The MLB Winter Meetings are underway, and with that comes an opportunity for the White Sox to make significant changes to their roster. While the major move that everyone is waiting for is the inevitable trade of Garrett Crochet, the 2024 Rule 5 Draft will be another avenue for General Manager Chris Getz to infuse some young talent into the roster. Recent Rule 5 draft picks include Anthony Santander, Mark Canha, and Odúbel Herrera, proving that finding a quality starting player is possible.
Eligibility for the Rule 5 Draft is dependent on the amount of service time a prospect has spent in the MiLB concerning their age at the time that they signed with or were drafted by an MLB club. Players 18 years old and younger are subject to the Rule 5 Draft if they are not added to the club’s 40-man roster within 5 years, and players 19 years old and older are subject to be selected if they are not added within 4 years.
When a player is selected in the Rule 5 Draft, the selecting club must pay the player’s original team $100,000 for their rights. Once selected, the drafted player is immediately assigned to the selecting team’s 26-man roster, so the team must have a spot open for their draft pick. Teams are not allowed to option Rule 5 draft picks to the minors. Instead, they must be placed on outright waivers. If they clear waivers, then the player must be offered back to their original team for $50,000 before they can be outrighted to the minors.
Who from the White Sox system is eligible to be drafted?
While the White Sox added SS Colson Montgomery and RHP Juan Carela to their 40-man roster, protecting them from the Rule 5 Draft, they still have several prospects eligible to be drafted on Wednesday. The most notable being Wilfred Veras.
According to MLB Pipeline, Veras is ranked as Chicago’s 25th-best prospect, spending the entire 2024 season at Double-A Birmingham. There, he slashed .267/.319/.424 with 16 home runs and 25 stolen bases at just 21 years old. Veras is far from a perfect prospect due to his overly aggressive approach at the plate and lack of a true defensive home, he possesses plenty of raw power and has the tools that could lead a team to take a chance on him.
Relief pitchers Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa and Trey McGough are also potential options that a team could target. While neither is expected to be a difference-maker this year, both have had recent success at the Triple-A level and could be viewed by other teams as MLB-ready options to bolster their bullpen.
Other prospects of note who are eligible to be drafted are Adisyn Coffey, Andrew Dalquist, DJ Gladney, Jared Kelley, Gil Luna, and Terrell Tatum
Who could the White Sox select?
The Rule-5 Draft order is determined by reverse record. Because of this, the White Sox will have the first selection in the 2024 Rule 5 Draft. While they are not obligated to use their draft slot to select a player, it is widely expected that they will utilize their pick, with many speculating that they will target a position player. Though that may end up being the case, there are several pitchers as well who could also intrigue the White Sox enough to give them a spot on their 26-man roster.
If they do go the expected route of adding a position player, they might only have to look over to the North Side to find their guy in outfielder Christian Franklin. A former fourth-round pick, Franklin is a plus-athlete who has a knack for getting on base and is a threat to swipe some bags when he does. There is raw power in the bat as well, although major swing adjustments will be needed to unlock it.
They could also opt for a former top-100 prospect in Diamondbacks outfielder Kristian Robinson, who offers some of the loudest tools available but has yet to put it all together. If they want to say in the AL Central, Twins outfielder Kala’i Rosario was able to show off his plus raw power in the Arizona Fall League earlier this offseason. Or, they could look to the AL West and even opt for a more versatile defender in Cooper Bowman from the Athletics, whose legs are an asset on the basepaths and has plenty of experience playing both in the middle infield and center field.
On the mound, several pitchers stand out as prospects who could catch the White Sox’s eye. An in-division selection of Ryan Webb from the Guardians could make sense, as the 26-year-old lefty has little left to prove in the minors after posting a sub-3.00 ERA through 140+ innings between the Double-A and Triple-A levels in Cleveland’s system.
If Ethan Katz wants to go back to a player from the San Francisco Giants who was in the organization at the time, former top-15 pick Will Bednar could be an option here. While he struggled after a promotion to Double-A, there is plus stuff in his arm that could be intriguing to a rebuilding team.
A final name to keep an eye on is right-handed pitcher Zach Messinger from the Yankees, who is coming off a very successful season at the Double-A level and has been able to miss plenty of bats despite a lack of elite stuff.
The Rule 5 Draft is always hard to predict and it is difficult to put too much stock into a team’s selection. The pool of players available was purposely left off their teams’ 40-man rosters and shouldn’t be expected to make a major impact on their new teams if they even make it through the season. However, it’s an opportunity for a club to attempt unlocking some untapped potential in a player with little to no risk involved in acquiring them, and should always be used by rebuilding teams such as the White Sox to add talent to their roster.
After a historically bad showing in the 2024 season, the Sox should utilize every opportunity to overhaul their roster in an attempt to set themselves up for future success.
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Featured Photo: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
