I started this thread before the deadline.

 

It didn't happen at the deadline and I don't think it is quite the best system but the system does rank pretty high now.

Top 100 prospects on fangraphs 

16 c. montgomery

23 Schultz

37 Hagen Smith

40 quero 

42 teel

61 Bryan ramos

66 Jairo inciarte

Braden montgomery is not ranked top100 but he is close.

That is a pretty good state and a lot of those guys are already pretty close to the majors.

 

That is no guarantee there will be success but it is a good starting point.

 

Also Robert hasn't been traded yet. His value is at a low now but maybe someone is willing to pay 80 cents on the dollar or you keep him till the deadline and hope for a bounce back so he can add another 1-2 top100 guys

 

Edited December 13, 20241 yr by Dominikk85

1 hour ago, Dominikk85 said:

I started this thread before the deadline.

 

It didn't happen at the deadline and I don't think it is quite the best system but the system does rank pretty high now.

Top 100 prospects on fangraphs 

16 c. montgomery

23 Schultz

37 Hagen Smith

40 quero 

42 teel

61 Bryan ramos

66 Jairo inciarte

Braden montgomery is not ranked top100 but he is close.

That is a pretty good state and a lot of those guys are already pretty close to the majors.

 

That is no guarantee there will be success but it is a good starting point.

 

Also Robert hasn't been traded yet. His value is at a low now but maybe someone is willing to pay 80 cents on the dollar or you keep him till the deadline and hope for a bounce back so he can add another 1-2 top100 guys

 

16.  Schultz

25.  Teel

30.  Smith

37.  Colson Montgomery

54.  Braden Montgomery

59.  Quero

 

Ramos and Inciarte are considered to be outside the Top 100...100% Ramos has fallen off.

Thorpe/Iriarte/Grant Taylor the closest to Top 100, Thorpe was previously listed with NY/SD but fell out and/or is ineligible due to big league innings.  He would be on the back end anyway.

Grant Taylor seems to have the most upside after the Big 2 if he can actually stay healthy.

 

source:  mlb pipeline

Edited December 13, 20241 yr by caulfield12

I was awfully close on the Crochet return as early as April but even I slightly underestimated what he’d bring back.

 

you can't rank this as a top farm system with the insane lack of depth it has (and always has had)

but there are probably other systems with little depth as well who are ranked highly so, idk.  just my personal opinion 

Pitching depth is incredibly strong.

Catching is a position of strength.

Lots of 3B / 2B types now in the system.

The OF group is very much lacking.

SS & CF are both major weaknesses.

I believe Jim Callis said the Sox have the best catching prospects in MLB after picking up Teel in the Crochet deal.  Callis was also very high on Montgomery's upside and thought Meidroth could be on the roster 2025.

Edited December 13, 20241 yr by Falstaff

44 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Pitching depth is incredibly strong.

Catching is a position of strength.

Lots of 3B / 2B types now in the system.

The OF group is very much lacking.

SS & CF are both major weaknesses.

Yep, and your last line shows exactly what Getz should be targeting with a Robert trade.

5 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

Yep, and your last line shows exactly what Getz should be targeting with a Robert trade.

So we should trade Robert to get a young outfielder loaded with offensive and defensive potential?  Does anyone else see a weakness in this logic?

8 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

Yep, and your last line shows exactly what Getz should be targeting with a Robert trade.

Especially with Zavala struggling so badly in 2024.

21 minutes ago, Falstaff said:

I believe Jim Callis said after the Sox have the best catching prospects in MLB after picking up Teel in the Crochet deal.  Callis was also very high on Montgomery's upside and thought Meidroth could be on the roster 2025.

How does Meidroth compare to Sosa, considering his solid final 2 months or so in 2024.

21 minutes ago, Falstaff said:

I believe Jim Callis said after the Sox have the best catching prospects in MLB after picking up Teel in the Crochet deal.  Callis was also very high on Montgomery's upside and thought Meidroth could be on the roster 2025.

So, are you, and Callis, thinking Montgomery are SS or 3rd? If at SS, isn't that hole/ problem solved?  

As for 2nd base, after Sosa's September, doesn't it also look like the Sox might have very well solved their 2nd base hole? So why Meidroth?

3 minutes ago, oldsox said:

How does Meidroth compare to Sosa, considering his solid final 2 months or so in 2024.

Oldsox and I had the same question at the same time. 

5 minutes ago, vilehoopster said:

So we should trade Robert to get a young outfielder loaded with offensive and defensive potential?  Does anyone else see a weakness in this logic?

It's kind of the same with Crochet...dealing one of the best young LHPers in the game, only to (hopefully) replace him with Schultz and Smith.

1 hour ago, joejoesox said:

you can't rank this as a top farm system with the insane lack of depth it has (and always has had)

but there are probably other systems with little depth as well who are ranked highly so, idk.  just my personal opinion 

I’d put the White Sox at #2 now, just ahead of the Cubs and behind the Rays. It’ll be tough to catch the Rays unless Getz knocks it out of the park with the Robert trade.

Yes, depth is still a slight concern but they’ve added 7 of their top 30 prospects via trades over the past 5 months between the trade deadline and Crochet trade.

15 minutes ago, vilehoopster said:

So, are you, and Callis, thinking Montgomery are SS or 3rd? If at SS, isn't that hole/ problem solved?  

As for 2nd base, after Sosa's September, doesn't it also look like the Sox might have very well solved their 2nd base hole? So why Meidroth?

