Courtney Hawkins Stats & Scouting Report

AB	25
AVG	.16
OBP	.25
SLG	.2
HR	0

Full name Courtney James Hawkins
Born 11/12/1993 in Corpus Christi, TX
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 245 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Mary Carroll
Drafted in the 1st round (13th overall) by the Chicago White Sox in 2012 (signed for $2,475,000).

View Draft Report

Scouts have coveted Hawkins since his performance as a sophomore in the 2010 Texas 5-A state playoffs. He bombed a ball into the upper-deck home run porch at Round Rock's Dell Diamond, then earned MVP honors in the clincher as a starting pitcher. Though he can run his fastball into the low 90s, he definitely will make his living in the batter's box. Hawkins is loaded with bat speed and uses his 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame to generate exceptional leverage from the right side of the plate. He'll need to tame his maximum-effort swing, stop sitting on fastballs and improve his pitch recognition. He'll rack up some strikeouts, though they'll be a worthwhile tradeoff for his home runs. More physical than most high school players, Hawkins also brings a plus arm and solid speed to the table. A center fielder in high school, he'll likely wind up in right field as a pro. Scouts praise his instincts and makeup as well as his tools. He's the most talented member of a University of Texas recruiting class that features the five best high school prospects in the state, and a lock to sign as a mid-first-round pick.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Following his selection at No. 13 overall in 2012, Hawkins back-flipped his way into draft lore with an acrobatic backward somersault on the MLB Network telecast of the event. The White Sox rushed him to high Class A Winston-Salem as a 19-year-old in 2013, where he hit .178 with 38 percent strikeouts, but he improved dramatically at the level in 2014, ranking second in the Carolina League with 19 homers. Hawkins continued to hit for big power at Double-A Birmingham in 2015 as one of the Southern League's youngest regulars, though he was limited to 78 games by an early finger injury and then in August by plantar fasciitis in his left foot that ruled out an assignment to the Arizona Fall League. By all accounts, he improved his diet, conditioning and maturity level in 2015 under the influence of Barons manager Julio Vinas and teammates Tim Anderson and Jacob May. Hawkins has huge power to his pull side and can punish any fastball with plus bat speed. Swinging at strikes will be the key to unlocking his potential, but he's not yet discerning enough at the plate to let breaking balls off the plate go. Hawkins has decent arm strength--he also pitched in high school--but below-average speed and range that will limit him to left field. Hawkins showed up at 2015 instructional league with a new attitude after he completed the rehab from his foot injury, and that could serve him well as he repeats the SL in 2016.
Hawkins became a draft star when he back-flipped on live TV after the White Sox drafted him in 2012. He signed for $2.475 million and immediately raked as a pro, finishing his debut season at high Class A Winston-Salem--but the game isn't that easy. Hawkins hit just .178 in a return engagement in 2013 and had a third stint with Winston-Salem in 2014. Hawkins showed a stubborn streak in his brutal 2013 campaign, but he lowered his hands in his setup and opened up a bit in his stance in 2014, helping him see the ball better and cover the outside corner more than he had previously. He always will strike out a lot and still must improve at identifying and laying off breaking balls, particularly against lefthanders (.174/.271/.273). He makes more contact now and has natural plus-plus power that plays when he does. He remains a fine athlete and an average runner with a solid-average arm. He played left field rather than center and right in 2014, and that may be his long-term home. Hawkins played the entire season as a 20-year-old, so it's way too early to write him off, and his adjustments and growing aptitude encouraged the White Sox. He has the power for a corner profile if he continues to mature at the plate. He's finally headed for Double-A Birmingham in 2015.
