With the Minor League season opening this week, here's where the White Sox Top 30 prospects are projected to start:
1. Colson Montgomery (MLB No. 9), SS -- Charlotte (Triple-A)
2. Noah Schultz (MLB No. 48), LHP -- Winston-Salem (High-A)
3. Drew Thorpe (MLB No. 81), RHP -- Birmingham (Double-A)
4. Bryan Ramos, 3B -- Birmingham (Double-A)
5. Edgar Quero, C -- Birmingham (Double-A)
6. Samuel Zavala, OF -- Winston-Salem (High-A)
7. Jacob Gonzalez, SS -- Winston-Salem (High-A)
8. Nick Nastrini, RHP -- Charlotte (Triple-A)
9. Jairo Iriarte, RHP -- Birmingham (Double-A)
10. Jake Eder, LHP -- Birmingham (Double-A)
11. Jonathan Cannon, RHP -- Charlotte (Triple-A)
12. Peyton Pallette, RHP -- Winston-Salem (High-A)
13. Grant Taylor, RHP -- Extended spring training
14. George Wolkow, OF -- Extended spring training
15. Seth Keener, RHP -- Kannapolis (Single-A)
16. Dominic Fletcher, OF -- Chicago (MLB)
17. Jos¨¦ Rodr¨ªguez, 2B/SS -- Charlotte (Triple-A)
18. Jordan Leasure, RHP -- Chicago (MLB)
19. Prelander Berroa, RHP -- Charlotte (Triple-A)
20. Ky Bush, LHP -- Birmingham (Double-A)
21. Tanner McDougal, RHP -- Winston-Salem (High-A)
22. Mason Adams, RHP -- Birmingham (Double-A)
23. Sean Burke, RHP -- Charlotte (Triple-A) -- injured list (shoulder)
24. Ryan Burrowes, SS -- Kannapolis (Single-A) -- injured list (hand)
25. Javier Mogollon, 2B/SS -- Extended spring training
26. Eduardo Herrera, 3B -- Dominican Republic complex
27. Brooks Baldwin, 3B/SS/OF -- Birmingham (Double-A)
28. Wilfred Veras, OF -- Birmingham (Double-A)
29. Juan Carela, RHP -- Winston-Salem (High-A)
30. Shane Drohan, LHP -- Chicago (MLB) -- injured list (shoulder surgery)
Team to watch
Both right-handers acquired from the Padres in the Dylan Cease trade, Drew Thorpe and Jairo Iriarte, will begin their White Sox careers at Double-A Birmingham. They'll be joined on the Barons by three more of the system's best prospects (third baseman Bryan Ramos, catcher Edgar Quero, left-hander Jake Eder) and two of its top sleepers (righty Mason Adams, infielder/outfielder Brooks Baldwin).
Players we could see in MLB in 2024
Shortstop Colson Montgomery's big league debut should be the most anticipated moment of Chicago's 2024 season. Nick Nastrini and Jonathan Cannon could crack the White Sox rotation before too long, and fellow right-hander Prelander Berroa soon may join the bullpen as well.
New faces
Besides the players in the Cease deal, five other members of our White Sox Top 30 should make their organization debuts in 2024. Right-hander Grant Taylor, a second-round pick last July, is working his way back from Tommy John surgery in February 2023. Left-hander Shane Drohan, a Rule 5 Draft selection, had nerve decompression surgery on his shoulder in late February. Physical third baseman Eduardo Herrera signed out of Venezuela for $1.8 million in January and will start his pro career in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League. Outfielder Dominic Fletcher made the big league Opening Day roster after arriving from the D-backs via a February deal for righty pitching prospect Cristian Mena, and Berroa joined the organization the same day as part of a Gregory Santos trade with the Mariners.
On the shelf
Taylor is throwing to hitters in extended spring training and should join a Class A affiliate in May. Right-hander Sean Burke still is coming back from shoulder discomfort that limited him to nine Triple-A starts in 2023 and should rejoin Charlotte in May. Shortstop Ryan Burrowes broke a bone in his hand when he was hit by a pitch in Spring Training but should make it to Single-A Kannapolis by the end of April. Drohan had a chance to make the Opening Day rotation before landing on the 60-day Injured List and will be out for a while.