Gavin Sheets

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Chicago White Sox #12 prospect in 2021
  Hitting: 45. Power: 55. Running: 45. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Sheets zoomed up draft boards after a power surge during his junior year, hitting 21 home runs in 240 at-bats for Wake Forest. The White Sox drafted him 49th overall and signed him for $2 million. Sheets' power didn't show up initially as a pro, leading some to believe it might have been a mirage, but he broke out in 2019 with 16 homers at Double-A Birmingham and seemed prime for even further gains in 2020.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Sheets used the coronavirus shutdown to get in better shape, and the White Sox saw enough athleticism to try him in left field at instructional league. Outside scouts who saw him at the position believe it is a legitimate option. In the box, Sheets continued working to utilize his lower half more in his swing, and the results are some of the best exit velocities in the organization and a newfound ability to pull offspeed pitches with authority. He does better on pitches in the upper half of the zone, and working to do damage on pitches in all parts of the zone will be his next step.
  
  THE FUTURE: With left field now an option, Sheets has a clearer path to the big leagues because he was behind top prospect Andrew Vaughn on the first base depth chart. He'll open 2021 at Triple-A.
• 
  Ranked Chicago White Sox #14 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: A campaign with 21 home runs in his junior season at Wake Forest led the White Sox to draft Sheets with their second-round pick in 2017. Sheets—the son of former big leaguer Larry Sheets—struggled to replicate that power in his first two years as a pro. He hit just six home runs in a full season at high Class A Winston-Salem, which plays its home games just minutes from Sheets' alma mater. Despite the park's inviting short porch in right field, just two of Sheets' 2018 home runs came at home.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Just as things were looking grim in his first season at Double-A, Sheets made an adjustment that unlocked the power he'll need to profile at first base. A suggestion from Birmingham hitting coach Charles Poe and White Sox hitting coordinator Mike Gellinger got Sheets to use his lower half more effectively in his swing, and the change produced stark results. His second-half OPS jumped 190 points, from .665 to .855, and helped him finish with more home runs (16) than he'd hit in the previous 641 at-bats over two seasons. Scouts are still somewhat skeptical because of an uppercut swing path and an all-or-nothing approach that might turn him into a one-trick pony, but the last two months of the season were just what Sheets needed to rebuild some of his prospect sheen.
  
  THE FUTURE: Sheets has the profile of a second-division regular with power as his calling card.
• 
  Ranked Chicago White Sox #14 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: After hitting 11 home runs in his freshman and sophomore seasons at Wake Forest, Sheets nearly doubled that total by swatting 21 in his junior season. That power surge prompted the White Sox to draft him in the second round and sign him for $2 million. He did not meet expectations as a pro, and his .397 slugging percentage was a bit eyebrow-raising considering what he’d done in college.
  
  Scouting Report: Sheets’ rough pro debut was a precursor to his first full year. He hit just six home runs in 2018, none of which came after May 23. The White Sox worked with Sheets on his mechanics at the plate, including adjustments to the way his hands worked through the zone and some tweaks designed to incorporate his lower half more so his bat path can become more uphill. Opposing scouts saw plus raw power in batting practice, but also noticed exploitable holes in his swing inside and up during games. He’s an average defender at first base with an average arm, but is also a well below-average runner.
  
