1-5: TOP OF THE BILL
1. Colson MONTGOMERY (SS)
2. Norge VERA (RHP)
3. Oscar COLAS (OF)
4. Yoelqui CESPEDES (OF)
5. Jake BURGER (3B)
It’s hard to argue with the top 4 players in the system; it’s just a matter of personal preference how you order them. For me, Colson Montgomery is the number 1, with the main argument being that he was a first round draft pick and we know more of him than we do of the other three players in the top 4. I like what I’ve seen (and am seeing) from the young shortstop and I’m excited to see where his talent takes him this season.
Norge Vera, to me, is the top pitching prospect in the system and it’s not close. The huge increase in velocity, the pitchability, the pedigree: it’s all there. If he continues his damn-near meteoric rise, we’re in for a treat.
Oscar Colas and Yoelqui Cespedes are too close to call for me, but I have some doubts about Cespedes that I feel less with Colas. On the other hand, Colas hasn’t seen pro ball in the US yet, so it kind-of balances out. In the end, I think Colas has the higher upside and profiles as a better player over Cespedes, but we’ll have to wait and see for this year.
I put Jake Burger at 5, because I have a tendency to include big-league readiness and ability in my evaluation. Burger has shown last season that he belongs on a Major League team. After destroying Triple-A pitching in 2021, and having a tasty cup of tea in the Majors, he should be playing at the highest level next year. I hope it’s for the Sox in some capacity, but…
6-10: UPSIDE WITH SOMETHING TO PROVE
6. Wes KATH (3B)
7. Jose RODRIGUEZ (SS)
8. Jared KELLEY (RHP)
9. Matthew THOMPSON (RHP)
10. Andrew DALQUIST (RHP)
I love the upside of Wes Kath. If he shows some development this season, he might just crack my top 3 next time around. The sweet, left-handed swing, the attitude, the slick fielding ability: it’s all there. I totally get why the White Sox did everything they could to get their hands on him in the second round of the draft. I’m keeping a close eye on him this year to see if he can prove the organization right.
Jose Rodriguez is another one of the meteoric risers in the system, compared to last year. He had a downright fantastic year in 2021, and despite some pretty evident flaws (swing-and-miss plus fielding), he oozes talent and is at the very least a Romy Gonzalez/Leury Garcia type.
The law firm of Kelley, Thompson & Dalquist I grouped together. This means that neither Thompson nor Dalquist improved on their spot in my last rankings, and Kelley dropped. That is less than ideal, but the talent is still unquestionable. I like the athleticism of Thompson the best, but Kelley’s stuff is tops in the trio. Dalquist had a down year (as did Kelley, for that matter), and he should feel Bryan Ramos‘ breath behind him for a spot in the top 10.
11-15: THE NEAR FUTURE
11. Bryan RAMOS (3B)
12. Sean BURKE (RHP)
13. Jimmy LAMBERT (RHP)
14. Micker ADOLFO (OF)
15. Romy GONZALEZ (IF)
Bryan Ramos, for all intents and purposes, is a top 10 White Sox prospect. Something has to go terribly wrong for him not to be firmly entrenched in the upper echelons of White Sox farm talent next time I get to hand in a top 30. He’s also the only player in this section of five that is not close to the big leagues yet, because the other four are knocking on the door.
And that may sound strange in the case of Sean Burke, because the recently drafted Terrapin has only been in the organization for a few months and he’s only just turned 22. Still, he pitched well in Kannapolis last season (5 starts, 14.0 IP, 20 strikeouts, 10 walks) and he pitches quite maturely for his age. He may be a real option late this season or in 2023, if the need arises.
Jimmy Lambert should be a big leaguer in 2022. He’s been close a couple of times, but injuries have held him back. Still, the stuff is there, the pitchability is there and at 27 years old, there is nothing left for him to learn in the minors. Whether he’ll be a big leaguer on the White Sox, remains to be seen. The same can be said of Micker Adolfo. Adolfo had a very good season last year, but he’s simply out of time. He needs to make the roster to be retained, and I just don’t see the spot for him. The 25-year old is probably big league ready, but he won’t see the Majors in Chicago — unless he comes as a visiting player.
Romy could very well make the team again this year, or be the first call-up if a position player is needed. He’s the kind of player La Russa loves to have around. With Leury looking at extended playing time at second base (at this time, at least), Romy could be the utility bench bat needed to fill out a roster.
16-20: MIXED BAG
16. Yolbert SANCHEZ (SS)
17. Tanner McDOUGAL (RHP)
18. Jonathan STIEVER (RHP)
19. Bennett SOUSA (LHP)
20. Erick HERNANDEZ (OF)
The 16-20 group is truly a mixed bag, for various reasons. Yolbert Sanchez, Jonathan Stiever and Bennett Sousa have been around — seemingly — forever in the White Sox organization, while Tanner McDougal and Erick Hernandez are new additions. McDougal was drafted in 2021, while Hernandez was the second White Sox signing in this January’s international signing period, after Oscar Colas. I love the upside of the latter two. I’ve fully drank the spin rate Kool-Aid that Scouting Director Mike Shirley was pouring shortly after the draft about McDougal. Can’t wait for him to get back to pitching after TJ. Hernandez has one of those swings that you could dream on what it can become. I like the player.
Stiever’s stock is down, after being thrown into the fire during the pandemic shortened 2020 season. He pitched well at times, bad at other times, and ended up never really recovering from the stint in Chicago. 2022 will be an important year for Stiever, who could pitch himself closer to the Majors again. Bennett Sousa had a very good season in 2021 and showed that he’s one of the best left-handed relief arms in the system. Those aren’t easy to find, so there is a non-zero chance he makes it to Chicago this year.
21-25: THROWING DARTS
21. Caleb FREEMAN (RHP)
22. Jason BILOUS (RHP)
23. Misael GONZALEZ (OF)
24. Luis MIESES (SS)
25. Cristian MENA (RHP)
As the subheading says, from this point on I’m throwing darts, especially when it comes to actual ranks. You want to argue Cristian Mena should be 21, or Caleb Freeman should be 30? I’m not going to fight it much. The bottom-10 of this top 30 is just a collection of players who had good season, who displayed some upside, who we’ve seen quite a bit of, and the likes. I think Freeman is on track to be one of the top relief prospects in the system — he may already be the one. Wilfred Veras showed some fun tools and Luis Mieses we all know well. Jason Bilous was a surprise add to the 40 man roster during the off-season, so the Sox may be looking at him as an option from the bullpen. His season developed unevenly, but perhaps the underlying data tell the Sox something that I don’t know.
It’s a strange, hard to gauge group, just like the bottom 5.
26-30: THROWING DARTS 2, ELECTRIC BOOGALOO
26. Kade McCLURE (RHP)
27. Wilber SANCHEZ (IF)
28. Wilfred VERAS (1B/3B)
29. Luke SHILLING (RHP)
30. Adam HACKENBERG (C)
See the blurb above, though I do want to highlight Luke Shilling. Before he got hurt, his stuff looked incredible. Unbelievable. Unhittable. You name it. Easy guy to root for as well. My number 30 spot came down to a few players, and I picked Hackenberg because he’s a catcher. There are not many decent ones of those around, so when you have one who could perhaps grow into something, you pick him. This means I had to let go of Andrew Perez, whom I ranked 30 last time around. Sigh.
Photo credit: Sean Williams/FutureSox
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