Top White Sox prospects by position: Outfielders

With the graduation of Luis Robert, there’s a new face taking over as the top outfield prospect in the White Sox farm system. While some of the names continue to remain the same, there is starting to be a wave of younger prospects climbing their way up the ranks.

Despite losing one of the most talented prospects in the sport to the big league club, the outfield group continues to be filled with intriguing names. Most notably, the lower levels of the farm system are having intriguing talent dispersed throughout each affiliate over the last few seasons.

With our 2021 preseason prospect rankings on the horizon, we are gearing with a position-by-position breakdown of White Sox prospects. Here’s a look at the top ten outfielders in the White Sox organization heading into the 2021 season:

1. Yoelqui Cespedes

• Last level: Can-Am League (2019)

Cespedes is the newest member of the White Sox organization, and immediately places himself as the top outfield prospect with Luis Robert no longer having prospect eligibility. Cespedes and the White Sox officially agreed to terms on January 15, bringing the right-handed hitting Cuban outfielder to Chicago on a $2.05M signing bonus.

His most recent action was in the Can-Am league in 2019. Since then, he spent time training and it has paid off. Cespedes now has visibly added a lot of muscle to his frame as he gets ready to being his professional career with the White Sox. In regards to where Cespedes ranks among his International signing class, it varies across publications. He’s been ranked as high as No. 1, according to MLB Pipeline.

Scouts believe Cespedes has the ability to play all three outfield positions. He’s been labeled as a plus runner, good defender and flashes a strong arm. Marco Paddy believes Cespedes is a natural centerfielder. However, it doesn’t seem like that will be he path to a big league spot with Robert holding that down for the foreseeable future.

Offensively, Cespedes has been known as a line-drive hitter who can go to all fields. There hasn’t been a ton of power to his game at this point in his career. However, with the added muscle to his frame, that will be something to keep an eye on moving forward. At 23 years old, Cespedes is likely headed for A ball to begin his White Sox career, and if all goes well, he shouldn’t have a super lengthy minor league career.

2. Micker Adolfo

• Last level: Double-A Birmingham (2019)

Despite an injury riddled few years, Adolfo continues to be one of the top outfield prospects in the White Sox organization. Adolfo reached Birmingham in 2019, but that stint was short lived after needing to have arthroscopic surgery on his elbow. After being cleared to return to the field, Adolfo played 13 games with the AZL White Sox, then got extra work by participating in the Arizona Fall League to close out 2019.

For Adolfo, it was really unfortunate that there was no minor league season in 2020. After dealing with so many lengthy injuries, he needed to get live game reps to try to get back to his old form. The White Sox sent Adolfo to Schaumburg in 2020, giving him the opportunity to get work in despite there being no regular minor league season.

Adolfo’s development of power and his strong arm, still to this day, make him one of the more intriguing outfielders in the system. The question with him continues to be if he can stay healthy. He’s still only 24 years old, so there’s a chance that he can carve out a role for himself with the big league club. He just needs to stay on the field and get more experience in the upper levels of the minors.

3. Luis Gonzalez

• Last level: MLB (2020)

A third-round selection in the 2017 MLB Draft, Gonzalez benefited from the odd 2020 season that saw him get a brief stint with the big league club. Gonzalez spent most of the year at the Schaumburg alternate site. However, he did also get three games of major league experience under his belt in 2020.

Prior to 2020, Gonzalez made it to Birmingham where he struggled a bit. This is not uncommon as the Southern League is known as a difficult league for hitters. He brings a lot of tools to the table. He has the ability to drive the ball to all fields, the ability to play all three outfield spots and a good feel for the strike zone.

There is a bit of a logjam of outfielders at Birmingham and Charlotte. However, Gonzalez has the tools that can help separate him from the rest of the bunch. At the very least, he’s a solid defensive presence in the outfield and that alone makes him a valuable prospect in the system.

4. Blake Rutherford

• Last level: Double-A Birmingham (2019)

Before the 2020 minor league season was cancelled, Rutherford showed up to Camelback Ranch with noticeably added muscle to his frame. Throughout his minor league career, he’s been considered to be more of a line drive hitter than a power hitter. With the added muscle, Rutherford was looking to change that and add more power to his game.

Rutherford is still young, and there are traits to like about his game. However, more consistent power could help his stock as a prospect, especially since he’s a left-handed bat. Regardless, he remains to consistently be one of the top outfield prospects within the organization since he was acquired in 2017. He is likely going to move on from Birmingham to Charlotte in 2021, and that alone should help him increase his power numbers.

