Kiley McDaniel on the White Sox
25th overall
22nd in quality depth (prospects better than 40 FV)
$138.5 million total value
32 players
1. Colson Montgomery, SS, 60 FV (15th on the top 100)
2. Bryan Ramos, 3B, 50 FV (48)
3. Oscar Colas, RF, 45+ FV (170)
4. Noah Schultz, LHP, 45 FV
5. Lenyn Sosa, SS, 45 FV
6. Jose Rodriguez, SS, 45 FV
7. Peyton Pallette, RHP, 40+ FV
8. Cristian Mena, RHP, 40+ FV
9. Sean Burke, RHP, 40+ FV
10. Norge Vera, RHP, 40+ FV
40 FV (9): Jonathan Cannon/RHP, Yoelqui Cespedes/CF, Wes Kath/3B, Gregory Santos/RHP, Kohl Simas/RHP, Ryan Burrowes/SS, Jared Kelley/RHP, Nick Avila/RHP, Tanner McDougal/RHP
35+ FV (13): Wilfred Veras/1B, Carlos Perez/C, Matthew Thompson/RHP, Eric Adler/RHP, Franklin German/RHP, Jordan Sprinkle/SS, Bennett Sousa/LHP, A.J. Alexy/RHP, Yolbert Sanchez/SS, Luis Mieses/RF, Nicholas Padilla/RHP, Jason Bilous/RHP, Caleb Freeman/RHP
2023 Impact: Sosa
40+ FV breakout pick: Schultz
40 FV or less breakout pick: Cannon
Ranked prospects beyond the top 100
Colas was hyped as the next great Cuban power hitter for years because of a strong performances in his home country and time playing in Japan. He eventually signed with the White Sox just over a year ago for $2.7 million. He's a corner-only fit with the plus arm to fit in right field (he is also a former pitcher), strong athleticism for a big guy, and easy plus power that profiles in the middle of a lineup. As you might get used to hearing throughout this list, his pitch selection is below average and could undermine his inherent feel to hit. How he makes this adjustment will dictate if he's a one-dimensional role player or strong starter.
Schultz isn't the typical first-round prep pitcher launching mid-90s fastballs from a high-three-quarter slot but he still has an exciting upside. He is 6-7, slinging from a low-three-quarters slot with heavy life and the en vogue flat plane. After being seen extensively over the summer, he came out a bit late last spring due to illness combined with the Illinois weather and was sitting in the mid-90s with below-average command. By the time he reached his stride, the prep season was over and he was pitching in a college summer league flashing three plus pitches and the components for starter-quality command. If he never got ill and pitched in a warmer state, he might have been a consensus top-10 pick and thus could take off in 2023 with a clear platform to showcase his unique ability.
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Vera, on the other hand, is very much that typical young pitching prospect as a 6-4 projectable righty with mid-90s velo, feel for a good breaking ball and below-average command. Pallette gave off Walker Buehler vibes as a rocket-armed smallish righty with an easy-plus breaking ball as a sophomore at Arkansas, but he missed his whole draft spring due to Tommy John surgery. He is another pitcher who could take a huge step forward in a pro environment.
Sosa and Rodriguez are both tweener middle infielders who might fit better at second base, have plus bat control, below-average pitch selection and below-average power. Burke is on the starter/reliever borderline as he sits 93-95 mph with good lift to the pitch, two solid breaking balls and a rarely used changeup along with fringy command. Mena reached Double-A as a teenage starter and all three of his pitches and command project to be average or a bit above, but how much they improve will dictate if he's a utility arm or true starter.
Others of note
You can either look at it as not falling into the endowment effect or an indictment of their own pitching development that the back of the White Sox's 40-man is full of pitchers developed by other clubs who were generally available on waivers or in small trades. Santos (heater plays below the 98-100 mph velocity, slider is a 65 or 70) and Avila (94-97 mph with life, above-average cutter and slider) were acquired from the Giants, German (heater plays below the 96-99 mph velo, slider and curve both a tick above average) from the Red Sox, Padilla (92-95 mph, two fastball, two above-average breakers) from the Cubs, and Alexy (94-96 mph heater, four-pitch mix plays solid-average) from the Rangers system though technically was claimed off waivers from the Twins, whom he never pitched for. Padilla's six innings at the end of last summer are the only that this group has thrown in the White Sox's organization.
Cespedes, 25, is of note because of his last name/older brother and big raw tools (plus raw power, plus speed, plus-plus arm strength) but I'm on the low-end of projection for him due to his 45% chase rate. To put that in context, that is the worst chase rate (i.e. swinging at pitches outside of the strike zone) of any hitter ranked on any of these lists, minimum 100 balls in play last season. Scouts agreed Kath had real raw power and feel to get to it in games before the 2021 draft, but his contact ability has come in below expectations while his defensive ability has been better than expected.
Cannon looked like a late first-rounder for his last two seasons at Georgia, but concerns about forearm soreness moved him down draft boards. If he stays healthy, he has above-average-to-plus stuff and starter-level command at times. McDougal was a personal favorite projection arm in the 2021 draft before he missed the 2022 season due to Tommy John surgery. He is 6-5 with athleticism and three potential above-average pitches. Sprinkle had some compensation-round buzz early in the 2022 spring then fell apart down the stretch. He is a plus athlete with some feel to play shortstop and make contact at the plate.