This is the 5th entry in our 2nd annual off-season article series here at FutureSox separate from our twice annual top 30 White Sox prospects list. We list the top five or ten minor leaguers in the White Sox’s system at each position on the field.
Similar to the editions on right handed relievers and left handed relievers, this list ranks the top five first basemen in the White Sox system. This group features two prospects who made our Midseason Top 30 list and is somewhat top heavy, but there are some interesting names that are currently making their way through the lower levels of the minors.
1. Andrew Vaughn, ranked 4th overall, last level A+
When the White Sox took Andrew Vaughn with the third overall selection in the 2019 MLB Draft, it was clear that Vaughn was not only going to be the top first baseman in the organization’s farm system, but also one of the top first baseman throughout all of the minor leagues. So having Vaughn at the top of this list was a no brainer.
He debuted in the AZL where he tore up opposing pitchers, which was expected considering he was rated as one of the best pure hitters in his draft class. Leading into the draft, there was some concern that Vaughn might not be able to put together some of the power numbers he had at Cal when switching to the use of a wood bat full-time, but after his first season in the organization, he showed that the transition to pro ball was not too much to handle.
Andrew Vaughn played in 55 total games at three different affiliates in 2019, where he put together a combined slash line of .278/.384/.449 with 17 doubles, 6 home runs, 36 RBI, 30 walks, and 38 strikeouts. After playing a full season of college ball that extended into the postseason, Vaughn came to the White Sox organization and did everything fans could ask for. He continued to show the ability of getting on base at an above average clip, had very productive at-bats where he would work deep into counts and wait for his pitch, showed that his power can translate to pro ball, and he nearly matched his strikeout total with walks.
Scouts mentioned that Vaughn could be a fast riser due to his overall hit tool, so it was no surprise to see him play at three different levels in 2019. This season should be more of the same for Vaughn, barring any unforeseen circumstances. He should spend quite a bit of time at AA Birmingham in 2020, which will be the first big test of his professional career.
Andrew Vaughn was recently named the 16th overall prospect in the sport according to MLB Pipeline in addition to being the #1 first base prospect in baseball. The folks at Baseball America listed Vaughn as the #30 prospect in baseball in their recent update.
2. Gavin Sheets, ranked 16th overall, last level AA
Gavin Sheets spent all of 2019 with the Birmingham Barons where he slashed .267/.345/.414 with 18 doubles, 16 home runs, 83 RBI, 54 walks, 99 strikeouts, and a 122 wRC+ in 126 games. When a player has a 6’4″, 230-lbs frame, you would expect that to be someone who brings a lot of power to the plate.
Prior to 2019, Sheets did not display much in-game power which was frustrating for someone of that size. However, last season he finally tapped into that potential and he did it in a league that has been devastating to a lot of hitters. Obviously White Sox fans are happy with this development, but doing it in the Southern League makes it even more impressive.
Sheets’ 83 RBIs led all Southern League hitters, and he finished near the top of the list in home runs and on-base percentage. After the 2019 season, Sheets went on to play in the Arizona Fall League where he was the primary first baseman for the Glendale Desert Dogs.
Sheets struggles at times, but that was a common theme among all White Sox participants. His future role with the team is still a bit foggy with Andrew Vaughn set to handle the duties at first base when he hits the majors. However, having a left-handed power bat with the ability to get on-base could be valuable as a bench option for the team down the road.
3. Harvin Mendoza, previously unranked, last level Rk (Great Falls)
The White Sox signed Mendoza for $300K back in 2015 and he spent the next two seasons with the DSL affiliate. Mendoza’s recent performance in the AZL (2018) and at Great Falls last year has him making a name for himself and makes him a solid choice as the third best first baseman within the organization.
Even though Mendoza was slightly older than most of his competition in the AZL, the soon to be 21-year-old showed that his AZL performance wasn’t a fluke by putting together another successful season in 2019, but this time it was with Great Falls. In 62 games with the Voyagers, the lefty slashed .278/.362/.457 with 17 doubles, 6 home runs, 29 RBI, 27 walks, and 49 strikeouts.
Mendoza posted a .360 wOBA and 114 wRC+ in 2019, continuing a trend where he’s posted above average numbers in those categories for each season thus far. Scouts say Mendoza has an advanced plate approach and the potential to develop power, but he currently hits a lot of ground balls (43.4 GB% in 2019) which is hampering that development. Scouts also mentioned that his thicker frame (6’2″, 185-lbs) likely have him sticking at first base and he needs to increase his mobility if he wants to improve his defense.
In 2020, he will be matching up against players that are much closer to his age and some that are older. His development has been impressive for a $300K international signing. He’s gotten by with a high ground ball rate at this point, but if he wants to continue to make a name for himself then he will have to start turning those grounders into more line drives and fly balls.
4. Corey Zangari, previously unranked, last level A
Corey Zangari has been with the White Sox organization since 2015 and has not been able to make it past Kannapolis, in large part due to the various injuries he’s dealt with throughout his career.
Our Ken Sawilchik spoke to Zangari about battling back and dealing with the mental aspect of injuries. In 2019, Zangari played in 85 games for the Intimidators, now known as the Cannon Ballers, which was the most games he played in since 2016. Last season, Zangari slashed .203/.314/.428 with 18 doubles, 15 home runs, 44 walks, and 115 strikeouts. He posted a .224 ISO in 2019, showing that despite all the injuries, the ability to hit for power and extra bases is still there.
Health has been the biggest derailment of Zangari’s career thus far. However, in 2019 he only had a few hiccups along the way and seems to finally be at a point where he’s healthy again. He’s shown some promising pop in his bat when given an opportunity and despite missing a lot of time to start his pro career, he’s still only 22-years-old with plenty of time left to grow and develop. Hopefully his trend of good health in 2019 is something we see more of moving forward because having his bat in the lineup will be a benefit to any team and I’d like to see what he can do playing at higher affiliates.
5. Sam Abbott, previously unranked, last level Rk (Great Falls)
If you would’ve asked Sam Abbott in high school if he imagined he would be at this point where he would be considered one of the top first baseman in an organization, he probably would’ve thought you were crazy.
The 6’4″, 225-lbs left-handed hitter out of Curtis High School was committed to play water polo at Long Beach State before the White Sox selected him in the 8th round of the 2017 MLB Draft. It was a last minute decision for him to waive his commitment and join the White Sox organization, but so far it seems like he made a good choice.
Abbott spent all of 2019 with the Great Falls Voyagers where he slashed .238/.355/.459 with 13 doubles, 9 home runs, 27 RBI, 26 walks, and 79 strikeouts. He spent the previous two seasons with the AZL affiliate where he had some struggles, but now he seems to be developing in the way the White Sox hoped he would when they selected him in the draft.
White Sox scouts noted that given Abbott’s unique background, his development path might be longer than some of his peers, but they liked the potential that they saw in his bat. In 2019, he tripled his home run total from the previous two seasons combined and it seems like he’s becoming more comfortable, even though he continues to play against tougher competition. He will be someone to keep an eye on when he plays above rookie level baseball, which we should see during the 2020 season.
Others receiving votes: Tyler Osik
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