Shortstop Jacob Gonzalez at No. 15 and right-hander Grant Taylor at No. 51 – The Denver Post

Jacob Gonzalez knew the Chicago White Sox had some interest.

“They were my best meeting at the combine,” Gonzalez said during a video conference Sunday. “When I met with the White Sox, they were the only team to show video of my swing and they were very interested — on the video — they wanted to know what I was trying to do in it and what they see I can do with my swing.”

Gonzalez aims to showcase that swing someday at Guaranteed Rate Field after the Sox selected the Mississippi shortstop with the No. 15 pick in the MLB draft Sunday.

“It means a lot,” he said. “It’s a small step in the long run. But it feels nice to get going in the journey.

“I felt like I got a little bit trolled by the A’s pick (at No. 6) when they said Jacob Wilson. I got my hopes up for half a second, but it was good. I had my friends and family surrounding me. They were all really supportive and very excited for me.”

The Sox drafted LSU right-hander Grant Taylor with the No. 51 pick in the second round.

“Jacob’s an elite left-handed hitter,” Sox Director of Amateur Scouting Mike Shirley said. “It’s bat control. He doesn’t swing and miss a lot. He controls the strike zone. We think the power is going to continue to evolve with him. Couldn’t be more excited to land him.

“We felt like we landed two first-rounders. Unfortunately Grant had (Tommy John) surgery in February. There were times this fall at LSU where Grant was showing us first-round ability. We feel ecstatic to land him in the second round.”

Gonzalez, 21, earned second-team All-SEC honors this year after starting all 54 games at shortstop and leading the Rebels in doubles (18) and walks (35).

He finished second on the team in batting average (.327), on-base percentage (.435) and RBIs (51) and was third in slugging percentage (.564), runs (46), hits (66) and total bases (114).

As a sophomore Gonzalez started all 65 games at short and made first-team All-SEC as Ole Miss won the College World Series. He went 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored in the title-clinching win against Oklahoma.

“My sophomore year I got a little bit pull-happy, hit more home runs (18 compared with 10 last season), but my average went down,” Gonzalez said. “The past year, I was hoping to drive the ball the other way. I’m still figuring it out now. I’m getting to where I’m driving balls over the fence in left field. Just being able to spread out the power.

“Defensively, I feel I’ve gotten way better and will continue to get better because I love to take ground balls. It’s fun to me. And getting better defensively makes me feel like I’m contributing when you’re good defensively.”

He slashed .319/.427/.561 with 43 doubles, four triples, 40 home runs, 158 RBIs and 186 runs in 186 games during three seasons at Ole Miss.

“It’s elite eye-hand coordination,” Shirley said. “This is a college guy who has the contact skills we’re looking for, the zone management we’re looking for, plus we think we can get him to more power.

“He plays above his actual tools because the instincts allow that.”

Sox scout Warren Hughes recommended the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Gonzalez, who bats left-handed and throws right-handed. The native of Glendora, Calif., was ranked No. 18 on MLB.com’s Top 250 draft prospects list.

“Jacob Gonzalez has that championship pedigree,” Shirley said. “He always plays big in big moments. That’s what we’re excited about.”

Here’s a breakdown of the Sox’s selections in the 2023 MLB draft.

• Round 1, No. 15 (bonus slot value $4,488,600): SS Jacob Gonzalez, Ole Miss
• Round 2, No. 51: RHP Grant Taylor, LSU
• Round 3, No. 84: RHP Seth Keener, Wake Forest
• Round 4, No. 116: C Calvin Harris, Ole Miss
• Round 5, No. 152: LHP Christian Oppor, Gulf Coast (Fla.) CC
• Round 6, No. 179: LHP Lucas Gordon, Texas
• Round 7, No. 209: OF George Wolkow, Downers Grove North (Ill.) HS
• Round 8, No. 239
• Round 9, No. 269:
• Round 10, No: 299:
• Round 11, No. 329:
• Round 12, No. 359:
• Round 13, No. 389:
• Round 14, No. 419:
• Round 15, No. 449:
• Round 16, No. 479:
• Round 17, No. 509:
• Round 18, No. 539:
• Round 19, No. 569:
• Round 20, No. 599:

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