It’s rankings week at FutureSox! In addition to our regular content, some of our writers who participated in ranking the prospects will each release their individual top 30 lists to Patrons throughout the week!
TOP FIVE: NO SURPRISES
1. Andrew VAUGHN
2. Michael KOPECH
3. Garrett CROCHET
4. Nick MADRIGAL
5. Jared KELLEY
This is a redux from last year’s individual lists: I’m toeing the company line with regards to the top 5 players in the system. These five are by far the most exciting prospects in the system, and I cannot wait to see what they’re going to do in 2021. If everything works out, only Jared Kelley will be left on this list through the midseason point, and he’ll probably be the No. 1 prospect in the system, the next time we publish a Top 30, and I would be okay with that.
6-10: THE CUBAN INJECTION
6. Jonathan STIEVER
7. Matthew THOMPSON
8. Andrew DALQUIST
9. Yoelqui CESPEDES
10. Norge VERA
Last time around, I ranked Stiever ahead of Kelley, but that was before Stiever made his MLB debut and without Kelley’s impressive run in the instructional league this Fall. Therefore, I flipped them this time around. Stiever looked decent in the majors in 2020, but it felt a little soon. As was to be expected, Stiever’s performance was up and down. The talent was still visible, but he needs seasoning. I felt no reason to drop Thompson and Dalquist despite them not having pitched in 2020: the talent is still there. Cespedes and Vera are the logical duo to round out the top 10, so I’m once again sticking with our overall list.
11-15: MIX IT UP
11. Luis GONZALEZ
12. Gavin SHEETS
13. Jimmy LAMBERT
14. Blake RUTHERFORD
15. Micker ADOLFO
I’m going to alter the order of things at numbers 11-15 slightly. I get why Sheets gets a boost this year and why checks in at 11 in our overall ranking, but I’m keeping Luis Gonzalez one spot ahead of him. I’m torn on Gonzalez, because even though he received a call-up in 2020, he did not receive a lot of playing time. He does strike me as the kind of player who can stick around, and the kind of player that a manager like Tony La Russa would like if he needed to call on him. Sheets’ move to the outfield really helps the former first baseman, but not getting an invite to Schaumburg in 2020 makes me question where he stands in the org. I am excited to see where he takes his game in 2021 in Charlotte.
Lambert I moved to 13 over Rutherford/Adolfo. I understand the injury concerns with him with regards to the overall list, but he pitched in the majors in 2020 and he looked good (until he got hurt again). The strange preparation for the 2020 season makes me wonder if Lambert’s injury was just a matter of the weird ramp-up. Rutherford and Adolfo are roughly in the same spot they were last year.
16-20: POSSIBLE UPCOMING JUMPS
16. Jake BURGER
17. Zack BURDI
18. Bryan RAMOS
19. Bryce BUSH
20. Jose RODRIGUEZ
Jake Burger gets a nice little bump from staying healthy, from playing in a collegiate league, from showing up in Schaumburg and from playing well in instructs. I’m kind of hoping he takes a big step this year. He’s about to turn 25 and he really needs to get some minor league at-bats under his belt. With the Double-A season not starting until May 4, I’m hoping the Sox place him in Charlotte to get a head start on his return to pro ball.
Burdi made his MLB debut in 2020 and looked good at times, and a little too hittable at other times. The stuff is back, now he needs to find a way to not throw his high octane fastball down the middle too often. The trio Ramos/Bush/Rodriguez are, to me, in the correct order this way. Last year, I ranked Luis Gonzalez, Blake Rutherford and Micker Adolfo back-to-back-to-back. I will do the same with Ramos, Bush and Rodriguez for the foreseeable future. Ramos is currently the best player of the three, and with a good 2021, he is most in line for a big jump come mid-season.
21-25: UPSIDE
21. James BEARD
22. Benyamin BAILEY
23. DJ GLADNEY
24. Kade MCCLURE
25. Yolbert SANCHEZ
Four of these five players are in the same part of the overall list, just in a different order. I was tempted to move Bailey ahead of Beard, but I want to see the steps Beard takes this season before I do that. The athleticism is just off the charts for him. A good season for Gladney will probably bump him significantly for me as well, and I already moved Yolbert Sanchez into the top 25 too. Bernardo Flores is the No. 25 in the overall list, but as will become clear further below, that is too rich for me. McClure is the new guy on the block, based on a good showing in instructs and a mildly rising stock before that. It will be interesting to follow him this year.
Yolbert Sanchez is one of those guys who just needs to play. Not having a season in 2020 may have really hurt him, so I’m hoping a normal year puts him back on the radar.
26-30: LEFTY RELIEVERS ARE LIFE
26. Tyler JOHNSON
27. Caleb FREEMAN
28. Bernardo FLORES
29. Bailey HORN
30. Andrew PEREZ
With the exception of Johnson, I appear to like my lefty relievers at the bottom of the list. Johnson could easily have snuck in the 21-25 range, but the fact that he’s been more or less big league ready, yet did not get a call-up in 2020 makes me question what the organization wants to do with him. Freeman’s stuff is excellent, and I have been on the hype train there for a while. Definitely a guy I project to move up the list during this season.
I’m the notorious low-guy on Bernardo Flores, and I almost dropped him below Bailey Horn. The fact that Flores got a call-up to Chicago in 2020 stopped me from doing that, even though Flores simply did not look good in the two innings he pitched in the majors. Small sample size, I know, but as much as ‘the person’ Bernardo Flores looks like the complete package, I just don’t think he’s a big league pitcher. I had my doubts this time last year, and I haven’t seen anything to change my mind. There’s just not enough stuff there. I’d be surprised if he becomes a successful big league reliever in today’s game, though I hope I’m wrong.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, I’m pretty much the lone Andrew Perez believer here at FutureSox, and I’m keeping him at 30. He dominated High and Low-A ball in 2019, so I’m excited to see what he does in 2021. Chase Krogman just missed the cut for me, and that is based solely on the fact that I haven’t seen him play enough. I wouldn’t be surprised if he makes the cut next time around.
Photo credit: Clinton Cole/FutureSox