White Sox notes: 1st pick Collins signed, Shields, Anderson, Beck

BOSTON – The White Sox and first-round draft pick Zack Collins have agreed to terms for the full slot value of $3,380,600, a source confirmed. Collins, a 6-3, 220-pound left-handed hitting catcher batted .363 with 16 homers and 59 RBI for the University of Miami this season.

While some scouts are not convinced Collins will be a catcher, Sox scouting director Nick Hostetler is. The Sox project Collins, who walked a Division I-high 78 times and struck out 53 times, as a middle of the order bat.

The Sox, who have not announced the signing, have their top 10 picks in the fold, including No. 26 overall Zack Burdi of Downers Grove and the University Louisville. An upper-90s right-hander, Burdi signed for the full slot value of $2,128,500.

Shields’ side session ‘good’

After seeing James Shields take a pounding in each of his last four starts, including three with the Sox, most observers are skeptical of seeing anything different from Shields in the Sox vs. Sox series finale Thursday.

Ventura said Shields’ side session with pitching coach Don Cooper at Fenway Park on Monday was encouraging, although he said similar things before his last outing.

“It was good. Coop was pleased with it,’’ Ventura said. “He’s up for the challenge to figure it out. Mentally, you can get beat down to where he was. Those starts have been tough. But you’ve gotta be able to figure that out and mentally he has the ability to do that.”

Putnam to DL, Beck called up

A day after walking all three Red Sox batters he faced, White Sox right-hander Zach Putnam was placed on the 15-day disabled list with ulnar neuritis in his right elbow, and right-hander Chris Beck was recalled from AAA Charlotte.

Putnam, 28, has been one of the Sox’ more reliable pitchers in the bullpen with a 1-0 record and 2.30 ERA and 30 strikeouts over 25 relief appearances. He walked three in the ninth inning of a tie game Monday being removed in favor of Zach Duke.

Manager Robin Ventura said Putnam’s injury isn’t what has prevented him from being unavailable during a couple of recent one-week stretches.

“This is a different thing than what we were protecting him from before,” Ventura said. “The days he wasn’t available before was something different.”

Beck, 25, was 4-3 with a 4.47 ERA and 40 strikeouts over 56 1/3 innings and 15 games (seven starts) at Charlotte. His has been working out of the bullpen of late, with seven appearances and 14 innings with a 1.93 ERA.

“It’s good to be back,” Beck said. “It’s always that nightmare that you’re going to be the guy that throws one day in the big leagues and never gets back. It was nice to get the call.”

Anderson belts first career homer

Tim Anderson hit the first pitch of Tuesday’s game over the Green Monster at Fenway Park for his first career homer.

Anderson connected against right-hander Clay Buchholz, who gave up a double to Adam Eaton on the next pitch. Eaton advanced to third on Jose Abreu’s grounder to shortstop and scored on Melky Cabrera’s sacrifice fly to left.

The homer gave Anderson 13 hits in his first 11 career games. He is the fourth Sox since 1980 to record 12-plus hits in his first 10, the most recent Abreu with 12 in 2014.

Benetti goes national

Broadcaster Jason Benetti will call his first nationally-televised Major League game for ESPN on Wednesday Night Baseball when the Washington Nationals play the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.

Benetti is in his first year as a Sox play-by-play TV voice, working home games alongside Steve Stone. He has called college football, college baseball and college lacrosse telecasts for ESPN since 2011. Benetti will be joined by Doug Glanville and Rick Sutcliffe in the booth.