  The Future: Sheets is likely to move to Double-A Birmingham in 2019, where he’ll continue to work to unlock the power he’ll need to profile at first base.
• 
  Ranked Chicago White Sox #9 prospect in 2018
  The son of former Orioles slugger Larry Sheets, Gavin Sheets hit 11 home runs combined during his first two seasons at Wake Forest but erupted for 21 homers as a junior in 2017. His power burst carried the Demon Deacons to the Super Regionals, and the White Sox grabbed him with their second-round pick, No. 49 overall, and signed him for $2 million. After a long college season Sheets was a bit fatigued when he made his pro debut, mostly with low Class A Kannapolis, but still showed impressive hitting ability. Sheets has a leveraged swing with plus raw power, but evaluators note he will have to be more selective with pitches in the zone as a pro to find ways to do damage. He rarely chases out of the zone and posts promising strikeout-to-walk marks for a power hitter. Defensively, Sheets moves well for a big man and is a solid defender at first base with average range and an average throwing arm. Some scouts see Sheets as a hitter in the mold of a Lucas Duda at the highest level. He will move to high Class A Winston-Salem in 2018 and try to continue slugging in one of the better hitters' parks in the country.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #65 prospect in 2017 draft
  Sheets is the son of former big leaguer Larry Sheets, who played most notably with the Orioles from 1984 to 1989 and had a 31-homer season in '87. Like his father, Gavin's carrying tool is his power, which has blossomed in his junior year at Wake Forest. In the absence of Will Craig--drafted in the first round by the Pirates last year--Sheets took over the mantle as Wake Forest's middle-of-the-order thumper. He hit 18 home runs while slashing .316/.414/.648 in his first 196 at-bats this spring after hitting just nine homers all of last year. While scouts believe in his power, Sheets' biggest question mark is whether or not he'll hit consistently enough to tap into it. To his credit, Sheets has improved his discipline at the plate, rarely chasing outside of the zone. He had 30 strikeouts to 35 walks heading into the final week of the season. The team that takes Sheets will have to be convicted on his hit tool. As far as defense, Sheets is a steady defender who has improved his lateral movement and is noticeably looser this spring. He should be able to handle first base and, if he can hit consistently enough, should have enough power for the position as well.

• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 45. Power: 55. Running: 45. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Sheets zoomed up draft boards after a power surge during his junior year, hitting 21 home runs in 240 at-bats for Wake Forest. The White Sox drafted him 49th overall and signed him for $2 million. Sheets' power didn't show up initially as a pro, leading some to believe it might have been a mirage, but he broke out in 2019 with 16 homers at Double-A Birmingham and seemed prime for even further gains in 2020.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Sheets used the coronavirus shutdown to get in better shape, and the White Sox saw enough athleticism to try him in left field at instructional league. Outside scouts who saw him at the position believe it is a legitimate option. In the box, Sheets continued working to utilize his lower half more in his swing, and the results are some of the best exit velocities in the organization and a newfound ability to pull offspeed pitches with authority. He does better on pitches in the upper half of the zone, and working to do damage on pitches in all parts of the zone will be his next step.
  
  THE FUTURE: With left field now an option, Sheets has a clearer path to the big leagues because he was behind top prospect Andrew Vaughn on the first base depth chart. He'll open 2021 at Triple-A.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 45. Power: 55. Running: 45. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Sheets zoomed up draft boards after a power surge during his junior year, hitting 21 home runs in 240 at-bats for Wake Forest. The White Sox drafted him 49th overall and signed him for $2 million. Sheets' power didn't show up initially as a pro, leading some to believe it might have been a mirage, but he broke out in 2019 with 16 homers at Double-A Birmingham and seemed prime for even further gains in 2020.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Sheets used the coronavirus shutdown to get in better shape, and the White Sox saw enough athleticism to try him in left field at instructional league. Outside scouts who saw him at the position believe it is a legitimate option. In the box, Sheets continued working to utilize his lower half more in his swing, and the results are some of the best exit velocities in the organization and a newfound ability to pull offspeed pitches with authority. He does better on pitches in the upper half of the zone, and working to do damage on pitches in all parts of the zone will be his next step.
  
  THE FUTURE: With left field now an option, Sheets has a clearer path to the big leagues because he was behind top prospect Andrew Vaughn on the first base depth chart. He'll open 2021 at Triple-A.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 45. Power: 55. Running: 45. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Sheets zoomed up draft boards after a power surge during his junior year, hitting 21 home runs in 240 at-bats for Wake Forest. The White Sox drafted him 49th overall and signed him for $2 million. Sheets' power didn't show up initially as a pro, leading some to believe it might have been a mirage, but he broke out in 2019 with 16 homers at Double-A Birmingham and seemed prime for even further gains in 2020.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Sheets used the coronavirus shutdown to get in better shape, and the White Sox saw enough athleticism to try him in left field at instructional league. Outside scouts who saw him at the position believe it is a legitimate option. In the box, Sheets continued working to utilize his lower half more in his swing, and the results are some of the best exit velocities in the organization and a newfound ability to pull offspeed pitches with authority. He does better on pitches in the upper half of the zone, and working to do damage on pitches in all parts of the zone will be his next step.
  
