White Sox Select RHP Carson Fulmer With No. 8 Pick In MLB Amateur Draft

(CBS) The White Sox selected Vanderbilt right-hander Carson Fulmer with the eighth overall pick in the first round of the MLB amateur draft on Monday evening.

At 6-foot and 195 pounds, the 21-year-old Fulmer's a power arm who's 13-2 with a 1.82 ERA and 152 strikeouts in 114 innings this season. All 17 of his appearances were starts this season, though some talent evaluators believe his future is an a reliever.

"I definitely want to start," Fulmer said in an interview on MLB Network. "That's something I've wanted to do for a very long time.

"I just want to help the organization any way possible. If I have to go to the bullpen, so be it."

It's the third time in five years the White Sox have selected a pitcher with their first-round pick. They took Chris Sale in 2010 and Carlos Rodon last season.

Chicago got the player it wanted, scouting director Doug Laumann said. Fulmer was the SEC Player of the Year this season.

"We feel like for the second year in a row, we have been able to get the best college pitcher available in the draft," Laumann said. "He is an impressive kid who has been able to go out on Friday nights and dominate for one of the better programs in the best conference in the country.  He's won the College World Series and is now on his way back. There is always security when you draft a guy who has proven he can win and perform on the big stage whenever he is asked."

Fulmer was recommended by White Sox scout Phil Gulley.

Fulmer's junior season isn't over yet, as Vanderbilt advanced to the College World Series earlier Monday with a 4-2 win against Illinois in Game 2 of Super Regionals. Fulmer threw 6 1/3 shutout innings of four-hit ball in Saturday's win in Game 1 against the Illini.

In 2014, Fulmer took the ball for the Commodores in a winner-take-at-all Game 3 in the championship series at the College World Series. On three days rest, he went 5 1/3 innings and allowed two runs, one earned, to help Vanderbilt prevail 3-2 over Virginia for the national championship.

Fulmer was 7-1 with a 1.98 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 91 innings in 2014, when he appeared in 26 games, starting 10. He also had 10 saves then. As a freshman in 2013, he made 26 appearances, all out of the bullpen, compiling a 2.39 ERA and striking out 51 batters in 52 2/3 innings.

Fulmer is one of four finalists for the Golden Spikes Award, given to the best collegiate baseball player. He's a native of Lakeland, Fla.

The first two rounds and some compensation and competitive balance picks are being conducted Monday night, but the White Sox don't have their second-round or third-round picks because they forfeited them with the offseason signings of closer David Robertson and outfielder Melky Cabrera. Chicago next selects at No. 112 overall in the fourth round.

The third through 10th rounds will be conducted Tuesday starting at noon, while rounds 11-40 will be conducted Wednesday starting at 11 a.m.

The Diamondbacks selected Vanderbilt shortstop Dansby Swanson with the No. 1 pick.