via Michael Guariglia/FutureSox

FutureSox: Chicago White Sox 2023 mid-season just missed list

By / / Top 30

The Chicago White Sox have improved their system with outside additions over the past few months. Prior to the 2023 amateur draft and Major League Baseball trade deadline activities, the farm was firmly ranked in the bottom few overall. 20 draft picks were added and 10 more players showed up via mid-season trades. The MiLB depth now shapes up as more of a middle-of-the-pack unit with upside for more.

Oscar Colás and Lenyn Sosa have both graduated from prospect status since our most recent pre-season list has been published.

That brings us to this list: 21 players who didn’t make the top 30 during this cycle, but who our writers discussed and considered in some fashion. Check out our last version of this “just missed” group from the pre-season.

These are prospects on the edge of the radar and history suggests that some will contribute value down the line in some form.

Note: players are listed in alphabetical order

Eric Adler, right-handed pitcher

Adler is one of the best relief pitching prospects in the system and likely would’ve cracked the top 30 if it weren’t for the new additions. The White Sox selected the righty out of Wake Forest in the sixth round of the 2022 draft. The 22-year-old has the potential for three plus pitches in a back end relief role. He has struggled to throw strikes consistently throughout his career, however. He displays a 98 mph plus fastball with carry and a breaking ball featuring depth and slider velocity. In 11.1 innings to start the 2023 season, Adler posted a 3.18 ERA while averaging 15 K/9 and 5.5 BB/9 with the Cannon Ballers in Low-A. With Winston-Salem in High-A, the righty has posted a 3.31 ERA but the strikeouts have decreased while the walk rate remains similar.

Aldrín Batista, right-handed pitcher

Batista is the prize of the early August trade that the White Sox made with the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for $1 million in international bonus pool space. The 20-year-old Dominican righty was leading the Arizona Complex League in strikeouts at the time of the deal after punching out 54 hitters in 39 innings. He was named ACL pitcher of the month for July. He had posted a 3.46 ERA with just 15 walks allowed as well.

The 6-2, 185 pounder also posted a 1.55 ERA during his debut pitching in the DSL in 2022 over the course of 40.2 innings. Baseball America called him “an up arrow prospect” after the trade and he could move into the top 30 of this system relatively soon. The White Sox immediately sent Batista to Kannapolis where he posted a 1.80 ERA with 18 strikeouts and five walks in 20 innings. He features a mid 90’s sinker that has touched 97 mph with a low 80’s slider and an inconsistent changeup as well. He likely participates in fall instructs soon.

Johan Domínguez, right-handed pitcher

The 27-year-old has participated in the Arizona Fall League in the past and he posted a 2.35 ERA in four starts with the Charlotte Knights last year before succumbing to season ending Tommy John surgery. The 6-4, 190 pounder is back after just 23 innings in 2022 and he’s pitching for the Knights once again. Domínguez was originally acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers in 2018 and he was a bit of a late bloomer. The righty throws his fastball in the 95-97 mph range with solid breaking stuff on display as well. He has posted a 3.86 ERA in Charlotte so far this year but has only thrown just over 22 total innings on the season. He could still serve as starting pitching depth for the White Sox in the near future.

Tim Elko, first base

Tim Elko just mashes baseballs consistently and he has yet to be contained in professional baseball. The 24-year-old was selected in the 10th round of the 2022 MLB Draft after leading Ole Miss to a championship during their College World Series title in 2022. The first baseman is 6-4, 240 pounds and hits right-handed.

In 66 games with the Cannon Ballers in Low-A, Elko hit .297/.360/.556 with a 153 wRC+. He was then promoted to High-A Winston Salem where he slashed .319/.374/.569 with a 149 wRC+ for the Dash. Elko is now at Double-A with the Birmingham Barons and he’s continue the onslaught. He has 25 homers total on the year and he’s hit .338/.353/.508 with a 123 wRC+ in 16 games with the Barons at the moment. Elko’s profile is a murky one as a right/right first base only slugger but he possesses big power and leadership traits. He’ll need to cut down on a strikeout rate that has spiked over 30% consistently while also increasing his walk rate. Elko has the potential to mash though and he could reach the big leagues.

