Chicago White Sox prospect Zack Collins looks familiar

While the big league team is trading away its stars, Chicago White Sox prospect Zack Collins has spent his 2017 in High-A Ball hoping to take a few steps closer to the big leagues. The 22-year-old catcher and 10th overall pick from the 2016 MLB Draft isn’t having a particularly fantastic year for the Winston-Salem Dash. Through 324 trips to the plate, Collins is hitting a disappointing .222.

Before the bust label gets tattooed on him, it’s important to dive a little deeper into Collins’ performance. Though his batting average is atrocious, Collins is finding ways to get on base and knock in runs along the way.

Already, Collins has drawn 61 walks. This has provided him with a brag-worthy .372 OBP. In somewhat surprising fashion, he has four more hits than walks this season.

This is no abnormality. In his 164 plate appearances last season, Collins put his amazing eye at the plate on full display. His .244 batting average left a lot to be desired. He made up for this with a .396 OBP. Walks were a big reason for this success. In fact, he had 33 on the year compared to just 32 hits.

More from Call to the Pen

• Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
• Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
• Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
• Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
• 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals

Through the early going, the performance is reminiscent of what Toronto Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin is doing at the big league level. Martin hits for decent power, doesn’t pick up many hits, and knows how to draw a walk. The veteran backstop is hitting only .235 for the Blue Jays this season while still posting a terrific .378 OBP. This has been a familiar trend for him over the last several years with this season as the best example.

Hitting in professional baseball is about a lot more than what you do with the bat. Collins is showcasing this by his accelerated plate discipline. The great news for the White Sox is that the strike zone doesn’t change from one level to the next. Though it varies by umpires, the general rules are the same. Collins seems to have already fully grasped. Now it’s just a matter of him becoming a better player when it comes to putting the bat to the ball.

As frustrating as it is, there is a place in MLB for players like this. Cleveland Indians designated hitter and former catcher Carlos Santana is this type of player. He’ll regularly hit between .230-.250 and make up for the poor batting average by taking lots of balls.

Next: Cubs acquire Jose Quintana

Collins is in only his second professional season so there is no definite ceiling where he can reach. If the early performance is any indication, he’ll find a way to a big league roster. He won’t win a batting title or pick up an important single. Collins will, however, wear-out a pitcher and load up the bases with his patience. It’s not the priciest tool yet a somewhat priceless one more players must learn.