NewsPhegley among six Sox Draft signees
Catcher, 38th overall selection, targeted for Kannapolis
By Scott Merkin / MLB.com
06/27/09 3:49 PM ET
CHICAGO -- Catcher Tyler Flowers will be one of two players representing the White Sox during the upcoming 11th annual XM All-Star Futures Game, pitting the best Minor League prospects from the United States against the top prospects from the rest of the world.But on Saturday, the White Sox announced another future backstop standout had entered the organization.
Josh Phegley was one of six selections the team announced it had come to terms with from the 2009 First-Year Player Draft. Right-handed pitchers Matthew Heidenreich (fourth round), Kyle Bellamy (fifth round) and Jimmy Ballinger (11th round) joined Phegley, the 38th overall pick from Indiana University, infielder Jared McDonald (21st round) and first baseman Leighton Pangilinan (40th round) on that list.
Phegley, 21, was part of the Draft compensation for the A's signing free-agent shortstop Orlando Cabrera, after the White Sox had offered Cabrera salary arbitration. Phegley hit .344 with 17 home runs and 66 RBIs during his junior season with the Hoosiers and was a semifinalist for the Johnny Bench Award (college baseball's top catcher) and the Golden Spikes Award (best amateur player).
This first-team All-Big Ten selection was characterized as a strong hitter, who is still learning the nuances of the catcher's position at the time of the Draft.
"At the outset, you talk about looking at certain needs, but at the same time, you want the best guys on the board," said White Sox director of amateur scouting Doug Laumann back on Draft day. "It felt like we did both.
"We got a catcher we really like at the sandwich pick, a strong offensive catcher. It was an area where we needed some help, some depth."
Of the six picks, Phegley is the only one targeted for Class-A Kannapolis. The other five will begin at Advanced Rookie Bristol.
The White Sox have now come to terms with 36 members of their 2009 First-Year Player Draft class.
Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