Stiven Flores, catcher

Flores is a 17-year-old catcher that the White Sox signed out of Venezuela for $250K in the most recent international signing period. The 5-11, 180 pounder hits right-handed and displays an average arm with solid catch and throw skills. In 37 games in the Dominican Summer League, Flores hit .391/.456./477 with a 152 wRC+. The backstop posted a 10% walk rate with a strikeout rate under 5% in his first professional season. Ben Badler of Baseball America noted that Flores could be a “potential power hitting catcher”. His offensive game stands out and he has shown 20 homer potential. He’ll likely make his way to Arizona for instructional league before debuting stateside next summer.

D.J. Gladney, infield/outfield

In 95 games with the Winston-Salem Dash this season, Gladney has slashed .244/.309/.476 with a 110 wRC+ in High-A. He has cut down his strikeout rate dramatically to 28% this season but he still needs to walk more often. The former Iliana Christian High School product signed for $225K in round 16 of the 2019 draft. The 22-year-old possesses prodigious raw power from the right side and he’s clubbed 19 homers on the year. Instead of playing mostly on the infield corners as he had in the past, he’s played in the outfield quite a bit for the Dash this season as well. The versatility helps his prospect pedigree significantly. Gladney has hit 53 minor league homers since joining the organization and he has posted a .234 ISO this year.

Calvin Harris, catcher

The White Sox selected Calvin Harris in the 4th round of the 2023 draft out of Ole Miss. They’d tracked him as an Iowa prep standout and he’s now a member of the organization after excelling with the Rebels in the SEC. The 21-year-old signed for $600K and he hits left-handed. He’s a 6-0, 215 pound backstop with defensive projection remaining at the position. He makes hard contact consistently but his defense has earned mixed reviews from scouts and evaluators. Harris was the 7th catcher from Mississippi to get drafted over the past decade. He has some experience at other positions as well due to the amount of quality catching that has filtered throughout the college program. He’s been solid in his Low-A debut while generating a .370 OBP with a 15% walk rate over the course of 18 games.

Ronny Hernandez, catcher

The 18-year-old Venezuelan catcher has been promoted to the Cannon Ballers to finish his second professional season in Low-A. The 6-1, 200 pounder hits left-handed and was originally signed for $30K in last year’s international class. Hernandez was the best hitter on the White Sox’s Arizona League rookie affiliate this season after slashing .338/.430/.493 with a 134 wRC+. His ISO% improved but his BABIP increased to .427 as well. He clubbed three homers in 45 games.

He also performed well in the Dominican Summer League last season when he hit .268/.383/.526 with a 136 wRC+. In 34 games, the backstop smashed six homers and compiled a 15% walk rate in the process. He has shown a calm approach with a quick, left-handed swing while displaying solid plate discipline. More defensive refinement is needed but the club believes that he could be an average defender in the future with 15 home run potential and the ability to cut down runners from behind the plate. He likely stays in Low-A for the 2024 season.

Wes Kath, third base

Wes Kath was the #34 overall prospect in the 2021 MLB Draft according to MLB Pipeline and the White Sox signed him for $1.8 million out of an Arizona high school in the second round. The 6-3 200 pounder has moved to third base but he’s really struggled at the dish so far. The left-handed slugger did post a 109 wRC+ in Kannapolis last year prior to falling on his face statistically at Project Birmingham.

The 21-year-old has hit .191/.274/.305 with a 62 wRC+ in Winston-Salem this year. He has sported a strikeout rate over 40% on the season but he has hit 23 professional homers overall. Kath possesses significant raw power and his on base skills were lauded as a prep. His perceived profile just hasn’t translated but there is lots of time for potential improvement.

Mathias LaCombe, right-handed pitcher

The White Sox selected LaCombe in the 12th round of th 2023 MLB Draft and they signed him for $450K which equates to 7th round value. Veteran area scout John Kazanas noticed him at Cochise College in Arizona where he struck out 97 hitters and walked just 14 over the course of 67.1 innings. The 6-2, 185 pounder posted a 1.74 ERA but he also pitched for France in the World Baseball Classic.

The 21-year-old from Libourne, France wants to be the first French born player to make it to the major leagues. The White Sox noted that the right hander possesses a mid 90’s fastball and Kazanas witnessed him pitching in high leverage spots very often. He’ll be developed as a starting pitcher and should debut in full season next year after throwing during instructional league action this fall.

