Here at FutureSox, we use a scoring system involving prospect points to use as a baseline for our rankings during pre-season and mid-season. First place votes receive 30 points and 30th place votes receive one point, etc. During this cycle, we had six writers participate and we will be posting our individual lists periodically on Patreon for our readers. Jason Lowenthal got the party started last week and Sleepy Harold submitted one as well. Here is mine:
Prospects 1-5
Colson Montgomery, Noah Schultz, Edgar Quero, Jake Eder, Bryan Ramos
Colson Montgomery is one of the best prospects in baseball right now. The 21-year-old shortstop just posted a 129 wRC+ with an OBP of .400 in Double-A Birmingham and his Arizona Fall League performance this year could influence his arrival time; which could be early in 2024 with the White Sox. The club used a first rounder in 2022 on local lefty Noah Schultz and the southpaw looked like a potential top-of-the-rotation arm this year. He needs innings going forward but he looks like an ace and has launched himself into the top 50 overall prospect in baseball range.
Edgar Quero was acquired in a deadline deal with the Los Angeles Angels and the backstop is firmly one of the top prospects in this system. The 20-year-old hit .277/.366/.393 with a 13% walk rate in 31 games with the Birmingham Barons. Lefty Jake Eder really struggled in his appearances within the White Sox’s system but he’s slated to pitch in the AFL as well and he still projects as a mid-rotation starter as a southpaw. 21-year-old Cuban Bryan Ramos increased his walk rate this year, played solid defense at third base and hit 14 homers with the Barons. He should be making his big league debut in 2024.
Prospects 6-10
Jacob Gonzalez, Cristian Mena, Nick Nastrini, Peyton Pallette, Jose Rodriguez
Jacob Gonzalez struggled in his professional debut but he played shortstop for the Cannon Ballers and doesn’t need to move from the position any time soon. Mena and Nastrini both advanced to Triple-A Charlotte. Each could debut with the White Sox at some point during the 2024 season. Nastrini was acquired in a mid-season trade while Mena was signed as a international free agent. He’s pitching in the high minors as a 20-year-old. Pallette threw 72 innings while making 22 starts in his comeback from Tommy John surgery. The rightly posted a 4.13 ERA while striking out 78 and walking 41. Jose Rodriguez was called up to the majors twice this year and could be a factor in Chicago in 2024. The infielder has hit 20 homers in the minors this season.
Prospects 11-15
Jonathan Cannon, Ky Bush, Grant Taylor, Sean Burke, Seth Keener
This group is made up of pitching prospects on much different trajectories. Jonathan Cannon has moved quickly through the minors after being drafted in the third round out of Georgia in 2022. Ky Bush is a lefty in a similar vein that was acquired by the White Sox in a deadline trade with the Angels. Both could realistically pitch in Chicago in 2024. Sean Burke made it to Triple-A this past season but has stalled out rehabbing a shoulder injury. Grant Taylor and Seth Keener were drafted in July. Keener should move quickly in a starting role but Taylor will be limited in 2024 after successful Tommy John rehab.
Prospects 16-20
Matthew Thompson, Terrell Tatum, George Wolkow, Jacob Burke, Ryan Burrowes
Ryan Burrowes should debut in full season ball next year for the first time while 17-year-old outfielder George Wolkow is likely to repeat in the Arizona Complex League during rookie ball. Both have upside but are far away developmentally compared to the others in this tier of prospects. Matthew Thompson is a 23-year-old former 2nd rounder drafted out of a Texas high school. He posted a 4.82 ERA in Double-A this year with 136 strikeouts and way too many walks in 125 innings. The White Sox will need to make a decision this winter with his Rule Five status pending. Terrell Tatum and Jacob Burke are recent day three college picks who look like future big leaguers. Tatum possesses a speedy, left-handed profile in center field and Burke really burst onto the scene in a big way.
Prospects 21-25
Wilfred Veras, Tanner McDougal, Juan Carela, Brooks Baldwin, Jordan Leasure
Wilfred Veras crushed the ball at Winston-Salem with the Dash after shifting to the outfield prior to a promotion to Double-A. With the Barons, the 20-year-old Dominican hit .309/.346/.533 with a 129 wRC+ over the course of 38 games. The rightly slugger clubbed 17 homers in 2023. Brooks Baldwin was drafted in the 12th round last year and he was stellar as a multi-position utility type with a big bat across both levels of A ball this season. The White Sox acquired Juan Carela from the Yankees at the deadline after he threw 83.1 innings in 16 minor league starts. The right hander posted a 3.34 ERA in 32 innings after the trade. Carela struck out 136 hitters in 115.2 innings. McDougal returned after undergoing Tommy John surgery and the 20-year-old struck out 80 hitters in 69.1 innings. Leasure should be a high leverage reliever in the big leagues in short order.
Prospects 26-30
Tyler Schweitzer, Eric Adler, Adam Hackenberg, Aldrin Batista, Abraham Nunez Jr.
The White Sox nabbed Aldrin Batista in exchange for international bonus pool space from the Dodgers this past August. He’s a young arm who led the Arizona Complex League in strikeouts. Nunez Jr. signed for $700K in January and lived up to it while playing center field in the Dominican Summer League this past season. Tyler Schweitzer projects as a back end left-handed starter while Adler could be a fireballing reliever at his peak. Both were drafted in 2022. Hackenberg is another third day college draftee who looks like he may have a potential big league future.