Crystal Ball: Lucas Giolito, RHP, Chicago White Sox

Here's a Crystal Ball, by reader request, for Chicago White Sox pitching prospect Lucas Giolito.

The Crystal Ball is NOT a PREDICTION in the sense of me saying "this is how the guy will turn out." The idea is to generate discussion about a player by presenting one possible outcome for his career, based on what we currently know about him.

I try to make them logical, based on the outcomes of players who were similar at the same stage of their career. Sometimes a CB represents a maximal outcome, sometimes it is more of a middle ground.  You can pick out the imagined injuries, trades, and free agent signings. Teams are more or less random once you get past six years.

In the case of Lucas Giolito, this CB represents a "develops into a workhorse starter" outcome, which may ultimately be the direction he goes. A "develops into an ace" outcome (still quite plausible) would have more strikeouts and fewer walks and more consistent dominance. The outcome where he shreds his shoulder and is retired by age 30 isn't worth writing up.