Hawkins back-flipped his way into draft lore in 2012 when he attended the draft at MLB Network's studios and celebrated his selection by the White Sox. The former high school cheerleader then hit 10 home runs (including the playoffs) in his pro debut before a dismal first full season. Hawkins ended 2012 in the high Class A Carolina League playoffs but wasn't ready for a full season with Winston-Salem. Familiarity bred contempt in the eight-team league, as opposing coaches picked him apart. As his confidence waned and Hawkins failed to adjust his aggressive, swing-for-the-fences approach, anything other than a fastball over the plate proved very challenging. Still, the organization kept him in Winston-Salem, further exposing his immature approach. Hawkins missed a month with a left shoulder strain but showed his above-average speed and arm strength all season despite his struggles. He has plus power, especially to his pull side. He played center last season but profiles better defensively on a corner. While he fits the right-field profile, Hawkins struck out in more than 37 percent of his plate appearances, so his hitting approach needs an overhaul. Scouts outside the organization were impressed with how Hawkins kept smiling and playing hard despite his struggles, and the White Sox say the season didn't crush his spirit. He'll head back to Winston-Salem for 2014.
The White Sox didn't need Hawkins to do a backflip to show off his athleticism, but he did one anyway for the MLB Network after the Sox took him with 13th overall pick in the 2012 draft. He's a Texan with the speed and strength to be a football star, but he chose baseball and quickly became a standout. He has been a favorite of scouts since helping Carroll High of Corpus Christi win the Texas 5-A title as a sophomore in 2010, when he earned MVP honors in the clincher as a starting pitcher. The White Sox got to know Hawkins in the summer of 2011 during the Double Duty Classic at U.S. Cellular Field, an event honoring the history of Negro League baseball in Chicago. Hawkins helped Carroll get back to the 5-A final as a senior before signing for $2.475 million, the third-highest draft bonus in franchise history. He played well at three levels of pro ball, finishing the season at high Class A Winston-Salem and homering twice in the Carolina League playoffs. Hawkins has the kind of talent Chicago's system has lacked over the last decade, and the club might not have risked drafting him if not for the new restrictions on bonus spending, which White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf helped push through. Chicago hadn't taken a high school player in the first round since Kris Honel in 2001. Hawkins has tremendous bat speed, strength and leverage, which combine to give him well above-average power. As a 16-year-old, he launched a monster shot into the upper deck at Round Rock's Dell Diamond in the 2010 state playoffs. Though the White Sox pushed him aggressively in his pro debut, he homered 10 times in 66 games, counting the postseason. Hawkins' swing can get long, which contributes to his tendency to strike out a lot. He could improve as a hitter if he cut down on the effort in his swing, as his bat stays in the hitting zone for a long time. He needs to do a better job recognizing pitches, an area he focused on during instructional league. Chicago is confident that he'll be able to make those adjustments. Hawkins has solid speed and currently runs well enough to play center field, though he may lose a half-step as he continues to mature physically, which would push him to an outfield corner. He won't be a significant basestealer but runs the bases well. His fastball sat in the low 90s as a pitcher and that arm strength is a major asset in the outfield. He's a hard worker who made a quick transition to pro ball. Hawkins has the potential to become the best all-around outfielder the White Sox have produced since they drafted Mike Cameron in the 18th round of the 1991 draft, in part because he has shown the ability to grasp the subtleties of the game. Hawkins has the makings of a middle-of-the-order hitter and solid right fielder, with an outside chance of staying in center. He'll probably return to Winston-Salem to begin his first full pro season. It will be interesting to see whether an organization starved for homegrown impact players will allow him a full season at each minor league level or shortcut his development to write him into the picture in 2015, an option year in Alex Rios' contract.

