Revealing the top half of our top 30 prospects list, this group of players has the potential to make up a significant portion of the White Sox core in 2025 and beyond.
The White Sox currently have six prospects who are near-consensus top 100 prospects, and several others who can climb up to a similar status within the next year. The organization is as strong as it was back in the early stages of the last rebuild attempt. While last time may not have worked out as well as many Sox fans had hoped, this is a new rebuild with a different philosophy. With the depth of the organization combined with top-end talent, brighter brighter days are ahead for the Chicago White Sox.
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15. Ky Bush, LHP
At 6’6 240 lbs, Ky Bush is an imposing presence on the mound. Acquired alongside Edgar Quero in the Lucas Giolito trade, Bush is a polished left-handed pitcher who bounced back strong at Double-A Birmingham this season after an underwhelming showing last season. His performance earned him a promotion to Triple-A, and eventually a handful of starts at the MLB level.
He was in line to compete for a rotation spot for the 2025 season, however, after undergoing Tomy John surgery in February he will be out of action until next year. When healthy, he can be a very effective backend pitcher who eats innings and keeps games winnable. Bush has a full arsenal of usable pitches, with his fastball consistently sitting in the 92-94 range. His best pitch is his slider, which at its best can be a true out pitch. He also uses a curveball and a changeup effectively and isn’t afraid to attack the strike zone.
14. Chase Meidroth, INF
The third piece in the Garrett Crochet trade, Chase Meidroth may not carry the same upside as some other prospects on this portion of the list. However, he might have the highest floor in the entire White Sox organization. A fast riser through the Red Sox organization, Meidroth has shown elite contact skills with a fantastic eye for the ball. Spending the 2024 season with the Red Sox Triple-A affiliate, he drew walks at a significantly higher rate than he struck out, and while he doesn’t offer much in the power department, it isn’t easy to match his propensity to get on base.
Defensively, it is unclear where his long-term home will be. He has plenty of experience playing second base, third base, and shortstop. However, he probably won’t ever be any more than average at any of the positions, and with a fringy arm, he is most likely to land at second base. The defensive limitations and lack of power may be difficult to overcome, but with his bat-to-ball skills and his eye at the plate, he should at least be a long-term utility man at the MLB level.
13, Jeral Perez, 2B
While Miguel Vargas was the headliner of the trade that sent Erick Fedde, Michael Kopech, and Tommy Pham to the Dodgers, Jeral Perez might have been the most intriguing part of the return for the Sox. A 19-year-old middle infielder, Perez has produced at every level he has faced so far, showcasing above-average raw power to go along with his exceptional patience and discipline at the plate. He has the potential to be a 20+ home run hitter who will also get on base frequently,
Defensively, the Dodgers had Perez primarily playing second base, although the Sox have allowed him to split time between second and shortstop since they acquired him. He has solid actions in the field and just enough range. However, his fringy arm may force him to stay at second base, where he could be above average defensively.
12. Sean Burke, RHP
The official opening day starting pitcher for the Chicago White Sox, Sean Burke’s path to the MLB roster has come with its fair share of twists and turns. A third-round pick back in 2021, Sean Burke’s minor league career got off to a strong start. After being elevated to Triple-A in his first full minor league season back in 2022, Burke was only able to pitch 36.2 innings in 2023 due to shoulder inflammation, and it was clear he wasn’t fully healthy when he was on the mound.
He dealt with some command and consistency issues upon his return to the mound in 2024 but eventually settled down enough to earn a promotion to the MLB roster. He finished the season with the White Sox, making four strong starts and cementing his place in the White Sox long-term plans. As the opening-day starter, he will spend the 2025 season making starts at the MLB level and further making his case to the Sox front office why he should be part of the next core.
11. Caleb Bonemer, SS
The White Sox selected Caleb Bonemer with the 43rd overall pick in the 2024 MLB First-Year Player Draft and coughed up an over-slot bonus of roughly $3 million to get him out of his commitment to the University of Virginia. While he won’t be making his minor-league debut until this season, it is clear that the White Sox are very high on Michigan’s two-time Gatorade High School Player of the Year.
Showcasing elite bat speed, Bonemer routinely showcases his plus raw power at the plate. He has some work to do with his approach and to fix some holes in his swing, but possesses high-end offensive upside when things are right. Defensively, he was primarily a shortstop in high school, with solid range and soft hands. He may profile better as a third baseman, however, where he has plenty of arm strength and can be a plus defensive asset.
10. Mason Adams, RHP
Mason Adams gained a lot of fans in scouting circles during the 2023 season with a strong showing across three levels, ending his season with a brief stint with the Double-A Birmingham Barons. A 13th-round draft pick in 2022, Adams has exceeded expectations with his performance so far with a 3.14 ERA and a 4.31 K/BB rate through the 2023 season. He followed that up with an exceptional 2024 season, where dominated the Double-A level and earned a promotion to Triple-A in September.
