White Sox Sign First-Round Pick Carlos Rodon

CHICAGO - The Chicago White Sox signed left-hander Carlos Rodon, their first-round pick (third overall) in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft, to a minor-league contract with a $6.582-million signing bonus.

Rodon, a 21-year-old junior, was named First Team All-Atlantic Coast Conference in 2014 after going 6-7 with a 2.01 ERA (22 ER/98.2 IP), three complete games, 117 strikeouts and a .229 opponents average over 14 starts with North Carolina State University. 

Rodon ranked among the Division I leaders in strikeouts (ninth) and strikeouts per 9.0 IP (10th, 10.67) and was named to the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award watch list for the third straight season. 

The 6-foot-3, 235-pound Rodon entered the draft ranked by Baseball America as the No.1 college prospect and the No. 3 prospect overall and by MLB.com as the No. 2 overall prospect.

Following his sophomore season, Rodon was honored as the USA Baseball Player of the Year and was named a Second Team All-American by Louisville Slugger. He went 25-10 with a 2.24 ERA (86 ER/345.2 IP), eight complete games, 436 strikeouts and a .201 opponent average over his three-year career at N.C. State. 

The left-hander is a two-time selection to USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team. He tossed 6.2 scoreless IP and allowed just two hits with 11 strikeouts in a win over Cuba in the 2013 World Cup tournament.

Rodon was recommended by White Sox scout Abe Fernandez.