via Sean Williams/FutureSox

Top White Sox Prospects by Position: Relief Pitchers

By / / Rankings Discussion

Ah yes, relief pitchers, the top 10 everyone is looking forward to the most. Though that may not be the case, the fluctuating nature of the list and the possibility of unheralded draft picks or under-the-radar guys turning into useful big leaguers (Codi Heuer and Matt Foster say hello) make relievers one of the more fun player groups to keep track of.

That said, the reliever-cup of the White Sox organization does not exactly runneth over with potential future big league relievers. Last season, we split up the relievers in separate categories: left-handed and right-handed pitchers got their own article. This year, we decided to throw them all on one pile for 2021. Especially in the left-handed camp, injuries and the lack of a 2020 season have made choices thin. Still, we were able to compile a top 10 of talented arms that may be worth keeping an eye on during the upcoming season.

1. ZACK BURDI (RHP)

It should come as no real surprise that Zack Burdi is our top reliever. In our midseason rankings, he ranked four spots behind Jimmy Lambert. At that point, however, the latter was still considered a starting pitcher. Due to the White Sox depth at that position, we have moved Lambert into the reliever category. That allowed Burdi to overtake him in the rankings. That is not the only reason Burdi is our No. 1 relief prospect, though. He is the one reliever on this list who got the most big league time in 2020.

When the White Sox called up Burdi on August 8, the team needed a lights out arm from the bullpen. Burdi showed flashes of the stuff that made him a first-rounder in 2016 by getting through a clean debut, striking out two. He ran into some gopher issues later on in the season. Though the final stat lines aren’t anything to write home about, anyone who saw Burdi pitch could see the raw abilities. The 100 mph fastball is still there. The Nintendo slider shows up at times as well. It’s just be a matter of harnessing it all. Burdi was once considered the White Sox closer of the future. That job has been given to Liam Hendriks for the foreseeable future. Burdi will, however, likely be pitching from the White Sox bullpen in 2021, as part of a fearsome collective of White Sox relievers.

2. JIMMY LAMBERT (RHP)

As stated, this is Lambert’s debut on our reliever list. The right-hander was considered a starter up until the 2020 season and pitched as such in the minor leagues throughout his career. His stock rose substantially when the White Sox selected Lambert (and fellow rookie Codi Heuer) for the 2020 Opening Day roster as a reliever. After just two outings (2.0 IP. 2 H, 2 K, 0 BB), a forearm strain ended Lambert’s season before it began. Matt Foster was called up to replace him, and we are all aware of what he did with his opportunity.

Though Lambert pitched well in his (short) stint in Chicago, his future is cloudy to say the least. With the big league bullpen all but set, and the rotation filling out with multiple options for the Nos. 4 and 5 spots, Lambert’s chances of breaking camp with the team have diminished. Especially coming off an arm injury, it seems like he is destined to go to Charlotte to try to work his way back to the major leagues.

3. TYLER JOHNSON (RHP)

One of the more surprising names not to be called up during the abbreviated pandemic season in 2020 was Tyler Johnson. Even when the big league bullpen was aching for quality arms, Johnson was left in Schaumburg, and from all reports by no fault of his own. As James Fox wrote in the off-season, Johnson impressed in Schaumburg and was on track to make his debut had the season been longer. This became even clearer when the White Sox added Johnson to the 40-man roster in November, protecting him from the Rule 5 Draft. As Mike Rankin noticed then too: Johnson is probably major league ready and the White Sox will have to find a creative way to use him to strengthen the bullpen in 2021.

There is not much for Johnson left to prove. He has been excellent throughout his minor league career and his stuff plays. His 65-grade fastball (93-97 mph) and his still improving 55-60 grade slider give him the tools to be successful. This upcoming year should be the season Johnson graduates from this list and into the big leagues.

4. WILL KINCANON (RHP)

The first of a small army of ‘previously unranked’ relievers on this list is Will Kincanon. Kincanon has, after all, turned into an intriguing relief arm. After a largely uneventful college career, during which he posted an ERA over five as a starter, the White Sox liked the stuff and signed the rightie to an overslot deal in the 11th round. His four-pitch mix has proven to work much better as a reliever, and Kincanon has been on a steady climb up the rankings ever since, to the point that he even entered Jim Callis’ White Sox top 30 list in September of 2020, checking in at 28.

