The South Siders added a Northwestern infielder late in the MLB Draft.
The White Sox only had to look to Evanston to find their 19th round selection in the MLB Draft in Northwestern University shortstop Shawn Goosenberg.
He has been a three-year starter for the Wildcats, earning all-Big Ten freshman team and all-Big Ten third team honors in 2019 after slashing .288/.338/.397 with a team-high 14 doubles and just 29 strikeouts in 184 at-bats.
As a junior, the 6’1” Goosenberg had a breakout season for the Wildcats. He started to hit for power (11 home runs) and slashed an incredible .358/.417/.708 to earn all-Big Ten first team honors. He also hit nine doubles, stole six bases and struck out 25 times across 28 starts (120 at-bats). In the Cape Cop League this summer, Goosenberg hit .270/.341/.378 with a home run and 14 strikeouts in 41 plate appearances.
“He’s the best hitter I’ve ever coached,” Northwestern coach Spencer Allen said to the Daily Northwestern.
The Goose got loose!@ShawnGoosenberg hits a to walk it off for the Wildcats.#NCAABaseball x @NUCatsBaseball pic.twitter.com/yFijK4PLR6
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAACWS) April 10, 2021
While he’s seemed to figure out how to hit for power and average, Goosenberg did commit 12 errors in 28 games. That said, it could’ve simply been a down year given he had 10 errors in his first 59 career games.
Goosenberg has been a star everywhere he’s played, though. He won a gold medal with Team USA in the 2017 Maccabiah Games in Israel, where he was named the tournament MVP by hitting .529 in five games. He also won a gold medal in the 2017 USA Baseball National Team Championships.
