From Mississippi to pro ball: 2023 first-rounder Jacob Gonzalez makes the leap with the Chicago White Sox

Jacob Gonzalez had a full day on Sept. 16 at Guaranteed Rate Field.

The shortstop met with Chicago White Sox manager Pedro Grifol, threw a ceremonial first pitch before the team’s game against the Minnesota Twins and even swung by the gift shop.

The 2023 first-round MLB draft pick toured the ballpark he’s aiming to call the home after beginning his professional baseball journey.

Gonzalez appeared in 34 games with the Arizona Complex League White Sox (four contests) and Class A Kannapolis (30) this season.

“It was a lot of fun,” Gonzalez said. “Coming from college to the minors, it’s nice to be done with school and focus on baseball every day. I like playing every day. It’s a change of pace obviously because in college, you only play four times a week. Having games every day is fun, being able to compete every day.”

The Sox selected Gonzalez with the No. 15 pick of the MLB draft out of Mississippi on July 9. The Sox announced terms on a deal featuring a $3.9 million signing bonus on July 16 and Gonzalez was off to the minors, making his debut July 24.

“I watched some of the games,” Grifol said. “It’s good to have him part of the organization. He looks like a really good baseball player.”

Gonzalez, 21, slashed .211/.333/.260 with three doubles, one home run, 17 RBIs and 18 runs. The left-handed hitter had 23 walks and 25 strikeouts.

“Basically our philosophy back in Seattle was the first year, just let them play,” said Grifol, who was in the Mariners organization from 2000-12. “Very little instruction, just let them play and if they ask questions you answer them. Just go do your thing and enjoy it. And then in the offseason, you use all your resources to prepare for the season. Teach him it’s a long season and you’ve got to really prepare your body well for that grind.

“It’s a little different game coming from college where you’re playing three or four times a week to playing every single day. I know nowadays minor leagues have a day off on Mondays, which makes it easier. That first year is always a learning experience on and off the field, how to really get through a minor-league season, a professional season.”

Gonzalez plans to work on his defense and offense during the offseason.

“I always keep wanting to get better (defensively),” he said. “I think ground balls are a lot of fun. It’s fun to get better that way. This past season I didn’t hit that good. It’s not going to be the same. I’m going to hit better than that. Just working on how my body moves when I’m hitting and perfecting it so that it’s easier because giving yourself a disadvantage when you are hitting, there are already too many disadvantages while you are hitting.”

Gonzalez made six errors and had a .961 fielding percentage in 33 games at shortstop. He was a designated hitter in one game.

“I like to work on it and show them I can be a shortstop,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez, who is 6-foot-2, listed Texas Rangers All-Star Corey Seager, who is 6-foot-4, as an example of a taller player getting it done at shortstop.

“I always look at Corey Seager, who is (one of) the tallest shortstops right now,” Gonzalez said. “He’s doing it, so I can do it too.”

At the plate, Gonzalez slashed .327/.435/.564 with 18 doubles, 10 home runs, 51 RBIs and 46 runs in 54 games with Mississippi and earned Second Team All-SEC honors this season.

He said he took away a lot facing the quality of pitching he saw during the first go-around in the minors.

“The pitching is better than college, you don’t see the velocity all the time in college,” Gonzalez said. “Just getting used to the velocity is the biggest thing. It will come with time.”

He’s confident he’ll make the necessary adjustments.

“I’ve done it before,” said Gonzalez, a Southern California native. “Adjusted to velocity from high school to college. I know it’s in me to do it. I just have to figure it out.”