The Chicago White Sox once had one of baseball’s top farm systems. With talents like Luis Robert, Eloy Jiménez, and Andrew Vaughn all making the Majors, the farm system has been a bit barren in recent years. With additions like Colson Montgomery and Oscar Colas in the last two years, the system is improved at the top but still lacks depth overall. The system also feels like some of the players will be better real-life assets than they will for fantasy. But enough of that; let’s get to the players. Below you will find my White Sox top prospects for fantasy baseball.
Chicago White Sox Top Prospects for Fantasy Baseball
1. Colson Montgomery, SS
Age: 21/2022 Stats (A/A+/AA): 350 AB/.274/.381/.429/11 HR/1 SB/58 R/57 RBI
Colson Montgomery was a stud three-sport athlete who was recruited to play basketball at Indiana University. Instead, he decided to focus on baseball after being drafted 22nd overall by the White Sox in 2021. In his first full season in 2022, he showed why he is capable of being a high-end baseball player. He posted an impressive 88.8% zone-contact rate with solid exit velocities. Judging by his 6’4 frame, there is even more room to add more muscle which would result in more power. He is very polished at the plate, considering he has only played baseball alone for one full year and he should only continue to improve. There is no speed in his profile. But we could potentially see a Corey Seager-type profile in Montgomery.
2. Oscar Colas, OF
Age: 24/2022 Stats (A+/AA/AA): 481 AB/.314/.371/.524/23 HR/3 SB/81 R/79 RBI
Oscar Colas has had an interesting path to make it to America to play professionally. He debuted in the Cuban National Series at 17 but moved to Japan, where he played from 2017 to 2019 for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. After 2019, Fukuoka had a lengthy standoff with Colas that led into the COVID season. Colas did not play in 2020 and, unfortunately, was not released in time to be part of any team’s plans in the January 2021 signing period. Considering over a two-year layoff, Colas’s 2022 season was even more impressive.
Colas can mash baseballs and is a legitimate 30-home-run threat. He posted a 106 mph 90th-percentile exit velocity with a respectable 81% zone-contact rate. There are some chase rate issues, which could get exploited at the Major League level, so don’t expect Colas to be a .300 hitter. There could be some struggles in his initial debut, but Colas is still a very exciting prospect who could play the entire 2023 season with the White Sox.
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3. Bryan Ramos, 3B
Age: 21/2022 Stats (A+/AA): 462 AB/.266/.338/.455/22 HR/1 SB/72 R/86 RBI
Bryan Ramos is an exciting prospect who does not get the love he deserves. Ramos played most of 2022 in High-A as a 20-year-old and posted solid numbers. There were some struggles in his initial jump to Double-A, but he was very young for the level. His bat-to-ball skills are solid, and he does not strike out often. There can be concerns with his chase out of the zone, but even still he posted just a 25% chase rate last season in the Majors. One of the bigger problems noted by scouts and that I have seen on film is that Ramos tries to pull pitches on the outer half of the plate. If he can work on these things, there is a strong possibility Ramos can continue to progress and be an everyday player in the Majors.
4. Josè Rodríguez, SS/2B
Age: 21/2022 Stats (AA): 440 AB/.280/.340/.430/11 HR/40 SB/75 R/68 RBI
If you are just looking at numbers, Josè Rodríguez does not jump off the page at you. Through the end of July (400 PA), Rodriguez hit just two home runs with a .272/.327/.360 slash. A hamate injury ended his season in late August, but in 80 plate appearances that month, Rodriguez hit nine home runs with a .319/.413/.768 slash. There is more power in Rodriguez’s profile than you might expect, as he posted a 90th-percentile exit velocity of 103.3 mph and a 36% hard-hit rate. He began the season as a 20-year-old in Double-A, and the progress he made during the season was promising.
5. Cristian Mena, RHP
Age: 20/2022 Stats (A/A+/AA): 104.1 IP/3.80 ERA/1.32 WHIP/126 K
While watching film and digging into more data, I actively moved Cristian Mena up my rankings. Mena pitched exceptionally well as a 19-year-old who made it to Double-A in 2022. He has bulked up since signing with the White Sox and added velocity to his fastball. His fastball has a range of velos depending on the start, but he sits around 92, and he generates a lot of strikes at the top of the zone. Mena’s curveball is his best secondary which averages 81 mph. His slider is a newer pitch, but it has a distinct shape to the curveball and could improve if he can differentiate the velocity between the two pitches. If Mena uses his changeup more often, he can have a solid four-pitch mix and push his chances up of being a solid starting pitcher.
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6. Peyton Pallette, RHP
Age: 21/Did not pitch in 2022 due to Tommy John
Peyton Pallette’s college career did not go as many hoped, and if you look at his numbers, you are likely unimpressed. He missed the chance to showcase himself as a starter in 2022 due to Tommy John surgery, causing him to fall to the White Sox at 62 overall in 2022. When healthy, Pallette features an impressive arsenal of three pitches. His fastball sits near the mid-90s, with good ride at the top of the zone. His curveball has produced spin rates over 3000 rpm, and scouts saw it as one of the best curveballs in his draft class. Pallette also features a changeup with a nice arm-side run. There are still plenty of questions about what Pallette will look like post-Tommy John. But the talent is there.
7. Noah Schultz, LHP
Age: 19/2022 Stats: Did not pitch
It is hard to miss Noah Schultz if you see him out and about. The left-handed pitcher stands at 6’9″ and might resemble more of a basketball player. Schultz moved up draft boards significantly in 2022 and was taken by the White Sox 26th overall. He has a strong chance to have two plus pitches in his fastball and slider. His fastball is a two-seam that has nice sink action. His slider sits 81-84 mph with high spin rates. Schultz does feature a changeup with nice fading action, but it does need a bit of refinement. Despite being 6’9″, Schultz has a low release point (in relativity to his height) which creates some deceptiveness. A full season of Schultz in 2023 will be telling of what kind of pitcher he can be.