Through 103.1 innings, Adams held a 2.44 ERA and 101 strikeouts, while holding a minuscule walk rate. While he doesn’t have elite velocity with his fastball, he can use different variations of it to keep hitters off balance. His curveball is his best pitch, generating a ton of break and locating it well. He may not have front-line starter potential but has a chance to be a legitimate mid-rotation starter for the White Sox eventually. A flexor strain will delay his start to the 2025 season, but Adams will likely be relied on as organizational starting pitching depth at some point this season.
9. Jairo Iriarte, RHP
An under-the-radar international signing out of Venezuela in 2018, Jairo Iriarte has developed into a legitimate starting pitching prospect over the last several years. In 2023, he put up elite strikeout numbers, although he also battled some command issues which led to an inflated walk rate. Between High-A and Double-A, he held a 3.49 ERA through 90.1 innings at just 21 years old. That production led him to be a core part of the trade package that sent Dylan Cease to the Padres prior to the 2024 season.
Iriarte was up-and-down through 126 innings at the Double-A level this season but still flashed his high-end potential. The front office is excited enough about his future that he skipped Triple-A and has joined the White Sox bullpen for a brief stint to end the 2024 season.
Iriarte has a dangerous arsenal at his disposal, headlined by a fastball that hits the upper 90s and has plenty of life. Both his slider and changeup are above-average offerings as well, with the slider specifically generating plenty of movement. As previously mentioned, command of his pitches is what could hold Iriarte back in the long run. Throughout his minor league career, he has allowed way too many free-base runners, and if he is unable to improve in that area he may be destined for a bullpen role. If he can improve his command, however, he has front-line upside as a starter.
8. George Wolkow, OF
A 6’7 outfielder, George Wolkow was selected in the seventh round in the 2023 draft at just 17 years old and signed for a $1 million signing bonus (equivalent to second-round value). Wolkow has experience playing both right and center field, but projects to the corner spot long-term. Due to his size and raw power, he has drawn comparisons to Giancarlo Stanton, although those are rather lofty expectations to put on him at this point. Wolkow is a left-handed hitter who, due to his size, raises some concerns about having a longer swing. He would’ve most likely been a first-round pick in the 2024 draft but decided to reclassify to get a head start on the competition.
Through the 2024 season, Wolkow far exceeded expectations. After dominating the competition in the Arizona Complex League, he was promoted to Low-A Kannapolis, where at just 18 he was one of the youngest players at the level. He continued to showcase his massive raw power at that level, although his strikeout rate remained around the 40% mark all season. Still, he has combined his massive raw power with a solid approach at the plate, showing the ability to work counts and draw his fair share of walks. The strikeouts stem mostly from some holes in his swing, which if he can clean up will allow him to remain a dominant force at the plate.
7. Grant Taylor, RHP
Before sustaining an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery, Grant Taylor was generating first-round buzz heading into the 2023 collegiate season for LSU. Instead, the White Sox snagged him in the second round, where they believe they drafted a premium arm.
Making his minor league debut this season, Taylor quickly showcased why there was so much buzz around him before the elbow injury. Through 16 innings at Low-A Kannapolis, Taylor held a 1.13 ERA and struck out 25 batters while just walking 1 in that time. Unfortunately, he suffered a lat injury back in June and was shut down for the remainder of the season.
Although he spent the bulk of his collegiate career as a reliever, Taylor pitched extremely well as a starting pitcher at the Cape Cod league, firmly putting himself on the map in the eyes of scouts. When healthy, he throws a mid-upper 90’s fastball with life, and a curveball that generates elite spin rates. He also mixes in a slider and changeup that are at least average, and he throws from a high three-quarter arm slot. He has impressed the organization during practices and showcased his front-line starter potential in his short stint in Spring Training. If he can stay healthy this season, he should have no issue catapulting himself firmly into top 100 lists.
6. Braden Montgomery, OF
As the co-headliner in the Garrett Crochet trade, Braden Montgomery might have more upside than any other position player in the organization. He would have been a lock to be drafted in the top 10 of the draft if an ankle injury didn’t prematurely end his final collegiate season.
A switch-hitting outfielder, Montgomery has serious power from both sides of the plate, leading to 27 home runs in 236 at-bats his junior year. His batted ball data and exit velocities were up there with the top hitters in the country, showing that those home run numbers should be expected to continue into his professional career. While only an average athlete, his experience as a pitcher who touched 98 mph gives him a plus arm. This makes him a prototypical right fielder moving forward.
5. Edgar Quero, C
While the Sox brought in a plethora of new prospects at the deadline, Edgar Quero was the top prize that they were able to acquire. Coming in through the trade that sent Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez to the Angels, Quero was one of the youngest players overall at the Double-A level in 2023. While that was due to an overly aggressive promotion stemming from his time with the Angels, he still was able to hold his own at the plate while improving defensively behind the plate.
In 2024, however, he seemed to recapture what made him successful back in 2022, as he has reestablished himself as a consensus Top 100 prospect in all of baseball. He was a force at the plate for the Double-A Birmingham Barons and received rave reports for his ability to work with the pitching staff. He earned a promotion to Triple-A in early July, where he has found even more success with an OPS hovering right around .900. With the success he had at the plate in2024, combined with the strides he’s made defensively, doesn’t have much left to prove in the minors. He finished the 2024 season on the White Sox taxi squad, so his MLB debut should come sooner rather than later.
