White Sox Take Chance on 2025 Ohio State Pitcher in MLB Draft

Chicago announced on May 24, 2026 that it used its first selection in the eighth round of the 2025 MLB Draft to claim right‑hander Blaine Wynk from Ohio State. The move marks the only Buckeye taken that year and shows the club’s willingness to gamble on high‑velocity arms despite recent injury concerns.

Wynk entered the draft after a turbulent senior campaign in which he posted a 15.58 ERA over 8.2 innings before a shoulder issue forced an early shutdown. The White Sox, scouting him for a fastball that consistently tops 95 mph, believed the upside outweighs the limited sample size.

Chicago’s front office sees the MLB Draft as a chance to restock its rotation with raw talent. The club’s scouting department highlighted Wynk’s clean release point and spin‑rate potential, traits that often translate to major‑league success when nurtured in the minors. By targeting a player with elite velocity, the Sox hope to shorten the usual development curve that late‑round picks endure.

Blaine Wynk’s college résumé reads like a snapshot of untapped power. While his 15.58 ERA sounds alarming, advanced metrics showed a strike‑out rate above 12 per nine innings and a fastball that sat in the 95‑1197 mph range. Those numbers suggest a pitcher whose raw tools could flourish once his shoulder regains full health.

What does Wynk’s college track record reveal?

Wynk’s collegiate numbers were stark: a 15.58 ERA, 8.2 innings pitched and a shoulder injury that cut his season short. Those stats mask his underlying tools—elite velocity, a repeatable arm slot and a pitch‑tunneling profile that scouts praised. In the spring of 2025, Ohio State’s analytics staff recorded a fastball spin rate of 2,650 rpm, placing him in the top 5 % of all draft‑eligible pitchers. His secondary offerings, a mid‑90s slider and a change‑up that sits in the low‑80s, generated a whiff rate of 38 % in the limited innings he threw.

Beyond the raw numbers, Wynk’s background adds context. A native of Columbus, Ohio, he grew up a fan of the Cleveland Guardians and idolized CC Sabathia. He earned All‑Big Ten honors in 2023 after posting a 3.21 ERA and striking out 111 batters in 78 innings. The 2024 season was a breakout year in terms of velocity, with his radar gun regularly hitting 96 mph, but a lingering labrum strain began to surface in May, culminating in the season‑ending injury.

How did Chicago justify the pick?

General Manager Chris Clement emphasized “raw upside” during the post‑draft press conference, noting that the organization has a history of refining high‑velocity arms in its minor‑league system. The Sox have turned late‑round gems into rotation staples before—most notably former 8th‑round pick Lucas Giolito (2012) and 10th‑rounder Garrett Crochet (2017). Both pitchers entered the system with velocity in the 94‑95 mph range and emerged as frontline contributors after disciplined development.

According to Sports Illustrated, the club selected Wynk with the No. 226 overall pick, making him the sole Ohio State representative in the MLB Draft. The organization plans to assign him to rookie‑level ball, where he can rebuild arm strength under the watchful eye of pitching coach Matt Kelley, a former Sox minor‑league coordinator credited with developing the spin‑rate of Dylan Cease.

Historical context: the Sox and high‑velocity late‑round picks

Since the 2010s, Chicago has leaned heavily on a data‑driven scouting philosophy that prizes velocity and spin over traditional win‑loss records. In the 2015 draft, the Sox selected 9th‑rounder Ryan Hendrix, a 93‑mph right‑hander who, after two years in the minors, became a reliable swing‑man for the 2020 club. The pattern continued with 2020’s 7th‑round selection Kade McClure, whose fastball topped 97 mph and who now anchors the White Sox’s Low‑A rotation.

Analysts at Baseball America note that the Sox’s success rate for 8th‑round and later arms with a fastball above 94 mph sits at roughly 32 %, compared with a league‑average of 18 % for the same draft segment. That statistical edge gives Chicago confidence that a player like Wynk, even with a shoulder setback, is worth the modest bonus slot.

