The White Sox provided Collins, a 2016 MLB Draft first-rounder, a 2017 launch party with an assignment to Class A Winston-Salem, with the idea that his stay in the Carolina League would likely be brief, eyeing a promotion and significant time in Double-A to close out the season. Thus far, the University of Miami product has struggled to get his bat going, striking out in 16 of his 55 plate appearances and slashing just .205/.345/.364 over that span.

To Collins’ credit, he is demonstrating an advanced approach at the plate, tracking pitches well, and showing a discerning eye for balls and strikes. The hard contact has been limited in game action, however, and his hitchy load and lengthy path to contact continue to cloud his offensive projection. At present, without significant adjustments, contact and strikeout rates – particularly as he climbs the ladder and faces more advanced arms — loom large as pitfalls that could prevent him from reaching his upside as an everyday big league bat. The raw strength and BP power is still there, but it all means little if Collins isn’t able to flex that pop come 7:00 pm.

Behind the plate, Collins still shows a clunky lower half. He’s heavy footed and struggles through his transfer on throws to second as well as routine side-to-side actions in the dirt. If a move from behind the plate becomes a serious consideration, even more pressure falls on the bat carrying the profile. While the opening to the 2017 season has not been kind to Collins’ profile, it’s still just a 50-plus at-bat sample size, and hopefully he can begin tighten up his path to contact and build some offensive momentum in the coming weeks.