White Sox select shortstop Tim Anderson with their first pick of the 2013 MLB Draft

CHICAGO - The Chicago White Sox selected shortstop Tim Anderson out of East Central Community College in Decatur, Miss., with their first pick (17th overall) in tonight's Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

Anderson, a 19-year-old sophomore, was named a First-Team NJCAA Division II All-American in 2013 after leading the nation with a .495 (91-184) average and 62 runs scored while finishing second with 41 stolen bases.

The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Anderson added 10 homers, 11 triples, 18 doubles, 45 RBI, a .563 on-base and .864 slugging percentage for the Diamond Warriors this season. 

Anderson, who bats and throws right-handed, is a finalist for the NJCAA Division II Player of the Year award and was rated by Baseball America as the second-best shortstop prospect in the 2013 draft. As a freshman in 2012, he was successful on all 30 stolen base attempts.

"Tim is a very athletic player who, although we didn't target a specific position, certainly fits a need in the middle of the diamond", said Doug Laumann, White Sox director of amateur scouting. "He is an exciting top-of-the-order type player who is a game-changer with great ability to create offense at a key position on the field. Tim was the best player available, and we couldn't be more happy."

Prior to being drafted by Chicago, Anderson signed a National Letter of Intent to play baseball at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. He is a product of Hillcrest High School in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Anderson joins outfielders Courtney Hawkins (2012, 13th overall) and Keenyn Walker (2011, 47th), left-handed pitcher Chris Sale (2010, 13th), outfielder Jared Mitchell (2009, 23rd) and infielder Gordon Beckham (2008, 8th) as the White Sox most recent first selections in the draft. 

Anderson was recommended by White Sox scout Warren Hughes.