Another pitching prospect will be debuting for the White Sox this week.
According to Daryl Van Schouwen, pitching prospect Jonathan Cannon will start Tuesday’s game versus the Royals. Manager Pedro Grifol would not say whether Cannon and the recently selected Nick Nastrini will remain in the rotation, though it would seem likely.
Cannon, 23, has recently just completed his second-ever Triple-A start for the Charlotte Knights, allowing just five hits over five shutout innings in a no-decision against the Jumbo Shrimp.
The White Sox representative in the All-Star Futures Game, Cannon has made a name for himself during the 2023 season. While he doesn’t possess overwhelming stuff, Cannon has excellent command of his pitches and projects to be a mid-to-back end starter at the major league level.
In 72.2 innings with High-A Winston Salem last season, Cannon held a 3.59 ERA and averaged just under a strikeout per inning. His strong showing led to a promotion to the Double-A level, where after a few rough starts, he was able to settle down and hold his own against the more advanced competition. The fastball has solid velocity and a heavy sink, forcing plenty of weak contact. His cutter might be his best pitch, as he misses more bats with that than any of his other offerings.
MLB Pipeline currently ranks Cannon as the team’s No. 11 prospect and has this to say about him:
Though Cannon’s strike-throwing stands out more than his stuff, he does have an effective four-pitch mix. His best offering is his plus cutter, which improved in 2022, now sits in the upper 80s and misses more bats than the rest of his arsenal. He also has a 92-96 mph fastball with heavy sink, a low-80s slider that also made strides that year, and a mid-80s changeup with similar movement to his heater.
Though he’s 6-foot-6, Cannon has no trouble keeping his long limbs in sync and repeating his efficient delivery. He pounds the strike zone with his fastball, slider and cutter, averaging just 1.6 walks per nine innings in three years with the Bulldogs. More polished than overpowering, he stands out more for his floor than his ceiling but may not need much time in the Minors to become a No. 4 starter.
via MLB Pipeline
The White Sox face the Royals tomorrow at 6:40 p.m. CT.
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Featured Photo: Laura Wolff/Charlotte Knights