4. Colson Montgomery, SS
The 2024 season didn’t quite go according to plan for Colson Montgomery, as he had arguably the most underwhelming season of his minor league career. Spending the entire 2024 season with the Triple-A Charlotte Knights at just 22 years old, he was one of the younger players at the level, so there is plenty of reason to believe he will bounce back in 2025.
Despite his recent struggles, he still showcases an elite knack for getting on base and was been able to tap into his raw power a bit more last season. What held him back, however, was that his strikeout rate jumped to nearly 30%. That was a large reason for being unable to keep his batting average up much higher than .200 for most of the season. He did seem to get rolling to end the season, though, looked closer to his old self in the Arizona Fall League. Montgomery still has all the tools and capabilities to become a cornerstone of the future of this franchise at the shortstop position. If he can carry his end-of-the-season production into the 2025 season, there is little doubt he will be in a White Sox uniform very soon.
3. Hagen Smith, LHP
While many assumed the White Sox would be targeting a bat with the 5th pick in the 2024 MLB First-Year Player Draft, it was the southpaw Hagen Smith that they ultimately landed on, and it is easy to see why they ultimately chose him. Earning SEC Pitcher of the Year honors this past season, Smith put up video game-like numbers during his final collegiate season. He struck out 17.3 batters per nine innings while allowing just a .144 batting average against as the ace of the Arkansas pitching staff.
Sitting in the upper 90s while occasionally hitting 100, Smith’s fastball is a plus offering when combining his plus velocity with a low three-quarter arm slot that makes it difficult to read. His slider might be even more effective, however, sitting in the mid-80s with elite spin rates. It is a pitch that is difficult to hit for right-handers and nearly impossible to catch up to for left-handers.
While he uses an unorthodox delivery, a common theme for White Sox pitching prospects, Smith repeats his delivery well and has improved his command throughout his college career. he has a durable frame, standing at 6’3 225 lbs, and has all the tools to develop into a frontline starter. He only appeared in a few games to begin his White Sox minor league career, but he is likely to begin the 2025 season in High-A and move quickly through the system.
2. Kyle Teel, C
By most accounts, Kyle Teel was the best prospect the White Sox received in the four-player package for Garrett Crochet. At just 22, Teel reached Triple-A in his first full minor league season and is expected to make his MLB debut in 2025. At the plate, Teel is a very good hitter who makes consistent contact and has an advanced eye at the plate. While the power hasn’t shown up as much yet, there is plenty of pop in his bat, and could allow him to be a 20-home-run hitter. He is also much more athletic than the average catcher, as he is a threat to get double-digit stolen bases. That athleticism also provides some versatility as he has some experience playing in the outfield and holding his own.
Behind the plate, Teel combines a solid arm with good movement skills. He has also received solid reviews for his framing and his game-calling ability. That combination of both offensive and defensive capabilities gives Teel a chance to be a perennial all-star caliber catcher at his ceiling. He should also be able to play some first base and maybe even left field at the major league level, saving him from some wear and tear and allowing him to extend his career. If Teel even reaches 75% of his ceiling, the White Sox will have a very good catcher for a long time.
1. Noah Schultz, LHP
After an incredibly impressive showing throughout the 2024 season, Noah Schultz is the unquestioned White Sox’s top-ranked prospect and is even in the conversation to be the best pitching prospect in baseball. While very few scouts questioned Schultz’s abilities on the mound, it was his lack of innings that caused caution with his expectations heading into last season. He has put all those concerns to rest, however, as he reached 88.1 innings and stayed healthy the entire season. While pitching on an innings limit and a college-like schedule that saw him only start on Saturdays, Schultz has been able to build up his arm and take the mound every week for the duration of the 2024 season and did nothing but impress doing so.
The 6’10 (yes he reportedly grew another inch) southpaw showcased his elite stuff all season, striking out 42 batters in 27.1 innings prior to his promotion to the Double-A Birmingham Barons, and was almost even more impressive through his stint there. What has been the biggest surprise, however, is his ability to repeat his delivery despite his length and low release point, leading to a much better command of his arsenal.
Schultz has gained some velocity since being drafted in the first round back in 2022, sitting in the mid-90s. He has also started to pair his 4-seamer with a 2-seamer, adding another way to throw batters off. His best pitch is easily his slider, however, sitting in the low-80s and posting elite spin rates, which generate a ton of horizontal movement. Combined with his nearly side-arm delivery with his long arms, the slider is extremely hard for batters to get a read on, especially left-handed hitters.
Schultz’s arsenal, delivery, and command all combine to give him some of the highest upside of any minor-league pitcher in baseball. He has risen the ranks quicker than initially expected and has been able to handle the more advanced competition admirably. At this rate, a debut in 2025 is not out of the question, and there is little question that he is capable of developing into the ace of the White Sox pitching staff.
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Featured Image: Allan Henry-Imagn Images
