The last time Courtney Hawkins (pictured above) was seen in Chicago, he was participating in the 2011 Double Duty Classic at U.S. Cellular Field. A few years down the road, perhaps he'll be playing on the South Side as a professional player.

The White Sox selected Hawkins with the 13th overall pick in the MLB First-Year Player Draft on Monday. Hawkins is a 6-foot-2, 210-pound outfielder out of Carroll High School in Corpus Christi, Texas. This is an interesting choice because it's been 11 years since the Sox last selected a high school player with their first pick. (Pitcher Kris Honel in 2001 was the last.) Over the years, the Sox have "played it safe" and used their top picks to take college guys with lower ceilings and higher floors.

This time, they are taking a younger player with a higher upside than maybe some of the other guys we've seen selected through the years. Hawkins is playing center field for his high school team, but I think you'll see him move to a corner outfield spot as a professional. He's hitting .437 with 11 home runs this spring, and scouts describe him as having more power potential than any other high school player in this year's draft.

Hawkins -- a right-handed hitter -- also pitches and has a low 90s fastball, but you won't see him on the mound once he joins the Sox organization. Reports indicate he has a right fielder's arm, so there is every reason to believe that will be his position once he signs.

Like a lot of Ken Williams' draft picks, it sounds like Hawkins is going to be a guy who swings and misses a lot. He's got plus athleticism and big power, but his talent is raw. It's going to be a few years before we know whether this pick pans out. Unlike Gordon Beckham and Chris Sale, you're not going to see Hawkins ascend to the majors quickly.

Cubs also take a high school outfielder

The Cubs had the sixth overall pick, and they also selected a high school outfielder -- Albert Almora out of Mater Academy in Hialeah Gardens, Fla.

The right-handed hitting center fielder is batting .603 with six home runs, 34 RBI and 24 steals for his high school team this season. He was named USA Baseball's 2011 athlete of the year and was MVP of the 18-and-under Pan American Championships in November.

The 6-foot-2, 170-pounder is considered an outstanding defensive player with a strong, accurate arm. He has speed, so I wouldn't be surprised if he stays in center field once he signs a pro contract.

I give the Cubs' front office credit because they seem to be sticking with their long-term plan. Despite the awful play we are seeing at the big-league level from the Cubs, they were willing to take a high school kid who they think has a chance to make a big impact down the line. They resisted the temptation to take a guy who is going to get to the big leagues in a hurry. No quick fixes here.

We won't see Almora at Wrigley Field any time soon, but some scouts thought this guy was the most complete player in the draft in terms of tools. As the first pick in the Theo Epstein Era, there's little question the media and fans will place great expectations on Almora. The Cubs know this, and they say part of the reason they like Almora is his mental makeup and belief that he can handle that kind of scrutiny. We shall see.

It's always hard to say whether a baseball team has done a good job or a poor job with its draft picks. I don't follow high school baseball in Texas or Florida, and I've admittedly never seen either of these two kids play a single game. Nothing I say here should be taken as brilliant analysis, that's for damn sure. But from all the things I've read and heard, I can't argue with these picks. You take players with high ceilings in the first round and hope it all works out. It seems like that is what both Chicago teams have done tonight.