South Side Hit Pen Top Prospect 76: Ian Dawkins

It was a shock that Dawkins wasn't promoted from Kannapolis to begin 2019 — and a bigger one that he never advanced from there last season.

Stuck in low gear: It was a shock that Dawkins wasn't promoted from Kannapolis to begin 2019 — and a bigger one that he never advanced from there last season. (@KCannonBallers)

Ian Dawkins
Center Fielder
5´11´´
195 pounds
Age: 24
SSHP rank among all center fielders in the system: 8
South Side Sox 2019 Top Prospect Ranking: 96

Ian Dawkins played his first two seasons of college ball with Chabot Junior College in his hometown of Heyward, Calif., where he put up terrific numbers. He transferred to Sacramento State for his junior season and continued to hit, with his senior season being arguably the better of his two years with the Hornets as he slashed .359/.415/.528 in 58 games with 18 doubles, six homers, 33 RBIs, eight stolen bases, 22 walks (8.0%) and 41 strikeouts (14.9%).

In part due to lacking leverage as a college senior, and also in part to his lack of significant power, he slipped to the White Sox in the 27th round of the 2018 draft. Dawkins immediately paid dividends that year, as he slashed a combined .303/.351/.390 in 65 games with Great Falls and Kannapolis with 13 doubles, three triples, 21 RBIs, 14 stolen bases, 16 walks (5.9%) and 43 strikeouts (15.8%). 

Even more surprising than Dawkins being bypassed for a promotion to Winston-Salem to begin 2019 season was that he spent the whole year in Kannapolis. In part, this had to do with the lack of movement from the Birmingham outfield contingent, which ultimately stalled advancement for the likes of Steele Walker and Dawkins. However, it may actually have just as much to do with the fact that Dawkins simply may have neither the great speed of a center fielder (despite his stolen base numbers) nor the power of a corner outfielder.

Nonetheless, Dawkins still posted a rock-solid year despite a late-season slump causing his average to dip below .300. For the year, he slashed .298/.361/.396 in 131 games with Kannapolis with 38 doubles, one triple, four homers, 36 RBIs, 23 stolen bases, 37 walks and 95 strikeouts. Dawkins should begin (finally) the 2020 season with Winston-Salem.