White Sox draft pick George Wolkow welcomes comparisons to Aaron Judge
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The White Sox might have gotten one of the biggest steals in the Major League Baseball Draft with their 7th round pick last week, emphasis on big.
The White Sox selected Downers Grove North's George Wolkow, who might have as much potential as anyone in this year's class.
Wolkow, like any other player would be, was thrilled to hear his name called in the MLB Draft, especially when it was the White Sox calling the Downers Grove native.
"Dream come true, really. I think it's really kind of awesome that it was a hometown team," he said.
Of course, Wolkow isn't like most other players. For one thing, he's 6-foot-7, and just a shade under 240 pounds. He's also only 17 years old, making him one of the youngest players in this year's draft.
"Obviously there's going to be a lot of struggle, a lot of adversity, but at the same time, there's going to be a lot of growth," he said. "Being 17 in pro ball there's so much more room for development than maybe a guy going it at 20 or 21. So, for me, it's just exciting," he said.
Wolkow actually reclassified to graduate from Downers Grove North a year early. It's a move that meant giving up some of the normal high school life activities, but he's all about sacrificing for that bigger goal.
"Waking up at 5 a.m. to go lift with a buddy, and then going to school, and then having basketball practices after, and then going to the cages until nine or ten at night; I say I want to be a Hall of Famer, so maybe going out on a Friday or Saturday night when I could have an opportunity to be getting better, I think that's just sacrifices that subconsciously I make," he said.
All that hard work is paying off. At the MLB Draft combine in Arizona last month, Wolkow had the highest exit velocity among the 300-plus prospects there, and one of the longest home runs, but he's not all about that power.
"I think I can hit a ball farther or harder than anybody in the draft, selfishly, but I can hit the ball to all fields; and I think being athletic is something I train for, and I want to be in the end. So it kind of helps me to play center field or stick at third base," he said.
Wolkow also got a taste of what minor league life is like this summer, playing for the Green Bay Rockers of the Northwoods League, a wood bat league that's usually for college players.
"Guys kind of took me under their wing, and they knew the situation I was in and my goals. So, they wanted to help get me there. Overall the experience was unbelievable; kind of helped me make that jump from high school to pro ball, and start to mature, and kind of just grow up," Wolkow said.
It was there that Wolkow got a nickname that just might stick, given his combo of size and power.
"They call me Aaron George. So I definitely get that. I kind of want to be that next Aaron Judge. For me, just kind of use that as motivation," he said.
As if motivation is something Wolkow needs any more of.
While Wolkow might resemble Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, he said he models his game after Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper, who left high school two years early to start his pro career, and that worked out pretty well.