In 2019, Kincanon broke through with an excellent season in Winston-Salem. He amassed a 1.86 ERA in 58 innings and struck out 71. His deceptive delivery plays well against righties, but Kincanon has shown an increasing ability to get left-handed hitters out as well. He was Rule 5 eligible in the off-season, but despite a good 2019, the White Sox left him off the 40-man. The decision worked out, as Kincanon went unclaimed, giving him another season in the White Sox system to continue his rise on various prospect lists, starting with a stint in Birmingham.

5. CALEB FREEMAN (RHP)

As a member of the White Sox organization, Caleb Freeman has looked nothing like the complete mess he was in college. Since starting his professional career, the 2019 15th rounder out of Texas Tech, has cut his walk and hit rates in half, doubled his strikeout rate, and dominated the Arizona, Pioneer and South Atlantic League at times. For his minor league career, Freeman’s ERA now stands at 2.19 in 24.2 innings pitched, with an impressive 38 strikeouts and only 9 walks over that stretch. Opponents have hit only .170 off of him; a far cry from his days in college.

The soon-to-be 23-old made my personal What to Look Forward to White Sox Storylines in April of 2020. Due to the pandemic season, we did not get to see if Freeman’s incredible transformation has continued, but the fact that he’s turning heads as fast as he is, he is definitely a name to monitor closely as this year progresses. Freeman was recently named as one of the top 30 prospects in the system by Baseball America.

6. MCKINLEY MOORE (RHP)

McKinley Moore throws very hard and racked up 32 strikeouts in 22 innings in rookie ball to close out 2019. The 22-year-old fireballer was a 14th round pick in 2019 out of Arkansas-Little Rock. Moore is a 6-foot-6, 225-pounder who was a multi-sport athlete in high school. After signing, he posted a 4.11 FIP in the Arizona League in 19.1 innings, while averaging 12.57 K/9 and 7.9 BB/9. He rebounded after a rough start and closed out the season with Great Falls. He posted a 0.00 ERA over three innings.

Moore was likely to start the 2020 season with the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers in Low-A before the season was canceled. Scouts appear to love the high velocity arm and it will be intriguing to follow the righty during the 2021 minor league campaign. He could move up the ladder quickly in a relief role. During the pandemic season, Moore stayed in contact with White Sox coaches and he told FutureSox that he’s working hard to stay ready for action.

7. ALEC HANSEN (RHP)

Perhaps the biggest enigma of all White Sox minor league arms, is Alec Hansen. The righty, drafted in the second round of the 2016 draft, has been so incredibly up-and-down during his minor league career, that it is hard to project his future. At times he was unhittable as a starter, but after a prolonged problematic stretch he was moved to the bullpen in 2019. He pitched well as a reliever in Winston-Salem, posting a 2.13 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 12.2 innings… but he still walked seven. He was moved to Birmingham where he struggled, but not nearly as bad as his 5.45 ERA would suggest. A couple of high-run outings (including an 8-run appearance in 0.1 innings) inflated his numbers, while he also reeled off multiple clean appearances. An 8 walks per innings ratio, however, will not get you very far.

And there’s the crux: we do not know which Hansen we will get eventually. The biggest problem continues to be his mechanics, and 2021 will be another season of trying to get everything in sync for the tall right-hander. He’s got magic in his arm, but the White Sox need to find a way to get it out of him.

8. JASON BILOUS (RHP)

Generally, players who are picked on day three of a draft don’t see any top prospect lists. Yet here is Jason Bilous, and for good reason. The 13th rounder out of Coastal Carolina throws absolute gas, but still struggles with command and control of his stuff. Despite having pitched as a starter for all of his minor league career, we have moved him to our reliever list. He posted a 3.70 ERA with 9.72 K/9 in Kannapolis as a starter in 2019, and was slated to start the 2020 season in Winston-Salem. The cancellation of the season clouded his path as a starter, and his high octane stuff would play out of the bullpen very well.

