It’s later than normal, but it’s time for our midseason prospect rankings update at FutureSox. Twice a year our writers work together to produce a ranked list of the top 30 White Sox prospects. We use a voting system among the staff, then argue about specific players and rankings until we come to a final list.
We release the list in two parts. This is the prospects ranked 16-30. Here is the full list. We also have scouting reports on players who just missed the top 30.
ELIGIBILITY: We consider a prospect any player in the White Sox organization who has not yet achieved MLB rookie status.
Zack Collins and Danny Mendick graduated since the preseason list. Luis Alexander Basabe was claimed off waivers by the San Francisco Giants and the White Sox added some prospects via the draft.
16. Codi Heuer, RH RP (Previous: 24, +8)
- Drafted 6th Round in 2018
Heuer’s development into a solid big league reliever has been a big win for the White Sox. From identifying him before the draft to aiding his improvement, Heuer has turned into a potential high-leverage reliever. He was the second player from the 2018 draft to make his MLB debut and when you see his stuff it’s no secret why. He throws in the upper 90s and has a nasty slider. Heuer has enough command of that stuff to be a quality reliever. The next step for him is to prove he can do it in tight situations. In 11 innings, Heuer has a 3.27 ERA with 10 strikeouts, four walks and seven hits allowed.
17. Yolbert Sanchez, SS (Previous: 15, -2)
- Signed from Cuba in 2019
Sanchez immediately joined the top 30 of our rankings when he signed for $2.5 million last July 2. He is known more for his glove than his bat. Despite being 22 after signing, the White Sox kept Sanchez in the Dominican Summer League. He is now 23 and hasn’t played regular season games in the U.S. yet. How the White Sox will balance his age vs. his experience level will be fascinating in 2021.
18. Zack Burdi, RH RP (Previous: 18)
- Drafted 1st round (26th overall) in 2016
There’s good and bad news on the Burdi front. The good news is that his stuff appears to have returned after multiple significant injuries and he made his MLB debut this season. His velocity took a while to return, but he is throwing in the upper 90s with his fastball and his slider can hit 91. The bad news is that his command is still erratic. It’s not even just command as far as walks (he has two in 6 1/3 innings, which is fine), but command within the strike zone. Burdi has been leaving a lot of hittable pitches in the zone and has been hammered for it. He has given up four home runs, leading to an 11.37 ERA. Burdi wasn’t a finished product before injury so it’s no surprise he still needs some refinement.
19. Jake Burger, 3B (Previous: 29, +10)
- Drafted 1st Round (11th overall) in 2017
Burger’s return to action is a rare feel-good story in 2020. The 2017 first-round pick first played in a collegiate league that was littered with some minor leaguers for a short period before joining White Sox camp in Schaumburg. He’s still got a long way to go, but this is a positive step for his development. He will turn 25 in the first week of the 2021 minor league season and hasn’t had any experience above Low-A. He is Rule 5 eligible this December and the organization has explored the possibility of Burger playing additional positions.
20. Bryce Bush, OF (Previous: 22, +2)
- Drafted 33rd Round in 2018
Bush brings lighting quick bat speed and a ton of pop in his 6-foot, 200-pound frame. Transitioning from third base to the outfield, Bush battled injuries throughout 2019, but also managed to experience about half a season in Low-A Kannapolis at just 19. In 67 games, Bush hit .201/.285/.346 for the Intimidators. He showed a good walk rate (27 in 288 plate appearances), which is the most encouraging sign considering how young he was for the level. He has a violent swing, which helps his power, but will need to be refined as he moves up the minors.
21. Konnor Pilkington, LH SP (Previous: 17, -4)
- Drafted 3rd Round in 2018
Pilkington was thought of as a potential first-round pick after his sophomore year at Mississippi State, but inconsistency has plagued him ever since. Both his performances and his stuff have been inconsistent. Pilkington proved to be too good for Low-A Kannapolis to start 2019 and he earned a promotion after six starts. At Winston-Salem, things didn’t go as well. He had a 4.99 ERA with 96 strikeouts and 39 walks in 95.2 innings. He turns 23 in September and won’t have reached Double-A.
22. Benyamin Bailey, OF (Previous: 27, +5)
- Signed from Panama in 2018
Bailey was signed out of Panama for $35,000 and immediately made a name for himself. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound outfielder was named a top 20 DSL prospect by Baseball America after last season. As a 17-year-old, Bailey hit .342/.503/.447 with a 22% walk rate for the rookie affiliate. He’s a physical specimen and projects as a corner outfielder. Bailey is an above average runner and has long limbs and some natural hitting ability. Panamanians are notoriously well coached as amateurs and that schooling has apparently paid dividends for Bailey. Bailey would have made his stateside debut in 2020, but that will have to wait until next year.
