Chicago White Sox Take Their First Pitcher Of 2025 MLB Draft In Fifth Round

CHICAGO –– General manager Chris Getz said the White Sox were primarily focused on bats going into the 2025 MLB Draft, given the organization's pitching strength and depth, plus the difficulty of acquiring position players at the trade deadline. It played out that way, as the White Sox drafted shortstops Billy Carlson and Kyle Lodise, outfielder Jaden Fauske and catcher Landon Hodge with their first four picks.

But they were never going to neglect pitching altogether, as director of scouting Mike Shirley said it's important to not lose their strength on the pitching side over time. So in the fifth round of the 2025 MLB Draft, the White Sox selected Gabe Davis with the 137th overall pick.

Davis, 21, is a 6-foot-9 right-handed pitcher out of Oklahoma State University. He started three games and made 12 relief appearances in 2025, recording a 5.92 ERA and a 1.80 WHIP with 29 strikeouts across 24.1 innings. He missed time due to shoulder issues and a broken collarbone.

Davis is spending the 2025 summer with the Chatham Anglers of the Cape Cod League, where he's thrown eight innings with two earned runs, three hits, six walks and 10 strikeouts across his first two appearances.

He entered the draft ranked No. 147 overall and No. 41 among right-handed pitching prospects, per MLB.com, whose scouting report is included below.

"Davis has yet to put everything together at Oklahoma State, but as a 6-foot-9 right-hander who can reach triple digits with his fastball, his upside is obvious. His stuff improved and he made some progress with his control and command during his first two years with the Cowboys, but he still has a long way to go. He missed fall practice after breaking his collarbone in an off-field accident and has been roughed up this spring while losing a month to shoulder issues."

"When he's right, Davis' heater parks at 94-97 mph and touches 100 with some mild armside run, and while his size creates very steep downhill plane, his velocity doesn't overpower hitters as much as it should. He also misses bats with a tight upper-80s slider that reaches 92 mph, and he can turn it into a harder cutter. His mid-80s changeup lacks reliability but features quality fade and tumble at times."

"Carrying 234 pounds on his huge frame, Davis could add even power once he gains some projectable strength. The biggest question is whether he can keep his long limbs in sync consistently enough to locate his pitches well enough to be a starter. If he winds up in the bullpen, he has the stuff for a high-leverage role."