CHICAGO -- The White Sox were thrilled with their 2016 Draft class, including three picks in the top 49. And apparently others have taken notice.
MLBPipeline.com's newest Top 100 prospects overall and the Top 30 for the White Sox, released on Thursday, show the newest selections made quite an impact.
Carson Fulmer still sits No. 1 for the White Sox and No. 71 overall. But catcher Zack Collins, the 10th overall Draft pick in June, ranks second for the White Sox and 97th overall, followed by RHP Spencer Adams, RHP Zack Burdi, OF Adam Engel, 3B Trey Michalczewski, RHP Alec Hansen, OF Jameson Fisher, LHP Jordan Guerrero and RHP Jordan Stephens.
Burdi (26th), Hansen (49th) and Fisher (fourth round) were also 2016 Draft selections.
"You almost have to take each individual case," director of amateur scouting Nick Hostetler said of the '16 Draft, which was his first in charge for the White Sox. "There are times where you want to get overly excited and puff out your chests and say our guys are doing great and whatnot.
"But you have to go on the flip side and point out the guys who aren't. The first thing for these guys is to get them accustomed to pro ball. They've got to get their feet wet. They have to understand what life is, doing stuff on their own, washing clothes or getting a meal, whatever it might be."
The ranking of baseball's top prospects is done by MLBPipeline.com Draft and prospect experts Jonathan Mayo, Jim Callis and Mike Rosenbaum, who compile input from industry sources, including scouts and scouting directors. It is based on analysis of players' skill sets, upsides, proximity to the Majors and potential immediate impact to their teams. Only players with rookie status are eligible for the list. The rankings follow the Collective Bargaining Agreement guidelines for which players fall under the international pool money rules: Players who were at least 23 years old when they signed and played in leagues deemed to be professional (Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Cuba) are not eligible.
Fulmer, who was the top White Sox pick in the 2015 Draft (eighth overall), currently pitches in relief for the big league squad. Fulmer sat 38th among all prospects in the preseason rankings but has struggled in the early part of his bullpen career with a 17.18 ERA through four games and 3 2/3 innings.
"The ball is jumping out of the zone," Fulmer said. "I just have to stay through the ball a little bit better and get my pitches where I want them. And obviously more reps will fix that. It's a matter of time before it clicks."
Infielder Luis Curbelo (No. 18) and outfielder Alex Call (No. 19) also cracked the White Sox Top 30 out of the 2016 Draft.