The 23-year old popped up in James Fox’s What to Look Forward to White Sox Storylines in early 2020, and I guess he’ll be another name to keep track of during a potential 2021 minor league season.

9. KODI MEDEIROS (LHP)

Kodi Medeiros was our top ranked left-handed reliever in the winter of 2019/2020. It’s been a wild ride ever since for the Hawaiian who came over from Milwaukee in the Joakim Soria trade. After control problems plagued him throughout his time as a starter in the White Sox system, the organization decided to move him to the bullpen. He looked much better in his first few months as a reliever, but still was designated for assignment when the White Sox signed Edwin Encarnacion prior to the 2020 season. He cleared waivers and was placed in Charlotte, and after the minor league season was canceled, Medeiros was part of the group of pitchers whose services were requested in Schaumburg.

Still, it’s hard to foresee the 24-year-old being of consequence for the White Sox in the near future. That said, he is still only 24, so who knows what a solid year in the minors will do for him.

10. BENNETT SOUSA (LHP)

If you like strikeouts, Bennett Sousa is a guy to keep an eye on. In his last full season of minor league action, the lefty struck out 74 hitters in 65 innings across Kannapolis, Winston-Salem and Birmingham. That’s coming from a guy who posted a strikeout rate of 12+ per nine innings in his final two seasons in college. He has kept that number over 10 in his minor league career. The most encouraging part is that he has been able to keep his walk rate under control, which was a problem during his college career with Virginia.

Sousa was given a long look during Spring Training and Summer Camp in 2020. He pitched in multiple games during that time and started to turn into a name to keep an eye on. The 25-year-old ended up staying in Schaumburg during the season. In the end he just missed out on a spot in our Top 30 here at FutureSox. Sousa is one of the guys who could really benefit from a full minor league season. That season would start in Birmingham for him.

JUST MISSED

If this were a personal list, I would have found a way to put Andrew Perez in this top 10. Alas, it is not, so Perez goes on the ‘just missed’ section of the ranking. If it weren’t for injury, Hunter Schryver likely would have made this top 10. The lefty, however, underwent Tommy John surgery in early 2020. There is no real way to rank him until he’s back on a mound and throwing competitively. Ryan Burr, originally acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks for international bonus pool space is back from elbow surgery and could factor into the relief mix as well.

Jacob Lindgren suffered from not being called up in 2020, during a time where arms were needed to a point where guys like Drew Anderson were getting bullpen looks. Lindgren had looked good from mid-2019 through Spring Training 2020. He pitched in multiple games during the Summer Camp games, but didn’t make it out of Schaumburg during the season. The fact that he will turn 28 in a few weeks also did not help his cause.

Photo credit: Sean Williams / FutureSox

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2 thoughts on “Top White Sox Prospects by Position: Relief Pitchers”

  1. Kim Moline

    I’m puzzled by your statement that the White Sox cup doesn’t exactly “runneth over with future big league relievers”. I’ve been a White Sox fan for over 50 years and do not recall a time when they had more potential in their system. They brought up two very good ones last year and already have several home grown relievers on the roster. I would not be surprised to see at least three more advance this year. What other team can make that statement?

    1. Jasper Roos

      Hi Kim, thanks for your comment. The statement is based on the fact that we (the writers involved in creating these lists) struggled to put 10 names on this list of relievers we consider ‘cannot miss’ big league relievers. Like, really struggled. After the top two or three guys, there is a longer list of pitchers, all of whom are roughly in the same category, and most of them were considered ‘stretches’ to make the big leagues during the discussion. That is not to say that there cannot be one or two pitchers on this list (or outside of it) who can surprise, or that there isn’t anyone on this list we like (because we do). There are one or two candidates on this very list who could rocket into relevance fast, and Matt Foster and Codi Heuer are, indeed, prime examples of that last year. But Matt Foster was not even in our (or anytone’s) top 10 relievers last year, so it happens that a guy falls through the cracks. At this point, after Foster and Heuer’s promotion, the cup is less full. Right now, we don’t believe the farm system is exactly jam-packed with viable big league relief pitchers, no. And if three more relievers (have to) advance this year, something went wrong at the big league level. Let’s hope that’s not the case. Thanks for reading!

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