What To Expect: Carson Fulmer

Despite featuring a rotation led by all-stars Chris Sale and Jose Quintana, the White Sox finished the first half with a decidedly average pitching staff overall. Chicago ranked ninth in the American League with a park-adjusted 102 ERA+ because about a quarter of the team’s first-half starts not made by Sale or Quintana went to veterans Mat Latos (4.62 ERA), James Shields (7.68) and John Danks (7.25).

The White Sox will attempt to give their staff a jolt by calling up Double-A Birmingham righthander Carson Fulmer, the 2015 first-round pick from Vanderbilt. He will begin his major league career in the bullpen, where he also began his college career.

Calling up Fulmer could indicate to Chicago whether it needs to pursue a July trade for another arm. The White Sox enter the second half Friday seven games behind the Indians in the AL Central and four and a half games out of a wild-card spot.

Fulmer (eighth overall in 2015) joins a first-round-heavy White Sox staff led by Sale (13th overall in 2010) and also featuring lefthander Carlos Rodon (third overall in 2014).

SCOUTING REPORT

In a 2015 draft class light on college pitchers, Fulmer stood out from the crowd. He and eventual Rangers top pick Dillon Tate (of UC Santa Barbara) were regarded as the best of the college-pitching class, but both had transitioned from the bullpen as juniors and both faced control questions. In fact, Fulmer’s hyper, high-effort delivery—not to mention his power-oriented repertoire and short stature—had convinced many scouts that his future role lay in the bullpen.

The eighth overall pick last year, Fulmer made eight starts at high Class A Winston-Salem in his pro debut, and his stuff clearly played in the Carolina League. He struck out 10.2 per nine innings and allowed 16 hits in 22 innings, though he also walked 3.7 per nine. The White Sox worked with Fulmer in instructional league to stay tall in his delivery to maintain angle on his pitches, while also keeping his delivery in sync to find the plate as often as desired.

The lesson didn’t take right away. Fulmer struggled to stay tall and find the plate early this season at Birmingham, though he did represent a thin White Sox system at the Futures Game. (He retired the three batters he faced, two of them via strikeouts on secondary pitches.)

Through 10 starts in April and May, Fulmer recorded a 5.87 ERA, .260 opponent average and 6.7 walks per nine innings. He and the White Sox studied video footage from his Vanderbilt days to try to find the right mechanical adjustment, which turned out to be the same as it had before. The 6-foot righty simply needed to stay taller in his delivery to let his arm catch up to his body.

Fulmer looked like a different pitcher in June and July. More precisely, he looked like the pitcher the White Sox drafted a year ago. In seven starts, he recorded a 3.51 ERA, .234 opponent average and 3.7 walks per nine. He also struck out 54 batters in 41 innings as his mid-90s fastball, power curveball and fast-developing changeup began to play up when Fulmer found himself in more advantage counts.

WHAT TO EXPECT

A full-time move to the bullpen isn’t a foregone conclusion for Fulmer, though his ceiling for fantasy purposes probably would be higher if he does change roles. He has the plus stuff and strong competitive makeup to be an ace closer in the big leagues.

Despite his status as a 6-foot righthander, Fulmer has a sturdy lower half that would lend durability in a starting role. Control remains the biggest hurdle for him to clear, because while not every walk he issues will come around to score, a combination of too many free passes and too many fly balls—and Fulmer is more of a fly ball pitcher—can be deadly for starting pitchers.