Draft Prospects

Scouts have coveted Hawkins since his performance as a sophomore in the 2010 Texas 5-A state playoffs. He bombed a ball into the upper-deck home run porch at Round Rock's Dell Diamond, then earned MVP honors in the clincher as a starting pitcher. Though he can run his fastball into the low 90s, he definitely will make his living in the batter's box. Hawkins is loaded with bat speed and uses his 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame to generate exceptional leverage from the right side of the plate. He'll need to tame his maximum-effort swing, stop sitting on fastballs and improve his pitch recognition. He'll rack up some strikeouts, though they'll be a worthwhile tradeoff for his home runs. More physical than most high school players, Hawkins also brings a plus arm and solid speed to the table. A center fielder in high school, he'll likely wind up in right field as a pro. Scouts praise his instincts and makeup as well as his tools. He's the most talented member of a University of Texas recruiting class that features the five best high school prospects in the state, and a lock to sign as a mid-first-round pick.

Minor League Top Prospects

In Hawkins' second full season at Winston-Salem he improved his batting average by 71 points and his OPS by 148 while ranking second in the league with 19 home runs. "He's obviously a young man with a lot of upside power-wise," Carolina manager Scooter Tucker said. "He plays a nice left field--throws about average and does a good job tracking down flyballs." Hawkins had struggled in the CL as a 19-year-old in 2013, often wildly swinging and missing pitches. He lowered his strikeout rate and improved his walk rate in 2014, without sacrificing power, a tool that will play as at least plus in the majors, even if paired with a substandard feel to hit. "He has unbelievable power, and he's still learning how to play," Winston-Salem manager Tommy Thompson said. "He shows average major league speed with an average major league arm, but . . . he's working hard on getting his mind and body in better hitting situations."
Not much went right for Hawkins in his first full season since signing for $2.475 million as the 13th overall pick in 2012. After he split 59 games between three levels last season?including the final five in Winston-Salem?the White Sox aggressively started him back in the CL, where he was the circuit?s youngest player. Hawkins? youth showed at the plate, as his 160 strikeouts were 28 more than anyone else in the league. He appeared lost at times, chasing breaking pitches away or fastballs up in the zone, and leading scouts to question why the White Sox left him in Winston-Salem the entire season. Dash manager Newman said Hawkins? struggles were due more to a lack of pitch recognition and plate discipline?which should improve with experience?than fundamental problems with his swing. Hawkins has quick hands, and his swing isn?t particularly long, though he does rely on a lot of movement to generate above-average power. Despite contact woes, he ranked third in the league with 19 home runs and first in home runs rate (one every 20.16 at-bats). ?His bat speed is incredible,? Newman said. ?He has no idea how strong he is, and he is only going to get stronger. It?s going to be fun to watch.? Hawkins played a solid center field, showing plenty of speed and improved routes as the season progressed. He?ll likely move to right field as he continues to fill out his 6-foot-3 frame, a position he has plenty of arm and power to play.
After signing for $2.475 million as the 13th overall pick in June, Hawkins batted a cumulative .284/.324/.480 with eight homers in 229 at-bats at three minor league stops. The White Sox aggressively pushed the teenager to high Class A for the Carolina League playoffs, and he belted two homers and drove in five runs in seven games as Winston-Salem fell in the finals. "His bat speed is probably the best I've seen at this level since I've been doing this," Princeton manager Michael Johns said. "He takes a monster hack now, but when he shortens it up he has a chance to hit for more power because his bat head stays in the zone so long. I also liked that he hit offspeed pitches against us." Hawkins' work ethic and power potential are unquestioned, but if he hopes to become a more complete hitter he must learn to better identify pitch types and stop trying to pull everything. He has solid speed and can handle center field now, but most observers expect he'll move to right field in his early 20s, following the same migration made by the likes of Giancarlo Stanton and Justin Upton before him. Hawkins' range and arm strength make right field a good fit.

Top 100 Rankings

Best Tools List

Rated Best Athlete in the Chicago White Sox in 2013
Rated Best Power Hitter in the Chicago White Sox in 2013

Scouting Reports

Background: The White Sox didn't need Courtney Hawkins to do a backflip to show off his athleticism, but he did one anyway for the MLB Network after the Sox took him with 13th overall pick in the 2012 draft. He's a Texan with the speed and strength to be a football star, but he chose baseball and quickly became a standout. He has been a favorite of scouts since helping Carroll High of Corpus Christi win the Texas 5-A title as a sophomore in 2010, when he earned MVP honors in the clincher as a starting pitcher. The White Sox got to know Hawkins in the summer of 2011 during the Double Duty Classic at U.S. Cellular Field, an event honoring the history of Negro League baseball in Chicago. Hawkins helped Carroll get back to the 5-A final as a senior before signing for $2.475 million, the third-highest draft bonus in franchise history. He played well at three levels of pro ball, finishing the season at high Class A Winston-Salem and homering twice in the Carolina League playoffs. Hawkins has the kind of talent Chicago's system has lacked over the last decade, and the club might not have risked drafting him if not for the new restrictions on bonus spending, which White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf helped push through. Chicago hadn't taken a high school player in the first round since Kris Honel in 2001. Scouting Report: Hawkins has tremendous bat speed, strength and leverage, which combine to give him well above-average power. As a 16-year-old, he launched a monster shot into the upper deck at Round Rock's Dell Diamond in the 2010 state playoffs. Though the White Sox pushed him aggressively in his pro debut, he homered 10 times in 66 games, counting the postseason. Hawkins' swing can get long, which contributes to his tendency to strike out a lot. He could improve as a hitter if he cut down on the effort in his swing, as his bat stays in the hitting zone for a long time. He needs to do a better job recognizing pitches. Chicago is confident that he'll be able to make those adjustments. Hawkins has solid speed and currently runs well enough to play center field, though he may lose a half-step as he continues to mature physically, which would push him to an outfield corner. He won't be a significant basestealer but runs the bases well. His fastball sat in the low 90s as a pitcher and that arm strength is a major asset in the outfield. The Future: Hawkins has the potential to become the best all-around outfielder the White Sox have produced since Mike Cameron, in part because he has shown the ability to grasp the subtleties of the game. Hawkins has the makings of a middle-of-the-order hitter and solid right fielder, with an outside chance of staying in center. He'll probably return to Winston-Salem to begin his first full pro season. It will be interesting to see whether an organization starved for homegrown impact players will allow him a full season at each minor league level or shortcut his development to write him into the picture in 2015, an option year in Alex Rios' contract.