5. Bryce Bush

• Last level: Low-A Kannapolis (2019)

Bush came into the White Sox organization as a third baseman in 2018. He put on a show during his first taste of pro ball with the AZL White Sox, slashing .442/.538/.605 with four doubles, one home run, eight walks and four strikeouts in 14 games. Since moving up to Great Falls and then Kannapolis in 2019, Bush struggled with more advanced pitching at a young age.

Bush shows great athleticism, making the switch from the hot corner to the outfield after his first year of pro ball. He also displays great bat speed and quick hands, giving himself a lot of room for power as he develops through the system. He’s still a very young prospect with room to grow, but there are tools there now that make him one of the more exciting outfield prospects in the system.

6. Benyamin Bailey

• Last level: Dominican Summer League (2019)

Bailey has only one professional season under his belt, but he made the most of it. In 2019 with the DSL White Sox, Bailey slashed .324/.477/.454 with 12 doubles, two home runs, 19 RBI, 52 walks and 40 strikeouts in 55 games. The insanely high clip of getting on-base is going to be difficult to maintain for Bailey. However, it’s encouraging to see that he’s not pressing at the plate at such a young age.

At 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, scouts mention that Bailey will add a lot of power as he continues to build his frame. He was a $35K signing out of Panama in 2018 and so far, he’s made that look like a bargain. Bailey was ticketed to make his stateside debut in 2020. That will now come in 2021 as he looks to continue to be an exciting development in the lower levels of the minors.

7. James Beard

• Last level: Arizona Rookie League (2019)

Coming out of Loyd Star High School in Brookhaven, Miss., scouts felt that Beard could be overmatched at the early stages of his minor league career. There was a significant talent gap in what he faced leading up to the draft and what he would face in the minors. Still, there was plenty to like about his game and he possesses a lot of tools that would make any organization excited to take a chance on him.

In the AZL, Beard did struggle quite a bit at the plate. His timing seemed off throughout the season, leading to a .213/.270/.307 slash with 54 strikeouts in 31 games. He is going to be a project over the next few years, but the highly regarded speed is legit and he has two-way impact potential if he’s able to put it all together.

8. Johnabiell Laureano

• Last level: Dominican Summer League (2019)

After signing with the White Sox out of the Dominican Republic in 2017, Laureano has spent both seasons with the DSL affiliate. As an 18-year-old in 2019, he put up impressive numbers. With the DSL White Sox, he slashed .357/.437/.543 with 15 doubles, six home runs, 36 RBI, 28 walks, and 43 strikeouts in 59 games.

Laureano has primarily played centerfield since joining the organization and scouts say that he has a chance to stick there moving forward. He also possess some raw power, but he needs to lift the ball more to unlock more of it in a game setting.

9. Luis Mieses

• Last level: Great Falls (2019)

The 20-year-old left-handed hitter has been with the White Sox since 2017. He’s floated around all rookie level affiliates, making his most recent stop in Great Falls. With the Voyagers, Mieses slashed .241/.264/.359 with 14 doubles, four home runs, 28 RBI, seven walks, and 46 strikeouts in 59 games.

Mieses has primarily played centerfield thus far, but he’s also seen a fair amount of work at both corner outfield spots. Scouts say that he has good instincts and a good first step. At the plate, Mieses takes more of an aggressive approach. However, he has good bat-to-ball skills that could translate to an improved hit tool and more power if he works on his plate discipline.

10. Chase Krogman

• Last level: Arizona Rookie League (2019)

Krogman was a 34th round selection in the 2019 MLB Draft out of Liberty High School in Missouri. The left-handed hitting outfielder played in just seven games during his first taste of professional baseball. With the AZL White Sox, Krogman slashed .190/.227/.190 with four hits, one RBI, one walk, and six strikeouts in 22 plate appearances.

That’s a small sample size for Krogman, who also was sidelined with an injury, shortly after making his pro debut. As an 18-year-old in the AZL, Krogman displayed a good feel for the strike zone and good bat to ball skills.

Scout Robbie Cummings praised the young outfielder defensively, stating that he possesses an above-average, accurate arm, paired with good instincts. Krogman’s experience as a professional has been brief, but he’s a name worth keeping an eye on in the lower levels of the system.

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