White Sox
Credit: Dan Victor/FutureSox

2024 Chicago White Sox Prospect List: Left-Handed Starters

By / / Analysis, Minors

We’ve been breaking down the exceptional pitching depth in the White Sox farm system on all our weekly editions of the FutureSox Podcast lately, which promoted getting around to writing up these positional groups.

Last week, our top right-handed starters list published and now we’re shifting gears to the southpaws in the system. While this group is nowhere near as deep as the right-handers, the top pitching prospect in the organization leads the way with a variety of recent acquisitions and draft picks following.

Two of these pitchers are knocking on the door of the big leagues but had rough seasons in 2023, while the rest of these arms are probably a few years off from being MLB contributors but have ample intrigue. Let’s look at how these arms stack up against one another.

1. Noah Schultz (20, White Sox Drafted, 2022 1st Round)

2024 Stats: 7 GS, 27.1 IP, 3.95 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 42 SO

The best pitching prospect in the organization and one of the highest-upside arms in the game is pitching every Saturday in Winston-Salem to start the year. Coming off an injury-riddled first full professional season, Noah Schultz looks healthy and nasty so far this year.

He pitched just 27 innings in 2023 and has already reached 23.1 frames in his first six starts this year. While his ERA may not show his full ability due to a few unlucky pitches, Schultz has shown his ace-upside often already. He has 38 strikeouts already, good for a strikeout rate over 40% so far.

Additionally, Schultz has walked just six batters in his five starts which is a step in the right direction for a guy that is still finding his ability to command the zone. With a fastball that has plenty of ride on it and sit in the upper 90s, Schultz can just dominate High-A hitters frequently. Pair that with one of the best sliders you’ll ever seen and you’ve got a top tier pitching prospect.

The development of his changeup will be pivotal moving forward as Schultz reaches the higher levels. It has shown promise at times, but still needs to gain a level of consistency.

This season is all about remaining healthy and getting innings under his belt. Schultz has all the talent in the world and just needs to continuing refining his craft while making his weekly starts this year.

2. Jake Eder (25, White Sox Acquired via Marlins)

2024 Stats: 7 GS, 34.1 IP, 5.24 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, 44 SO

The return piece in the Jake Burger to Miami deal, Jake Eder was coming off two seperate injuries in 2023, and they showed in his performance. Tommy John sidelined him until mid-June, and right when he was ramping back up, a broken foot put him back on the shelf. All in all, 2023 wasn’t the season to make an opinion on Eder.

However, 2024 has been far more encouraging for the 6’4 lefty. The strikeout and walk numbers are back to where they were pre-injury, striking out over 27 percent of batters who come to the plate and only walking a tick above 8 percent. Combine that with 0 home runs allowed so far, you have the lowest FIP in the White Sox organization, at 2.18.

Eder showcased a three pitch mix last year, and added a fourth over the winter. The fastball will sit 93-95, with some good late life to it. His best pitch, a slider that sweeps across area codes before it ends up on the back foot of a right handed batter, is around 80 mph and induces some pretty hilarious swings. There’s a changeup that has shown flashes of being a true offering, but currently isn’t anything more than an average pitch.

The new pitch Eder added over the winter, a cutter, has helped him tremendously in the early season. It allows him to keep hitters off balance on both his slider and fastball, and he’s been able to command it well so far.

Although Eder is slightly older than the average AA player, he should be in Birmingham for most, if not all of 2024. If he continues to do well, he could be a legitimate option for the 2025 rotation, and has SP2/3 potential if he’s able to stay healthy.

3. Ky Bush (24, White Sox Acquired via Angels)

2024 Stats: 7 GS, 38.2 IP, 2.09 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 47 SO

Acquired alongside Edgar Quero as a secondary piece, Ky Bush had a rough go at things in 2023 while dealing with an injury early in the season and struggling mightily in his first nine starts with the organization. However, he great in his first full season in 2022 and the former second round pick is off to a hot start.

Bush was simply allowing too much hard contact last year as his slider was flat often and his fastball way down in velocity and sat over the middle too much. He has made adjustments this year and looks much sharper.

He’s off to a great start and has allowed a lot less hard contact. He has given up just one home run this year so far. His command is still somewhat shaky as seen by his 15 walks but walked just three in his past two starts combined.

