Iowan Calvin Harris to forgo senior season at Ole Miss and sign with White Sox
As Calvin Harris watched his alma mater, Western Dubuque, win its substate game Monday, his impending career as a pro baseball player felt like it was sinking in. Harris, who had been selected by the Chicago White Sox in the fourth round of the MLB Draft earlier in the day, was approached by fans who wanted to meet him or get an autograph.
“It was neat to go out there and they had a really good crowd out there actually for the game,” Harris said. “But I got to talk to a few people and a couple of people came up to me, which is really neat.”
Harris was already a well-known baseball player in eastern Iowa before, during and after high school. But his stardom has reached a new level. The hard-hitting catcher from Peosta said he plans to forgo his senior season at Ole Miss and sign with the White Sox after they selected him with the 116th overall pick during the second day of the three-day event. Harris was the first Iowan selected in this year’s draft.
“It was crazy,” Harris said. “You always dream of it happening. When it does happen, it feels pretty surreal.”
Harris earned a spot on his high school team’s varsity squad when he was an eighth-grader and was the face of the team for five years. The left-handed hitting Harris committed to Ole Miss and helped the team win a College World Series title in 2022. He made program history this season when he belted four home runs in a game.
More: Iowan Calvin Harris has prepared to become a pro baseball player his entire life
Harris is coming off a strong season that saw him lead the team in runs scored (52) and rank second in slugging percentage (.579), hits (67), home runs (12), doubles (14) and total bases (121). He entered the draft ranked as the 133rd-best prospect in the event, according to MLB.com.
While Harris said he had talked to other teams, the White Sox showed the most interest and like him behind the plate.
“I’ve had a really long history with the White Sox. And the scout we have here covering us in the Midwest, I’ve known him really well and for a long time,” Harris said.
Harris said he grew up a fan of the Chicago Cubs but attended some games on the South Side of Chicago as well. He jumped at the opportunity to join the organization.
Harris wouldn’t disclose financial details of his agreement with the White Sox. The slot value for the pick is $574,600.
Harris plans to go to Birmingham, Ala., at some point to attend a weeklong mini-camp for the team’s draft picks.
“There’s always things to work on so I’m looking forward to that and getting the opportunity to work on that stuff full-time,” Harris said.
Other Iowans drafted this week:
Marshalltown native Tate Kuehner, a pitcher from Louisville, was taken in the seventh round by the Milwaukee Brewers. Kuehner went 2-4 with a 3.99 ERA and a team-leading five saves in 2023.
Clinton native Jared Simpson, who pitched at Iowa Western and spent the 2023 season at Iowa, was taken in the eighth round by the Washington Nationals. Simpson struck out 64 hitters over 42.2 innings for the Hawkeyes in 2023.
Pleasantville native Kyle Amendt, a pitcher at Dallas Baptist, was selected in the ninth round by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Amendt went 1-1 with a 1.75 ERA for Dallas Baptist in 2023.
Urbandale native Ty Langenberg, a pitcher for Iowa, was selected in the 11th round by the Minnesota Twins. Langenberg struck out 86 hitters in 78 innings for the Hawkeyes in 2023.
Tommy Birch, the Register's sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He's the 2018 and 2020 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468. Follow him on Twitter @TommyBirch.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowan Calvin Harris to sign with White Sox after getting drafted
