Reading through an article by Keith Law in The Athletic on the Top 100 Prospects in baseball, and came across this. Had no idea he had signed that kind of deal. Good for him. Baseball to me seems the hardest sport to predict in terms of future success - I'm thinking specifically of AJ Reed. By the way, Jo Adell, formerly of Ballard High in Louisville and top 10 pick of the Angels, sits at #2 on the list....
"86. Evan White, 1B, Seattle Mariners
The Mariners’ decision to sign White to a long-term contract even though he has yet to appear in the majors was something of a surprise, as he’s not the kind of potential superstar, core player with whom teams usually do that sort of thing. But it reflects Seattle’s belief in his remaining upside and the high probability that White becomes a useful regular in the short term. He’s an outstanding defensive first baseman across the board, at least a 70 there, which helps raise his floor, but the value of that contract (6 years, $24 million) will come down to White’s power. White hit 18 homers last year for Double-A Arkansas, which plays in a pitcher-friendly park; the next-highest total was 12, and White’s 18 was the second-best home run total for any Arkansas player in the last five seasons. The Mariners worked with him to elevate the ball more, in contrast with his collegiate swing, which often chopped the ball right into the ground. It’s not a big-fly-power kind of swing, but should help him hit line drives with the right launch angle to put 20-plus into the seats. He’s aggressive early in counts and could probably get to more power, at the cost of some contact, by becoming more patient and waiting for a pitch he can drive. His defense and pure hit tool, which is a 50/55 right now, makes him a near-certain regular, while that newfound power potential gives him a chance to be a half to full grade more."
"86. Evan White, 1B, Seattle Mariners
The Mariners’ decision to sign White to a long-term contract even though he has yet to appear in the majors was something of a surprise, as he’s not the kind of potential superstar, core player with whom teams usually do that sort of thing. But it reflects Seattle’s belief in his remaining upside and the high probability that White becomes a useful regular in the short term. He’s an outstanding defensive first baseman across the board, at least a 70 there, which helps raise his floor, but the value of that contract (6 years, $24 million) will come down to White’s power. White hit 18 homers last year for Double-A Arkansas, which plays in a pitcher-friendly park; the next-highest total was 12, and White’s 18 was the second-best home run total for any Arkansas player in the last five seasons. The Mariners worked with him to elevate the ball more, in contrast with his collegiate swing, which often chopped the ball right into the ground. It’s not a big-fly-power kind of swing, but should help him hit line drives with the right launch angle to put 20-plus into the seats. He’s aggressive early in counts and could probably get to more power, at the cost of some contact, by becoming more patient and waiting for a pitch he can drive. His defense and pure hit tool, which is a 50/55 right now, makes him a near-certain regular, while that newfound power potential gives him a chance to be a half to full grade more."
