The southpaw has struggled as a starter in the high minors but could be an interesting asset
With the fourth pick in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 draft, the Chicago White Sox selected LHP Shane Drohan from the Boston Red Sox. The 25-year-old struggled in his time between Double-A and Triple-A last year, posting a 10-7 record with a 5.05 ERA between both stints. During the course of his minor league career, Drohan also averaged 4.5 walks per nine innings and 9.4 strikeouts per nine; that near 2:1 ratio is less than ideal.
However, the White Sox saw enough in the start to Drohan’s season — he started in Double-A with the Portland Sea Dogs and won all five of his starts before a promotion to Triple-A (0.62 ERA and just two earned in five games, .140 (14-100) opponents average, six walks, 30 strikeouts). Drohan was also slightly younger than league average at the time, so it wasn’t a matter of the lefty simply overpowering much younger opponents.
Drohan most recently had been ranked No. 19 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 Red Sox prospects.
Based on the assessment from White Sox GM Chris Getz, it sounds as though the White Sox believe there’s some upside to Drohan as a starter based on what they’ve seen from him, given his analytics.
Chris Getz on Rule 5 pick Shane Drohan. pic.twitter.com/IWleuQjULF
— Daryl Van Schouwen (@CST_soxvan) December 6, 2023
The 6´3´´, 195-pound Drohan has gone 24-19 with a 4.32 ERA and 9.8 K/9 in 77 appearances (73 starts) over three career minor-league seasons. He was Boston’s final (fifth round) pick in the truncated 2020 draft, coming out of Florida State University.
Per the requirements of any Rule 5 pick, the White Sox must keep Drohan on the major league roster for all of the 2024 season or be forced to relinquish him. A year ago, the White Sox picked Nick Avila from the Giants, but returned the reliever to San Francisco before the start of the regular season.
The White Sox also picked on Boston in the minor league phase of the Rule 5:
In the minor league Rule 5, the White Sox selected RHP Jose Ramirez from the Red Sox’ Single-A Salem roster. Heard from a few scouts who expect a number of Sox players to be taken in the minor league Rule 5.
— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) December 6, 2023
Ramirez was signed at age 17 by the Red Sox and had spent his entire professional career in the Boston organization. He spent all of 2023 in Low-A Salem, where he started 20 games with a 3.80 ERA, 78 Ks and 49 walks.