Máximo Martínez, right-handed pitcher

The White Sox acquired Martínez along with Aldrín Batista for $1 million in international bonus pool space in early August. The 19-year-old was originally signed by Los Angeles in 2021. The 6-2, 185 pounder posted a 4.76 ERA in the Dominican Summer League over the course of 28 innings during his debut. The rightly dealt with some arm issues in 2022 and missed most of the Arizona Complex League season. The Venezuelan threw 26.2 innings in Arizona this season and posted a 4.73 ERA and averaging around one strikeout per inning. He was billed as a polished, pitchability type but now throws his fastball in the 95-98 mph range with a breaking ball that has flashed plus as well. Martínez shows a compact and repeatable delivery and he likely pitches during instructional league for the White Sox.

Luis Mieses, outfield

Mieses has repeated Double-A this season and really struggled offensively as a 23-year-old. He hits left-handed and profiles in an outfield corner. The 6-3, 180 pounder signed for $428K out of the Dominican Republic in 2017 and he’s hit 44 career homers since them. There is lots of leverage and strength on display with the swing and he makes an effort to hit the ball in the air. Mieses lacks plate discipline however and swinging at bad pitches has consistently been his downfall throughout the years. The outfielder is a below-average runner but he did also post a 104 wRC+ in Double-A last season; mostly avoiding southpaws. After hitting .239/.259/.359 with the Barons, the White Sox might have a tough decision to make on the player this offseason.

Javier Mogollón, infield

Ben Badler of Baseball America listed Javier Mogollón as the organization’s sleeper from this year’s international signing class. Signed for $75,000 out of Venezuela as a hit-first middle infielder, he slid mostly under the radar during his first professional season. The 5-8, 160 pounder has shown a potentially exciting offensive profile with a short, quick right-handed swing to go along with a clean and balanced approach. Badler noted that the 17-year-old “barrels baseballs” and also cleared the batter’s eye in center field at the White Sox’s facility in the Dominican Republic during a live look. The infielder is a plus runner as well but likely ends up at second base long-term. In 47 games during the DSL season, Mogollón hit .315/.417/.582 with a 156 wRC+. He posted a 13.6 walk rate with a 14.1% strikeout rate while clubbing ten homers. He should debut in the Arizona Complex League next season.

Shane Murphy, left-handed pitcher

The White Sox selected Murphy in the 14th round of the 2022 draft out of Chandler Gilbert Community College in Arizona. He’s another southpaw signed by longtime scout John Kazanas and he’s turned in a solid year to start his professional career. The 22-year-old posted a 3.44 ERA in Kannapolis over the course of 91.2 innings while striking out 95 and walking just 22 this year. The 6-5, 210 pound left hander features a low 90’s fastball with good breaking stuff and feel to pitch. The southpaw profiles as a back end starter. He should join the rotation in Winston-Salem with the Dash next year and could start to move a bit quicker through the system.

Yohemy Nolasco, right-handed pitcher

Nolasco has been one of the better young arms from the Dominican Republic that has been featured during instructional league for the White Sox over the past few seasons. The 6-3, 160 pounder posted a 4.93 ERA in 34.2 innings in rookie ball last year. The 20-year-old could still factor in as a starter in the future but he’s transitioned to a relief role during this minor league season. He’s very skinny and has earned comparisons to former big league reliever CJ Edwards at times. In 24 innings with the Cannon Ballers this year, Nolasco posted a 1.50 ERA with 23 strikeouts over the course of 24 innings. He likely participates in instructional league and begins the 2024 season in High-A with the Winston-Salem Dash.

Abraham Núñez Jr, outfield

Núñez was the biggest bonus teenager signed during the international period by the White Sox this year. The 6-2, 175 pounder has played center field but could profile in either corner as well. After signing for $700,000 out of the Dominican Republic, the 17-year-old slashed .299/.427/.442 with a 136 wRC+ in the DSL. In 44 games, the left-handed hitting outfielder posted an 18% walk rate while hitting three homers in 44 games. iNúñez is an athletic outfielder with good bat speed plus control in the zone and strike zone judgment. He’s also an average runner that performed well in tournaments leading up to his eventual signing date. He’ll likely participate in instructional league and immediately becomes someone to focus on during the Arizona Complex League season in 2024.

Christian Oppor, left-handed pitcher

Oppor was the best prep pitcher out of Wisconsin in the 2022 MLB Draft. The White Sox had an agreement in place to nab the southpaw but Oakland thwarted their plans despite ultimately not signing the player. The Sox went back to the drawing board this year and signed the Gulf Coast State Junior College product for $550K in the 5th round.

