The Chicago White Sox have officially signed first round draft pick Garrett Crochet to his first professional contract, the team announced Monday.
Crochet, a left-handed pitcher out of Tennessee, was the 11th overall pick in the MLB Draft earlier this month. The White Sox signed him to a contract with a $4.55 million signing bonus, the slot value for the 11th pick, according to the team.
The hurler went 5-3 with a 4.02 ERA during the 2019 collegiate season with the Volunteers. He racked up 81 strikeouts in 18 games with the club that season, making six starts and 12 relief appearances.
He made one start with Tennessee during the 2020 season, throwing 3.2 scoreless innings with six strikeouts.
“I’m thrilled to officially be a member of the White Sox organization,” he said in a statement. “It has always been my dream to play at the highest level, and now I’m one step closer to achieving that dream.”
While the White Sox have not officially said whether they will use Crochet in a relief role or as a starter, it would appear that his fastest path to the big leagues would be in the team’s bullpen. Some scouts have reportedly said that he could join the big league club as early as this season, with his high strikeout rate and bullpen experience at the college level playing into that decision.
