The Chicago White Sox have potentially added some pop by selecting Courtney Hawkins with the 13th pick of baseball’s First-Year Player Draft.
Hawkins is out of Carroll High School in Corpus Christie, Texas where he hit .457 with 10 home runs, 36 RBIs and 16 stolen bases in his senior year. He was named the Gatorade Texas high school baseball player of the year. He also pitched well, but is expected to focus on the outfield as a pro.
The 6’2”, 210 pound Hawkins did a backflip, literally, after being chosen by the Sox and then said, “I’m excited. I’m happy. It’s my dream. I’m glad the White Sox selected me. It’s surreal.”
Most baseball scouts agree that Hawkins is a top-flight prospect. “Courtney Hawkins is the best high school player I have seen in my 12 years of coaching,” said Preston Rogers, head coach at Stevens (San Antonio, Texas). “His physical ability and raw power and speed are just unbelievable. Carroll has eliminated us from the playoff three of the last four years and this kid has been a major factor in every game.”
Another scout says Hawkins is “Like most high school kids, he’s not a finished product, but he’s a student of the game and he’ll make those adjustments along the way.”
Hawkins has signed a National Letter of Intent to play baseball on an athletic scholarship at the University of Texas this fall, but is expected to sign with the White Sox instead.
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