The 19-year-old southpaw is raw with athleticism and projection but he’s a long and loose former basketball player with big upside. He’s a 6-2, 175 pounder that pumps his fastball up to 98 mph. He needs more work on his secondary offerings but he does throw a slider and a changeup. The White Sox see Oppor as a future starter and he posted a 1.17 ERA in 7.2 innings while striking out nine and walking two hitters. He could make his full season debut in Kannapolis next year.

Jake Peppers, right-handed pitcher

Peppers was ranked as the #187 overall player in the 2023 MLB Draft class according to MLB.com. The 6-3, 160 pounder was selected in the ninth round out of Jacksonville State and ended up throwing 5.2 innings in the ACL where he struck out 8 hitters. The 21-year-old has started games and pitched in relief and he had lots of success during the Cape Cod League. Peppers gets good carry on his 93-95 mph fastball that has touched 98. He’s also accumulated a 56% swing and miss rate on his slider while showing the feel for a potential plus changeup as well. His fringy control and command could ultimately force him into a bullpen role but his upside could be high as a two pitch reliever if that ultimately becomes a reality.

Luis Reyes, right-handed pitcher

The 17-year-old Dominican was one of the best pitchers available during the most recent international signing period. The White Sox signed the righty for $700,000 and they were impressed with the number of events and tournaments he participated in already in the United States. Reyes has consistently shown a fastball up to 96 mph while displaying a changeup with late sink and fade as well. He shows a low-effort delivery and extension with some feel for secondary offerings but he really needs to tighten up his control.

Reyes has the mix to profile as a starting pitcher down the road but he really struggled during the Dominican Summer League season. He finished really strong and struck out 49 hitters in 37.2 innings. The right hander posted a 7.17 ERA (4.63 xFIP) while walking 30 hitters and he’ll need to improve once he makes his stateside debut during the 2024 season.

Jordan Sprinkle, shortstop

Heading into the season as a possible day one talent, the UC Santa Barbara product followed up a .353/.402/.536 season in 2021 with a .285/.381/.416 line, sliding to the White Sox in the fourth round. Considered to be one of, if not the best defensive shortstops in his class in the collegiate ranks (per MLB Pipeline), Sprinkle is a plus defender at short with above average-to-plus arm strength, good instincts, range, and hands. After being drafted, the former collegiate-national team member did appear in 27 pro games, five with the ACL club and 22 with Kannapolis (where he did hit one home run and steal eight bases). Sprinkle’s approach at the dish was rough this year and his numbers overall haven’t been pretty.

Norge Vera, right-handed pitcher

Standing at 6-foot-4, 185 pounds, Vera signed in the same international draft class as heralded signing Yoelqui Cespedes and had shown flashes of brilliance, but remains a ways from his projected ceiling. The biggest indictment of his first full professional season in 2022 was availability. Vera tossed 35.1 total innings and reports indicated a drop in fastball velocity late in the year. Reports on plus stuff filtered in from scouts last year despite the lack of innings and poor numbers overall.

The 23-year-old Cuban still boasts a significantly lofty ceiling as a right handed pitcher but 2023 was basically another lost season. He really needed to build up innings and injuries derailed him once again this year. Vera has thrown 11.1 innings this season with only 5.2 coming in High-A after a short stint in Arizona. The big righty has struck out 10 hitters while walking 14. Upside remains here but time is unfortunately running out.

Honorable Mention

Josimar Cousin, right-handed pitcher

Back in May, the White Sox agreed to terms with 25-year-old right hander Josimar Cousin from Cuba. As a 25-year-old, he didn’t count against the club’s international bonus pool rules but he can receive up to $1.2 million if he reaches the big leagues between 2023-2025. The 6-3, 185 pounder has posted a 4.26 xFIP with a 5.71 ERA in 41 innings for the Winston-Salem Dash this year.

The righty has made ten starts on the year and struck out 40 hitters while walking ten. The Cuban hurler has shown a low 90’s fastball consistently that touches 95 mph with an above average slider as well. He’s working on a changeup and curveball to add to his repertoire. Prior to defecting, Cousin posted a 4.80 ERA in just under 420 innings pitched during his career in Cuba’s Serie Nacional. The White Sox are sending Cousin to the Arizona Fall League this year.

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