Why White Sox must ignore positional surplus with the top pick

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Chicago White Sox fans have gotten a real gift this season. While not much was expected from this club, they are currently leading the American League Central with their 47-44 record.

However, that is not all. The team was also awarded the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft.

This is a position the White Sox have not drafted in quite some time. You would have to go all the way back to 1997 when they drafted Harold Baines with the first pick.

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Why White Sox must ignore positional surplus with the top pick

For much of the high school and college season, it's been pretty clear who the top draft prospects are. It comes down to two shortstops, one in college and one in high school.

UCLA's Roch Cholowsky has been the White Sox's mock pick for plenty of analysts, while some believe Texas prep shortstop Grady Emerson is the clear first choice.

Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer couldn't choose between the two, but advises the White Sox that the top pick needs to be one of them.

"The White Sox already have a good shortstop in Colson Montgomery. And in Caleb Bonemer, their No. 1 prospect also plays shortstop. As such, do they dare buck expectations and not choose Roch Cholowsky or Grady Emerson? They could... but they shouldn't. Those two are the best prospects this class has to offer, and the White Sox don't pick against until No. 41 anyway. The best play is to take one or the other and worry about the positional surplus later."

Even with Colson Montgomery and their top prospect, Caleb Bonemer, at shortstop, Cholowsky and Emerson are too good to pass up. They would be doing themselves an injustice if they chose to pass on these two exciting draft prospects.