Mitchell report
Monday is an off-day on the schedule, but White Sox fans might want to catch another game on ESPN tonight.
That’s when Jared Mitchell and LSU play Texas in first game of the College World Series finals.
Mitchell is the guy to watch.
Earlier this month, the Sox drafted the powerfully-built outfielder in the first round (No. 23 overall).
I’ve watched him play a few times in the CWS and can state this obvious fact _ Mitchell isn’t nearly as polished as Gordon Beckham, who starred for Georgia in last year’s CWS after also being drafted by the White Sox in the first round (No. 8 overall).
Beckham made a lightning-quick jump to the South Side and is already beginning to look like something special after a sluggish start.
Say this about Mitchell _ he is a winner.
The LSU baseball team heads into tonight’s game vs. Texas (6 p.m.) with 13 straight victories and the Tigers have been ranked No. 1 for most of the season.
Mitchell also won a national championship in 2007 as a wide receiver for the LSU football team.
On a conference call with reporters after being picked by the Sox, Mitchell compared his game to Tampa Bay’s Carl Crawford.
You can definitely see the similarities with all of the tools, but this is the first year Mitchell played baseball full-time; he had spring football practice as a freshman and sophomore.
Baseball is his only sport now, and Mitchell is 4-for-10 with 2 doubles and a home run in LSU’s first three CWS games.
Understandably, he is still pretty raw, and that’s why Mitchell has been normally hitting seventh for the Tigers.
The guess here is he’ll sign with the Sox by the end of July at the latest and make his pro debut with Advanced Rookie Bristol or Great Falls.
Look for Mitchell to spend all of 2010 climbing the minor-league ladder and get a serious look from the White Sox in 2011.
While the White Sox fans are watching Jared Mitchell, Cub fans can keep an eye on LSU second baseman D.J. LeMahieu who was chosen in the 2nd round by the Cubs. Last night he had a solo HR in the during the 7th inning and then in the 9th with two outs, he hit a double that drove in two runs and tied the game up.
Mitchell wasn't idle though, he got a base hit in the 2nd inning and a two RBI triple in the 6th. The two Chicago-bound Tigers accounted for five of LSU's seven runs as the Tigers put Texas on the short end of a 7-6 score. LSU now needs one more win to take the 2009 CWS Championship while Texas must win tonight to force a final game on Wednesday.
Which of the 39 career home runs from Deion Sanders did you like best?
Scot,
If Mitchell isn't a Corey Crawford just yet, who does he remind you of? Thanks for the heads up. Looking forward to watching him.
but Mitchell kind of reminds me of Deion Sanders, who was also a two-sport athlete. Deion always seemed to be just messing around with baseball, but he hit for power, stole bases and had a strong throwing arm, just like Mitchell.
As he gains more experience, Mitchell should become a better player than Sanders and the Sox are hoping he does perfrom like Carl Crawford.