  THE FUTURE: With left field now an option, Sheets has a clearer path to the big leagues because he was behind top prospect Andrew Vaughn on the first base depth chart. He'll open 2021 at Triple-A.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: A campaign with 21 home runs in his junior season at Wake Forest led the White Sox to draft Sheets with their second-round pick in 2017. Sheets—the son of former big leaguer Larry Sheets—struggled to replicate that power in his first two years as a pro. He hit just six home runs in a full season at high Class A Winston-Salem, which plays its home games just minutes from Sheets’ alma mater. Despite the park’s inviting short porch in right field, just two of Sheets’ 2018 home runs came at home.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Just as things were looking grim in his first season at Double-A, Sheets made an adjustment that unlocked the power he’ll need to profile at first base. A suggestion from Birmingham hitting coach Charles Poe and White Sox hitting coordinator Mike Gellinger got Sheets to use his lower half more effectively in his swing, and the change produced stark results. His second-half OPS jumped 190 points, from .665 to .855, and helped him finish with more home runs (16) than he’d hit in the BA GRADE 50 Risk: Very High BA GRADE 45 Risk: High previous 641 at-bats over two seasons. Scouts are still somewhat skeptical because of an uppercut swing path and an all-or-nothing approach that might turn him into a one-trick pony, but the last two months of the season were just what Sheets needed to rebuild some of his prospect sheen.
  
  THE FUTURE: Sheets has the profile of a second-division regular with power as his calling card.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: A campaign with 21 home runs in his junior season at Wake Forest led the White Sox to draft Sheets with their second-round pick in 2017. Sheets—the son of former big leaguer Larry Sheets—struggled to replicate that power in his first two years as a pro. He hit just six home runs in a full season at high Class A Winston-Salem, which plays its home games just minutes from Sheets' alma mater. Despite the park's inviting short porch in right field, just two of Sheets' 2018 home runs came at home.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Just as things were looking grim in his first season at Double-A, Sheets made an adjustment that unlocked the power he'll need to profile at first base. A suggestion from Birmingham hitting coach Charles Poe and White Sox hitting coordinator Mike Gellinger got Sheets to use his lower half more effectively in his swing, and the change produced stark results. His second-half OPS jumped 190 points, from .665 to .855, and helped him finish with more home runs (16) than he'd hit in the previous 641 at-bats over two seasons. Scouts are still somewhat skeptical because of an uppercut swing path and an all-or-nothing approach that might turn him into a one-trick pony, but the last two months of the season were just what Sheets needed to rebuild some of his prospect sheen.
  
  THE FUTURE: Sheets has the profile of a second-division regular with power as his calling card.
• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  Track Record: The son of former Orioles slugger Larry Sheets, Gavin hit 11 home runs combined his first two seasons at Wake Forest but erupted for 21 as a junior in 2017. His power burst carried the Demon Deacons to Super Regionals, and the White Sox grabbed him with their second-round pick and signed him for $2 million. Scouting Report: After a long college season, Sheets was a bit fatigued when he made his pro debut, which he spent mostly at low Class A Kannapolis. Still, he showed impressive hitting ability. Sheets has a leveraged swing with plus raw power, but evaluators note he will have to be more selective with pitches in the zone to find ways to do damage. He rarely chases out of the zone and posts promising strikeout-to-walk marks for a power hitter. Defensively, Sheets moves well for a big man and is a solid defender at first base with average range and an average throwing arm. The Future: Some scouts see Sheets as a hitter in the mold of Lucas Duda at the highest level. He will move to high Class A Winston-Salem in 2018 and try to continue slugging in one of the better hitter's parks in the country.