Without quite the type of upside that Eder possesses, Bush checks in at the third spot ahead of the young arms with upside but without proven success. Bush is someone that I could imagine eventually becoming a very good left-handed reliever given the depth of starters in the system, but for now he has been a key piece of the excellent Birmingham rotation.

4. Christian Oppor (19, White Sox Drafted, 2023 5th Round)

2024 Stats: 2 GS, 5.0 IP, 03.60 ERA, 1.80 WHIP, 8 SO

Oppor was the top prep lefty out of Wisconsin in the 2022 draft, and actually had a deal to be a White Sox in the 11th round of that draft. Oakland took him instead, and he didn’t sign, opting to go to Gulf Coast Community College for a year. He finally became a White Sox draft pick in the 5th round of the 2023 draft, and is one of the more intriguing young arms in the system.

Armed primarily with a two pitch mix, Oppor’s fastball sits in the mid 90s and is able to sustain it through the later innings of his outing. His slider is the real treat, with serious swing and miss potential. As is the case with most young pitchers, Oppor will need to develop another pitch and dial in the command if he wants to rise the ranks of MiLB.

Assigned to the Arizona Complex League, Oppor will be able to work on his craft, and potentially add that third pitch. He’ll likely stay there the full year, unless he really impresses and gets assigned to Kannapolis’ roster after the rookie ball season is over. It is possible, but I’d imagine they want to put Oppor on the slow and safe track. There’s a plentiful amount of good pitching in the White Sox system, so no need to rush.

5. Lucas Gordon (22, White Sox Drafted, 2023 6th Round)

2024 Stats: 6 GS, 30.0 IP, 2.40 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 35 SO

After a successful career at Texas, the White Sox went with an experienced pitcher in the sixth round of this past draft at a spot in between two high-upside draft picks. Lucas Gordon has impressed out of the gate in his first full season after a strong but brief stint in Kannapolis last year.

Right now, Gordon is likely facing worse competition than he often did while playing Big-12 baseball, so he’s understandably pitching very well. Nonetheless, he has impressed with plenty of whiffs in his first five starts of the season.

He has been sharp at not allowing many hard hit balls and has only given up 17 hits in his 30 innings pitched. His command has been spotty at times, but it has yet to hurt him much.

More floor than projection, Gordon is a bit fastball-heavy at times but has shown great feel for his slider this spring. He works the top of the zone very well with the fastball and is not afraid to pound the zone up there.

At 22 years old, Gordon should be one of the first pitchers in Kanny to be promoted to Winston-Salem this season when pitchers at the upper levels begin to make way to Chicago. He’s on a similar track as right-hander Seth Keener, who also figures to reach High-A this year.

6. Tyler Schweitzer (23, White Sox Drafted, 2022 5th Round)

2024 Stats: 6 GS, 28.2 IP, 4.08 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 33 SO

Another southpaw drafted in the 5th round, but that’s about all Tyler Schweitzer and Christian Oppor have in common. Schweitzer is a precision-over-power pitcher, and has had some solid results in his time with the organization.

Schweitzer sits in the low-mid 90s with his fastball, and can command it well, along with his 3 other pitches. He has a slider and a curveball, both with some really nice break to them. There’s an average changeup in the bag, also.

Already in a loaded Winston-Salem rotation, and with an even more loaded Birmingham rotation ahead of him, Schweitzer likely spends the full 2024 season in High-A. Promotions could help him get to Birmingham sooner, though.

White Sox
Tyler Schweitzer – Credit: Dan Victor/FutureSox

Honorable Mentions

Shane Murphy (23, White Sox Drafted, 2022 14th Round): After a rather strong first full season spent pitching in the Kannapolis rotation in which he pitched to a 3.63 ERA, Murphy has shifted to a bullpen role in Winston-Salem after a delayed start to the year. His command was excellent last year as clearly seen by his 1.08 WHIP and just 23 walks allowed and Murphy will likely have a shot to rejoin a rotation at some point. He’s been excellent in a piggybacking role, mostly following Peyton Pallette. The southpaw has posted a 0.00 ERA in 12 innings this year with 13 strikeouts while posting a 0.33 WHIP.