23. Tyler Johnson, RH RP (Previous: 19, -4)
- Drafted 5th Round in 2017
Johnson missed a chunk of 2019 and now faces a 2020 without a minor league season. He isn’t on the 40-man roster but is with the group in Schaumburg and is probably just outside that group currently with the White Sox on the depth chart. Johnson has good stuff and minor league production (23 K, 6 BB, 10 H in 18.1 IP for Double-A Birmingham last year) on his resume. He will have to continue to show that against tougher competition in 2021. He is Rule 5 eligible in December so it’s a big offseason for him.
24. James Beard, OF (Previous: 25, +1)
- Drafted 4th Round in 2019
Beard was the fastest player available in the 2019 draft out of a small Mississippi high school. The 6-foot center fielder signed for $350,000 and immediately reported to the AZL. The 19-year-old has 80-grade speed and possesses game-changing ability on the bases and in the outfield. He hits from the right side and shows bat speed and hand strength but is raw. Beard just hadn’t faced a strong level of competition as an amateur. Beard was likely to repeat rookie ball in some capacity in 2020, but it’s not clear if that will still be the plan in 2021.
25. DJ Gladney, 3B (Previous: 26, +1)
- Drafted 16th Round in 2019
After getting drafted and signing out of high school, Gladney blasted eight home runs in the Arizona League. He hit .264/.309/.428. The local product of Illiana Christian H.S. struck out 82 times in 220 plate appearances, which is a red flag to watch as he develops. Gladney has a projectable 6-foot-3, 195-pound frame with room to grow. He turned 19 this summer so the year off may not be such a big blow. The White Sox are happy with swing changes that have been made this offseason and Gladney has been in communication with the player development staff.
26. Matt Foster, RH RP (Previous: 32, +6)
- Drafted 20th Round in 2016
Foster has been one of the pleasant surprises of the White Sox 2020 season. He put up good numbers throughout his minor league career, but it wasn’t clear if his stuff would play in the bigs. So far it has. Command of his mid 90s fastball and a plus changeup have baffled major league hitters so far. In 16 innings, Foster has a 1.13 ERA with a whopping 20 strikeouts. He has walked five and has allowed six hits. Foster went from being a fringe relief prospect to arguably the best reliever in the White Sox bullpen due to the development of his changeup as a true out pitch with the player development staff. A true success story for a 20th round draft pick.
27. Bernardo Flores, LH SP (Previous: 20, -7)
- Drafted 7th Round in 2016
You could argue Flores’ stock should be up because he was on the big league roster for a day this season. He didn’t get to pitch, but that showed his standing in the organization. However, that was before Dane Dunning was given the green light to pitch post-injury and it would probably take a couple more injuries for Flores to re-join the big league club in 2020. Flores has posted a combined 3.04 ERA in 156 2/3 innings in Double-A Birmingham the past two years. He’s not a strikeout pitcher, which doesn’t bode well for how he projects, but he has been effective. He will likely be a depth piece in the rotation in 2021. As a lefty, there’s always the possibility he has a career as a reliever.
28. Bryan Ramos, 3B (Previous: 30, +2)
- Signed from Cuba in 2018
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Cuban signed with the White Sox for $300,000 in July of 2018 and looks to be a steal for that price. Ramos possesses bat speed, strength and raw power that could project out to 20 homers per season. He uses the entire field, but needs to work on pitch recognition. The White Sox thought highly enough of Ramos to send him directly to the AZL as a 17-year-old. That decision paid off as he hit .277/.353/.415. In 51 games, he posted a 110 wRC+ with a 20% strikeout rate and an 8.7% walk rate. His speed is below average, but he has a strong arm at third. Aligning with a common trend throughout the industry, the White Sox will try Ramos at second base in an attempt to let his power play up at the position. He could ultimately wind up in an outfield corner.
29. Jose Rodriguez, SS (Previous: 26, -3)
- Signed from Dominican Republic in 2018
Rodriguez spent all of 2019 with the AZL White Sox where he slashed .293/.328/.505 with nine home runs, nine walks and 45 strikeouts. That was good for a wRC+ of 121. He showed that playing stateside for the first time was not too much for him to handle at 18 years old. He’s one of the prospects in the system young enough to withstand the loss of a minor league season, especially if he is still able to get coaching during the year. Rodriguez was expected to play full season for the first time in 2020.
30. Jefferson Mendoza, C (New)
- Signed from Dominican Republic in 2017
Mendoza was signed out of Venezuela for $300,000 in 2017 by Marco Paddy and his staff. The 19-year-old backstop is a right-handed hitting catcher that stands 6-feet and 170 pounds. Jefferson was signed due to his excellent blocking and receiving ability. He also possesses a plus throwing arm. Mendoza struggled with the bat during his first season in the Dominican Summer League, but posted eye-popping totals in 2019. In 33 games behind the dish, Mendoza hit .305/.391/.484 with a 141 wRC+ and three homers. Mendoza uses a middle-of-the-field approach on offense and has a compact frame. He has a chance to provide average power potential and projects as a starting catcher in the big leagues if his ceiling can be achieved. He was expected to play stateside ball in 2020, likely with the AZL White Sox after beginning the year in extended spring training.
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