The post White Sox select Billy Carlson with the 10th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft appeared first on Sox On 35th.
The White Sox are adding to their infield depth.
With the 10th overall pick of the 2025 MLB Draft, the organization selected shortstop Billy Carlson out of Corona High School. The California native was regarded as the best defensive shortstop in the draft.
Carlson, 18, has been linked to the White Sox by several publications and was the favorite to be selected if he wasn’t taken sooner. Given his exceptional skillset defensively, there is little doubt he will stick at shortstop as he continues his development.
In terms of his offense, Carlson shows solid bat-to-ball skills, possesses plenty of bat speed, and generates solid exit velocities. He may need to clean up his mechanics a bit, as he hits too many balls into the dirt, but overall, the California native has one of the best floor/ceiling combinations of any prep player in this draft. He is currently committed to Tennessee.
Here are MLB Pipeline’s tool grades for Carlson:
– Hit: 50
– Power: 50
– Run: 55
– Arm: 65
– Field: 70
– Overall: 55
And here is how MLB Pipeline scouts view the newest member of the organization:
The 2025 Draft class is deep in southern California and Corona High School has been a regular stop all spring, with three potential early-round picks on the team that won USA Baseball’s National High School Invitational last year. Carlson’s skills at shortstop that were on display at a variety of summer showcase events, including the Area Code Games and Major League Baseball’s High School All-American Game, have continued to show up during his senior year to allow him to float up to the top of the first round.
All summer, Carlson impressed with his athleticism and bat speed from the right side of the plate. It’s more of a line-drive approach at present with a good swing, but he has the chance to grow into more impact and average or better power, though not all evaluators were sold on his hit tool. There’s an up arrow next to his run tool as he’s worked to get faster and could be a plus runner in time. Even with all of his offensive upside, his glove might be ahead of his bat, with some scouts putting as high as a 70 on his arm strength and defensive actions at shortstop.
At one point, Carlson was thought to be a legitimate two-way player, with a fastball in the mid-90s and feel for spinning a breaking ball. But it will be his five-tool potential at a premium position that will get the Tennessee recruit selected in the top half of the first round, though his age at Draft time (19) might rule out some teams.
SoCal shortstops are my favorite.
Hands down.
‘25 Billy Carlson (CA) is as good as I’ve seen since Brice Turang.
Fluid actions w/ easy +arm. A wizard w/ the glove. Makes it look easy & COMPETES
Pregame look doesn’t do the in-game performance justice…Special talent.… pic.twitter.com/IPvEgy3ahp
— Shooter Hunt (@ShooterHunt) March 27, 2025
This is the first prep hitter the White Sox have drafted since Colson Montgomery, also a shortstop who was a bit older coming out of high school. Unlike Montgomery, however, there are no questions about whether or not Carlson can stick at shortstop. The question is how his bat will develop, which is now on the plate of Director of Hitting Ryan Fuller.
Follow us on social media @SoxOn35th and @PipelineTo35th for more updates throughout the 2025 MLB Draft!
Featured Photo: Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG
The post White Sox select Billy Carlson with the 10th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft appeared first on Sox On 35th.