8. Lenyn Sosa, 2B
Age: 23/2022 Stats (AA/AAA): 483 AB/.315/.369/.511/23 HR/3 SB/77 R/79 RBI
2022 MLB Stats: 35 AB/.114/.139/.229/1 HR/0 SB/3 R/1 RBI
Lenyn Sosa was on very few radars before his 2022 breakout in the Minors. His impressive display of hitting between Double and Triple-A earned him a call-up to the Majors. His stint in the Majors was largely uninspiring, but for a 22-year-old in a small sample, we can give him a pass. Sosa may not be an everyday infielder due to his glove and arm. Plus, there is some chase against breaking balls in his profile. Sosa will likely compete for a spot in the White Sox lineup in 2023, but I would not expect numbers close to what we saw in the Minors in 2022.
9. Norge Vera, RHP
Age: 22/2022 Stats (A/A+/AA): 35.1 IP/3.31 ERA/1.41 WHIP/52 K
Norge Vera has struggled with injuries throughout his career, but he is impressive when he is on the mound. Arm fatigue ended his Dominican Summer League early in 2021. He also missed time this season due to a lat injury. Vera made 13 starts this year but pitched three or more innings only four times. When he is at his best, Vera has a dominant fastball that sits in the mid-90s and pounds the top of the zone with it. Vera utilizes his slider which is average at best. Considering his fastball velocity, an 82 mph slider is not ideal. His changeup is not often used but is a pitch that Vera will need to continue developing to progress as a starter.
10. Sean Burke, RHP
Age: 23/2022 Stats (A+/AA/AAA): 108 IP/4.75 ERA/1.44 WHIP/137 K
Sean Burke was uninspiring from a pure numbers standpoint in 2022, but that does not mean it was a lost season for him. The biggest thing for Burke was being on the mound and pitching an entire season. He missed his freshman year at Maryland due to Tommy John, his sophomore year was canceled early due to COVID, and 2021 was his only chance to pitch before the draft.
Burke has a solid arsenal of pitches but can struggle to command them. His fastball took a step forward after the draft and now sits in the mid-90s. His curveball has the makings of a plus pitch, as it gets plenty of downward break. Burke’s slider and changeup are used less often but can be average pitches. Burke will likely spend 2023 in Triple-A, which will be a good test for him. The talent is there for the makings of a back-end starter.
11. Luis Mieses, OF
Age: 22/2022 Stats (A+/AA): 517 AB/.284/.326/.447/15 HR/1 SB/66 R/88 RBI
Luis Mieses does not stand out in any particular area, but he impressed me when I saw him live several times this year. He has a physical frame and looks bigger than his listed 6’3″/220 lbs. Mieses has not done anything overly impressive in his career, but he does hit the ball hard, and the game power likely has not developed to its full potential. He has a high chase rate and a solid zone-contact percentage of 82.5%. His profile is interesting, but Mieses feels like a decent fantasy power option in the corner outfield.
12. Yoelqui Céspedes, OF
Age: 25/2022 Stats (AA): 458 AB/.258/.332/.437/17 HR/33 SB/65 R/59 RBI
Yoelqui Céspedes was quite hyped when he signed with the White Sox in 2021 for $2.05 million. Yoelqui carries a lot of name value, being Yoenis’ younger brother. Cespedes has not lived up to the hype so far, mainly due to the lack of contact. Last year, Cespedes posted a 60.5% contact rate and a 45% chase rate. It is hard to succeed at the plate when you swing that often on pitches out of the zone and do not make good zone contact. Cespedes has power and high-end speed, but the contact skills likely limit it from playing out.
13. Jonathan Cannon, RHP
Age: 22/2022 Stats (Rk/A): 7.1 IP/1.23 ERA/0.95 WHIP/4 K
Jonathan Cannon was the White Sox’s third-round pick in the 2022 draft. His 2022 season at the University of Georgia was solid but not overly impressive. Cannon can potentially be a back-end starter that does not generate a ton of strikeouts. His sinker sits in the mid-to-low 90s and does not miss many bats. He also features a cutter and a distinct slider. He has solid command of each pitch and throws plenty of strikes which will help him be a starter long-term.
14. Wes Kath, 3B
Age: 20/2022 Stats (A/AA): 430 AB/.230/.333/.374/13 HR/2 SB/57 R/45 RBI
Wes Kath was the White Sox second-round pick in the 2022 draft. Kath was billed as a lefty with monster power thanks to his 6’3/200 lb frame. The power may be there, but the contact skills hold Kath back. So far in his pro career, Kath has struggled to catch up to high fastballs, leading to a 34% strikeout rate in 2022. His zone-contact rate of 68% last year is extremely scary, and Kath has work to do to make it to the Majors.
15. Yolbert Sanchez, SS
Age: 26/2022 Stats (AA/AAA): 494 AB/.287/.346/.344/3 HR/11 SB/51 R/46 RBI
Yolbert Sanchez signed with the White Sox in 2019 but did not debut until 2021 after visa issues and COVID. Sanchez does not hit the ball hard, but he did post a 90% zone-contact rate and an overall contact rate of 81%. Sanchez has a profile that will likely put a ton of balls in play and get on base quite often. He is likely a utility bat for the White Sox.
Photo by Edoardo Busti – Unsplash | Adapted by Kurt Wasemiller @kurt_player02 on Instagram / @KUwasemiller on Twitter