White Sox Select Miami Catcher Zack Collins With No. 10 Pick
By Bruce Levine--
CHICAGO (CBS) -- In need of both catching and left-handed hitting power, the Chicago White Sox selected 21-year-old Zack Collins out of the University of Miami with the 10th overall pick in the MLB amateur draft Thursday night.
The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Collins is batting .358 this season, with 13 home runs and 53 RBIs in 57 games so far in his junior year in college. He's a finalist for the Johnny Bench Award for top college catcher and a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes award given for the top college hitter.
A Pembroke Pines, Fla. native, Collins bats left-handed and is the first catcher since Mark Johnson in 1994 to be drafted in the first round by Chicago.
"There had been a lot of interest from a lot of teams," Collins said. "I didn't have a for-sure feeling they were going to pick me. I am very excited to hopefully win a national championship soon and then start my professional career."
In Collins, the White Sox said they got the man they had targeted all along.
"Extremely excited to add a player with Zack's catching ability and middle-of-the-order bat to our organization," scouting director Nick Hostetler said. "He was our number-one target since April. We are very happy he was there for our selection with the 10th pick."
Collins' team will play Boston College on Friday in Super Regionals in the NCAA Tournament.
Collins has a few favorite players who he admired and tried to emulate.
"In my youngest days, I always liked Chipper Jones – recently, Brian McCann and Buster Posey," he said. "I actually have had people tell me my swing is like Jim Thome. I know he was a White Sox player. I am just happy to be here."
With their second first-round pick, at No. 26 overall, the White Sox selected right-hander Zack Burdi out of the University of Louisville. Burdi is a native of west suburban Downers Grove.
With No. 49 overall in the second round, the White Sox took right-hander Alec Hansen of Oklahoma.
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.
