Here are the White Sox 2022 Top 30 Prospects
Much like their big league club, the White Sox farm system has a distinct Cuban flavor. Chicago's lineup features four stars who hail from the island -- Jos¨¦ Abreu, Yasmani Grandal, Yo¨¢n Moncada, Luis Robert -- and five of their best prospects do as well.
Slugging outfielders Oscar Colas and Yoelqui Cespedes could arrive at Guaranteed Rate in the next few years. Right-hander Norge Vera is the organization's top pitching prospect and has the stuff to move quickly once he makes his U.S. debut in 2022. Infielders Bryan Ramos and Yolbert Sanchez are two of the system's more promising hitters.
Though the White Sox rank last in a consensus of media organization talent rankings, the system has done its job in recent year by churning out talent that has resulted in the franchise's first back-to-back playoff appearances in its 121-season history. Chicago is a strong contender to extend that streak to three years with a homegrown nucleus that includes Tim Anderson, Aaron Bummer, Garrett Crochet, Robert, Gavin Sheets and Andrew Vaughn. The Sox also developed Dylan Cease, Lucas Giolito, Eloy Jim¨¦nez, Michael Kopech, Reynaldo L¨®pez and Moncada in the Minors after acquiring them in trades.
Besides their Cuban contingent, the White Sox also are pinning their prospect hopes on a 2021 Draft class that includes shortstop Colson Montgomery, third baseman Wes Kath and right-hander Sean Burke. They invested a total of $7.1 million in high school right-handers Jared Kelley, Matthew Thompson and Andrew Dalquist in the 2019-20 Drafts, but that trio struggled mightily in Single-A last year.
Here's a look at the White Sox's top prospects:
1. Colson Montgomery, SS
2. Oscar Colas, OF
3. Jose Rodriguez, SS
4. Yoelqui Cespedes, OF
5. Norge Vera, RHP
Biggest jump/fall
Here are the players whose ranks changed the most from the 2021 preseason list to the 2022 preseason list.
Jump: Romy Gonzalez, SS/2B (2021: NR | 2022: 8) -- An 18th-round pick out of Miami in 2018, he shifted from the outfield to the middle infield last year, posted an .896 OPS with 24 homers and 24 steals in Double-A and Triple-A and made his big league debut.
Fall: Blake Rutherford (2021: 12 | 2022: NR) -- The White Sox keep hoping for the 18th overall pick in the 2016 Draft to hit for some power, but it hasn't happened.
Best tools
Players are graded on a 20-80 scouting scale for future tools -- 20-30 is well below average, 40 is below average, 50 is average, 60 is above average and 70-80 is well above average. Players in parentheses have the same grade.
Hit: 55 -- Jose Rodriguez (Yolbert Sanchez)
Power: 60 -- Oscar Colas
Run: 70 -- Wilber Sanchez
Arm: 70 -- Micker Adolfo
Defense: 55 -- Wilber Sanchez (Misael Gonzalez)
Fastball: 70 -- Norge Vera (Anderson Severino)
Curveball: 55 -- Norge Vera (Sean Burke, Caleb Freeman, Jimmy Lambert, Tanner McDougal, Anderson Severino, Matthew Thompson)
Slider: 60 -- Bennett Sousa
Changeup: 60 -- Jarred Kelley
Control: 55 -- Bennett Sousa
How they were built
Draft: 17 | International: 10 | Trade: 1 | Free agent: 1 | Waivers: 1
Breakdown by ETA
2022: 11 | 2023: 7 | 2024: 7 | 2025: 5
Breakdown by position
2B: 1 | 3B: 3 | SS: 5 | OF: 5 | RHP: 14 | LHP: 2