Key Developments

• Wynk was chosen 226th overall, the Sox’s first pick in the eighth round.
• He finished his college season with a 15.58 ERA across 8.2 innings before a shoulder injury ended his campaign.
• Chicago intends to start Wynk in the Gulf Coast League to monitor his rehab progress and velocity development.
• The scouting department rated his fastball at 95‑1197 mph, placing him in the top 10 % of draft‑eligible arms.
• Wynk’s decision to sign rather than transfer to another college program reflects confidence in Chicago’s development pathway.

Rehab plan and minor‑league roadmap

The White Sox have assembled a multidisciplinary rehab staff led by senior sports‑medicine physician Dr. Emily Hsu, who specializes in shoulder stabilization for pitchers. Wynk will undergo a six‑week progressive loading program that begins with rotator‑cuff strengthening, advances to weighted‑ball throwing, and culminates in live‑bat sessions once his velocity reaches 94 mph. The contract’s performance incentives—$10,000 for reaching 96 mph and $15,000 for logging 50 innings without a setback—are designed to align his recovery milestones with the organization’s timeline.

Assuming a smooth rehab, the Sox expect Wynk to pitch in the Gulf Coast League (GCL) for the remainder of the 2026 season, primarily in a limited‑innings role (up to 20 innings). In 2027, the plan is to promote him to the Low‑A Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, where he will face a higher level of competition and be tasked with refining his slider command. By mid‑2028, if his fastball consistently sits above 95 mph and his secondary pitches demonstrate 2‑strike effectiveness, a trial in High‑A Winston‑Salem could be on the table.

Strategic implications for the major‑league rotation

The White Sox finished the 2025 season 78‑84, fifth in the AL Central, and entered the offseason with a rotation that relied heavily on veterans Lance Lynn and Dylan Cease. While Cease posted a 3.45 ERA and 226 strikeouts, the club’s depth beyond the top two spots was thin, with only right‑hander Lucas Giolito offering a reliable third option.

By injecting a high‑velocity, projectable arm like Wynk into the pipeline, Chicago hopes to create a home‑grown fourth starter by 2029, freeing salary‑cap space for free‑agent acquisitions. The Sox’s analytics department, headed by Director of Player Development Nate Riedel, projects that a 95‑plus‑mph fastball reduces a pitcher’s expected ERA by 0.20 runs per nine innings when combined with a spin‑rate above 2,600 rpm, based on a five‑year study of 1,200 pitchers.

Expert analysis

Baseball‑centric writer and former Sox pitcher Chris Young wrote for The Athletic that “Wynk is a classic ‘project’—a pitcher whose raw tools eclipse his limited production. The Sox have the infrastructure to turn that rawness into a major‑league asset, but the shoulder is the wildcard.”

Former MLB scout and current ESPN analyst Jeff Passan added, “If Wynk can get back to 96 mph and stay healthy, he’ll be a 20‑game starter in the next two years. The bonus structure is clever; it pushes him to hit velocity goals without pressuring the club to rush his innings.”

What’s next for Wynk and the White Sox?

Blaine Wynk will begin his professional career in the Gulf Coast League, where the club’s rehab staff will work to restore his pre‑injury velocity. If he returns to his 95‑plus mph fastball, Chicago could fast‑track him to Low‑A by mid‑2027. The depth chart currently features veterans in the rotation, so Wynk will likely spend two full seasons polishing his secondary offerings—slider and change‑up—before challenging for a major‑league spot.

Analysts caution that high‑velocity arms with limited innings can stall if the shoulder doesn’t hold up. However, the White Sox’s track record of converting raw talent into reliable starters offers a counterpoint, making Wynk a calculated risk worth the wait.

Chicago’s front office brass also signed Wynk to a $125,000 bonus, a figure that reflects both his upside and the uncertainty surrounding his health. The contract includes performance incentives tied to velocity milestones, a detail that underscores how the club plans to reward progress.

For fans tracking the farm system, the numbers reveal that every high‑velocity prospect adds depth to a rotation that struggled to finish in the top half of the AL Central last season. Wynk’s development could be the missing piece that pushes the Sox toward a playoff run in 2028.