I doubt anyone is banking on Sosa’s one hot month being the player he actually is.  Meidroth has way better makeup than Sosa ever did.  Ultra patient contact hitter that walks versus a swing at everything guy who thinks he’s a top HR hitter.  Even during Sosa’s hot September, he struck out 18 times and only walked 3 times in 23 games.  It would not be a surprise to see Sosa go back to his old ways.  It’s too bad that he doesn’t play good defense, especially at SS.  That might leave him an opening for a spot with Colson moving to 3B, but then you also have Ramos and Vargas.  In any case, I don’t see Meidroth not overtaking Sosa at 2B long-term.

Edited December 13, 20241 yr by WhiteSox2023

4 minutes ago, vilehoopster said:

So, are you, and Callis, thinking Montgomery are SS or 3rd? If at SS, isn't that hole/ problem solved?  

As for 2nd base, after Sosa's September, doesn't it also look like the Sox might have very well solved their 2nd base hole? So why Meidroth?

See Sox 2B prospects since the Marcus Semien trade.

Romy Gonzalez had a better season offensively than any White Sox hitter but is basically a 1B DH PH.

Baldwin Meidroth Sosa will battle it out at second.

Vargas Montgomery Ramos at third.

 

1. Highly ranked farm system due to trading off team's best assets and handful of top draft picks.
2. Lack of depth due to prior top prospects flaming out and Sox history of not developing internally.

I guess you're just picking whether Getz is in charge of acquiring the prospects or developing the prospects.

5 minutes ago, Quin said:

1. Highly ranked farm system due to trading off team's best assets and handful of top draft picks.
2. Lack of depth due to prior top prospects flaming out and Sox history of not developing internally.

I guess you're just picking whether or not Getz is in charge of acquiring the prospects or developing the prospects.

Right now, it’s both and both Hahn and Getz are responsible for better or for worse.

My opinion hasn't change since the last thread:  The specific players at the top are better, but I won't consider the Sox a top farm system until the prove that their processes of scouting and player development are on a par with the top teams. Look at the Cubs, the Dodgers, the Rays, the Brewers, the Red Sox, etc. They get a lot of value from lower picks that they maximize and they do a good job identifying the right talent with their premium picks. Plus, all of them are active in LatAm. Mike Shirley is showing good signs in his premium picks (with the exception of Jacob Gonzalez) but what they do internationally and the development of players like Bonemer and Wolkow will tell you if the Sox are really poised to have a top system or if the current ranking is an illusion tied to selling off their entire team.

1 hour ago, joejoesox said:

you can't rank this as a top farm system with the insane lack of depth it has (and always has had)

but there are probably other systems with little depth as well who are ranked highly so, idk.  just my personal opinion 

I wouldn’t label it as an “insane” lack. I don’t think it’s a lack at all, actually. The back end of our top 30 consists of viable big league starters and high picks from the most recent draft. I think we’re middle of the pack in depth and near the tippy top in high end talent. 

11 minutes ago, JUSTgottaBELIEVE said:

I’d put the White Sox at #2 now, just ahead of the Cubs and behind the Rays. It’ll be tough to catch the Rays unless Getz knocks it out of the park with the Robert trade.

Yes, depth is still a slight concern but they’ve added 7 of their top 30 prospects via trades over the past 5 months between the trade deadline and Crochet trade.

But it still doesn't come close to where they stood in 2019.

Basically double the number of starting pitching prospects with Cease Gio Kopech Lopez Dunning ... Moncada Jimenez Robert Vaughn Madrigal Burger etc.

Right now you still have just four legit position prospects and Wolkow's potential/high bust rate.

I think the top 20 looks good.  The backend 20 to 30 is where it drops off.

19 minutes ago, vilehoopster said:

So, are you, and Callis, thinking Montgomery are SS or 3rd? If at SS, isn't that hole/ problem solved?  

As for 2nd base, after Sosa's September, doesn't it also look like the Sox might have very well solved their 2nd base hole? So why Meidroth?

Callis was talking about Montgomery coming over from Boston, he is very positive on him. When asked about Colsom Montgomery Callis brought up his struggles in 2024.

I personally thought Sosa looked great at the end of the season and deserves a shot as a starter. Callis thinks Meidroth can make the team in the 2025 season..

 

31 minutes ago, vilehoopster said:

So we should trade Robert to get a young outfielder loaded with offensive and defensive potential?  Does anyone else see a weakness in this logic?

I see 121 losses last year with Luis Robert on the roster.

8 minutes ago, Timmy U said:

My opinion hasn't change since the last thread:  The specific players at the top are better, but I won't consider the Sox a top farm system until the prove that their processes of scouting and player development are on a par with the top teams. Look at the Cubs, the Dodgers, the Rays, the Brewers, the Red Sox, etc. They get a lot of value from lower picks that they maximize and they do a good job identifying the right talent with their premium picks. Plus, all of them are active in LatAm. Mike Shirley is showing good signs in his premium picks (with the exception of Jacob Gonzalez) but what they do internationally and the development of players like Bonemer and Wolkow will tell you if the Sox are really poised to have a top system or if the current ranking is an illusion tied to selling off their entire team.

Just look at how the Guardians covered the losses of Bieber and McKenzie internally in 2024.

Heck, just look at their Top 8-9 for innings pitched in 2023 and the only name you will see in common is Tanner Bibee.