Welcome to rankings week at FutureSox! This week, in addition to releasing out preseason top 30 list, we will be releasing our writers individual top 30 lists for Patreon subscribers.
With no minor league season in 2020, and only having reports from the alternate site and instructs, it was difficult to make adjustments throughout the middle to backend of the list. Here’s a look at my top 30 prospects in the White Sox system, heading into the 2021 season.
1. Andrew Vaughn
2. Michael Kopech
3. Garrett Crochet
4. Nick Madrigal
5. Jared Kelley
The top five prospects in the White Sox system were pretty easy to determine. Garrett Crochet is sliding towards the top of the list and is now higher than Nick Madrigal for a few reasons. For one, I believe Crochet has a higher floor, which involves being used out of the bullpen in his case. Additionally, if all goes well with Crochet’s development and he’s eventually stretched out into a starter, then he has a higher ceiling than Madrigal as well. This was the toughest determination between the top five prospects, but I gave the edge to Crochet.
6. Jonathan Stiever
7. Matthew Thompson
8. Andrew Dalquist
9. Yoelqui Cespedes
10. Norge Vera
Newcomer Yoelqui Cespedes slots in at 10 for his first ranking as a member of the White Sox organization. For Cespedes, speed and defense are two tools that he should carryover with ease. His offensive game needs some work still, however, with the muscle he’s added during his time off, it will be interesting to see if he starts developing more power in his game. With that, I feel like Cespedes being ranked ninth is fair for now, and he will have a good opportunity to move up. Norge Vera hasn’t officially signed with the White Sox yet, but he’s been compared to Matthew Thompson and Andrew Dalquist when they were brought into the organization.
11. Gavin Sheets
12. Luis Gonzalez
13. Blake Rutherford
14. Jimmy Lambert
15. Bryan Ramos
This is the section of the list where the logjam of outfielders begins. Gavin Sheets has been testing out the outfield and is coming into camp in much better shape. When considering those factors, I believe Sheets deserves to be ahead of the rest. Time will tell if he can handle the outfield defensively. However, I’d take his bat over the other outfielders and factoring in that he is a lefty is a big plus too.
Luis Gonzalez has the edge over Blake Rutherford due to Gonzalez’s ability to play multiple spots defensively. Rutherford, however, added muscle heading into what would’ve been the 2020 season. With that and likely a ticket to Charlotte, Rutherford should see a bit of a power jump during the 2021 season and is someone worth monitoring.
16. Micker Adolfo
17. Jake Burger
18. Zack Burdi
19. Bryce Bush
20. James Beard
It’s been a rough couple of years, dealing with various injuries for Micker Adolfo. He has tools to like. However, after seeing him during his rehab stint in the AZL, shortly after in the Arizona Fall League, and then the following spring training, he was struggling. At the plate, you could tell that his timing was off. That’s typical for someone who has had to miss extended time and unfortunately, that seems to be an ongoing case with Adolfo. If he stays healthy and stays on the field, he can quickly rise up this list. For now, I think it’s justifiable to move him down a bit.
Personally, I’m very high on James Beard. He’s definitely a project, but there’s a lot to like about his game. His first taste of professional baseball was a struggle, but the speed is real and he showed a little bit of pop during his time in the AZL. It’s going to take some time for him to put it all together, but if he does he can turn himself into a very intriguing prospect with a lot of upside.
21. Jose Rodriguez
22. Benyamin Bailey
23. Kade McClure
24. Tyler Johnson
25. DJ Gladney
Jose Rodriguez lit the AZL on fire in 2019 and his development will be fascinating as he likely makes a jump to a full season affiliate in 2021. He’s shown a lot of pop for a smaller frame, setting the AZL White Sox single-season home run record with nine in 2019. Benyamin Bailey put up incredible numbers in the Dominican Summer League as a 17-year-old. And while he’s currently listed at 22, there’s potential for him to climb up my list by following up 2019 with an impressive showing in 2021 against more difficult competition.
26. Yolbert Sanchez
27. Bernardo Flores
28. Bailey Horn
29. Chase Krogman
30. Yoelvin Silven
The loss of the 2020 season really hurt the stock of Yolbert Sanchez in my opinion. He will be 24 years old before the 2021 season starts and he hasn’t played above the Dominican Summer League. Defensively, scouts mentioned that he had a major league ready glove at the time of his signing. Offensively, he needed a lot of work. Being that old with that little experience is tough, but his glove still makes him a valuable prospect as of now.
Both Chase Krogman and Yoelvin Silven are making their debuts on the top 30 list. Krogman is a left-handed hitting outfielder that was a 34th round selection in the 2019 MLB draft. During his brief time in the AZL, he showed a good feel for the strike zone which isn’t too common for players at that affiliate. Silven was a little older during his time in the AZL in 2019. However, he posted impressive strikeout numbers and touched the upper 90s at instructs. He can be an intriguing bullpen arm if he’s able to develop more consistent secondary offerings.