We just updated our prospect rankings here at FutureSox and we have tons of content to go with that.
In addition to our regular content, some of our writers who participated in ranking the prospects (James Fox, Mike Rankin, Dan Santaromita, Steve Hasman, Sean Williams, Adam Hess and Jasper Roos) will each release their individual top 30 lists to Patrons!
1. LUIS ROBERT (OF)
2 ANDREW VAUGHN (1B)
3. MICHAEL KOPECH (RHP)
4. NICK MADRIGAL (2B)
5. GARRETT CROCHET (LHP)
Couple changes in the top five for me. Vaughn leaps Kopech because I believe Vaughn is guaranteed to translate as an everyday player for the White Sox very soon. He’s taken strides since the Sox initially reported to spring training in February. Speaking to player development coach Devin DeYoung, the organization is very pleased with Vaughn’s biomechanics. He’s also doing just fine facing live pitching.
This shouldn’t be considered a slight against Kopech, as his absence from a major league mound dating back to September of 2018 is largely the reason he slots down one spot. Crochet, the 2020 first-round draft pick, is a pitcher I very much believe in. He debuts at No. 5 because of his advanced fastball, hard slider, deceiving arm action and delivery, on top of his profile as a projectable starting pitcher.
6 JARED KELLEY (RHP)
7. DANE DUNNING (RHP)
8. JONATHAN STIEVER (RHP)
9. ANDREW DALQUIST (RHP)
10. MATTHEW THOMPSON (RHP)
Seldom does a talent like Jared Kelley fall to the second round. Kelley’s frame and advanced fastball catapults his development timeline, which allows the White Sox opportunity to test him at an affiliate as high as High-A Winston-Salem next season.
Stiever was riding a wave of momentum after his highlight 2019 campaign, but forearm soreness at the beginning of camp followed by a total shut down of Minor League Baseball slowed his development. Fortunately, Stiever is proven to be healthy after throwing on several occasions at local Schaumburg as part of the Sox 60-man player pool. Dunning, meanwhile, is making a case to establish himself as a rotational mainstay at 35th and Shields thanks to the way he is taking advantage of big league opportunities.
11. CODI HEUER (RHP)
12. GAVIN SHEETS (1B/OF)
13. MICKER ADOLFO (OF)
14. BLAKE RUTHERFORD (OF)
15. LUIS GONZALEZ (OF)
Dan Santaromita and I are both fans of Heuer and we both ranked him at No. 11 ― the highest of any of the FutureSox voters. Heuer’s upper 90s fastball with arm-side run is enough on its own to get major league hitters out. Combine that with a changeup (89 mph) and tight slider (88 mph) and you have the future closer of the White Sox.
I’m still optimistic about Sheets. Sheets, who is currently not a part of the White Sox 60-man player pool, is in a tough spot with the organization because of his position. FutureSox learned recently that he will be working as an outfielder as well as first base moving forward, which helps his case. His Southern League leading 16 home runs across 126 Double-A games was a major step in Sheets’ development. Losing a year of playing time hurts him more than a lot of prospects across the farm system, as Sheets turns 25 in April.
16. JIMMY LAMBERT (RHP)
17. ZACK BURDI (RHP)
18. JAKE BURGER (3B/1B)
19. YOLBERT SANCHEZ (INF)
20. TYLER JOHNSON (RHP)
Burger is the story here, as he jumped from 30 to 18 on my list. Burger is healthy, he’s on the field playing in live games and is now very much a part of the conversation as a legitimate player who can help the White Sox moving forward. Lambert went down with a forearm strain following an impressive stretch of innings in his big league debut, but remains at No. 16 because of his undeniable stuff.
Burdi did exactly what I was hoping for when we compiled our preseason 2020 lists. Burdi’s velocity is there, he is healthy, his body is holding up across the 60-game season and he is pitching in high-leverage situations. Burdi is a great turnout for the White Sox after the first-rounder rehabbed through Tommy John, as well as a right knee injury in 2019.
Johnson is another bullpen arm to keep an eye on. He is working out at Schaumburg. The Sox would need to add him to the 40-man roster first, though. Not much has changed in the stock of Cuban shortstop Sanchez, as we are still anxiously awaiting him to play stateside as a member of the White Sox.
21. KONNOR PILKINGTON (LHP)
22. BRYCE BUSH (OF)
23. IAN HAMILTON (RHP)
24. DJ GLADNEY (3B/OF)
25. MATT FOSTER (RHP)
Gladney continues to creep up my top 30 list. I was a fan of the kid as soon as our Sean Williams started posting videos of Gladney’s live at-bats in the Arizona League.
Gladney is another player who the organization is using high-end technology to evaluate his biomechanics. A source told FutureSox that the Sox were pleased with some of the 19-year-old’s developments. They tweaked the positioning of his back foot, which provided him with more balance and improved swing efficiency. The source mentioned Gladney had never felt better about his swing.
I also still love the potential in Bush.
26. KADE MCCLURE (RHP)
27. JOSE RODRIGUEZ (SS)
28. JAMES BEARD (OF)
29. BENYAMIN BAILEY (OF)
30. WILL KINCANONÂ (RHP)
McClure has the stuff that will translate. He just needs to work his way through the minors first. Beard may very well be the fastest man in America, but I’ll need to triple check that one.
Shoutout to Kincanon, who can fly through the system next year with an opportunity to show off his mid 90s fastball and upper 80s slider. As a relief pitcher, the soon-to-be 25-year-old Kincanon will have to earn a spot on the 40-man roster at some point late next year, but the stuff is there for his shot at Major League Baseball.
Photo credit: Sean Williams/FutureSox