73
Strikeouts 72
K/BB 69
Walks 58
Team Winning Pct. .386

2023 Chicago White Sox Draft Picks

First Round (No. 15 overall) Jacob González, SS (ranked No. 18 on MLB Pipeline)
Second Round (No. 51 overall) Grant Taylor, RHSP (ranked No. 102 on MLB Pipeline)
Third Round (No. 84 overall) Seth Keener, RHP (ranked No. 108 on MLB Pipeline)
Fourth Round (No. 116 overall) Calvin Harris, C (ranked No. 133 on MLB Pipeline)
Fifth Round (No. 152 overall) Christian Oppor, LHSP (ranked No. 225 on MLB Pipeline)
Sixth Round (No. 179 overall) Lucas Gordon, LHSP (not ranked)
Seventh Round (No. 209 overall) George Wolkow, OF (ranked No. 71 on MLB Pipeline)
Eighth Round (No. 239 overall) Eddie Park, CF (not ranked)
Ninth Round (No. 269 overall) Jake Peppers, RHP (ranked No. 187 on MLB Pipeline)
10th Round (No. 299 overall) Zach Franklin, RHP (not ranked)