Pros and cons of Chicago White Sox taking Ole Miss baseball's Calvin Harris in 2023 MLB Draft

OXFORD — Ole Miss baseball's Calvin Harris was selected by the Chicago White Sox with the 116th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2023 MLB Draft on Monday.

Harris, a native of Iowa, contributed in a utility role during the first two seasons of his Ole Miss career. He became the Rebels' full-time catcher in 2023 and broke out as a power hitter.

Harris is the second Rebel to be drafted by the White Sox, who also selected Jacob Gonzalez with their first-round choice. Harris' pick carries a slot value of $574,600.

The positives

Harris offers the kind of offensive upside behind the plate that MLB organizations often find themselves chasing.

He posted back-to-back seasons with an OPS over .900 to conclude his college career, including a .976 mark in his junior season in 2023.

Harris hit 12 home runs, up from just three last season, and became the only Ole Miss player in history to hit four homers in the same game when he did so against Missouri on May 6.

With 14 doubles as well, Harris commanded both gaps with authority. He has an uncanny ability to go the other way, with much of his left-handed production at the plate coming on pitches stroked to left field. He has all the necessary abilities to become a complete hitter at the big league level.

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The concerns

Harris comes with just one season of collegiate catching experience, which offered some room to improve. He didn't handle the running game particularly well, catching seven of 55 would-be base stealers.

With stolen bases rising after MLB's rule changes before the 2023 season began, that's an issue that will have to be resolved for Harris, who had Tommy John Surgery after he arrived on campus as a freshman.

Final thoughts

It's hard to find much to criticize in Harris' offensive game, other than perhaps his ground ball rate, which sat at 47.7% last season. If he can cut that down, he could see his power numbers grow even more.

Defensively, Harris remains a work in progress. If he can fashion himself into a serviceable professional catcher, his bat will get him to the big leagues.

David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at deckert@gannett.com or reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Chicago White Sox pick Ole Miss' Calvin Harris in 2023 MLB Draft