Gordon Beckham – Chicago White Sox SS

The White Sox were delighted to see Beckham fall to them at the 8th slot in the first round. The former Georgia Bulldog signed quickly and performed well in a short stint at Low-A Kannapolis. Beckham then was sent to the Arizona Fall League where he absolutely tore the cover off of the ball, hitting .394 with 3 HR 13 RBI and 20 runs scored in just 18 games. Beckham’s greatest tool is his bat, which lashes line drives to all parts of the ballpark with surprising power. Beckham works counts extremely well and has a strong feel for the strike zone. Defensively, Beckham has solid range and a good arm that should be able to keep him at SS for the White Sox in the foreseeable future. While he does not have world class speed, Beckham runs the bases with a high level of energy and intelligence which should allow for him to steal 10-15 bases each season. Beckham doesn’t have too many holes in his game, though some believe that he will need to move to 2B as he ages. All in all, Beckham is as close to a surefire MLB star as they come and he is very close to being ready to showcase his talent in a White Sox uniform.

2009 Projection: Beckham’s performance in the AFL should allow for him to get an extended look during spring training before the Sox opt to send him to AA Winston-Salem. Expect Beckham to succeed at each level he plays and he is a pretty good bet to get some mid-late season AB’s in Chicago. Beckham has the potential to be a perennial All-Star for several years to come making his 2008 Bowman Chrome Draft and Donruss Elite Extra autographs extremely valuable purchases.

Key Gordon Beckham Baseball Cards: