Don’t forget to pick up your copy of the The 2024 Prospect Digest Handbook here.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
1. Colson Montgomery, SS
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 50/55 | 50/55 | 30 | 55 | 55 | 60 |
Background: The White Sox’s draft record is like a lazy teenage kid working a first job. Just enough effort to avoid scorn from the management bigwigs, but careful, you don’t want to overdo it lest more be expected. The 2020 draft class brought in dynamic, fast-to-the-big-leagues reliever Garrett Crochet with the 11th overall pick, but little else. And unless the club has designs on converting Crochet – and his freshly minted surgically repair elbow – into a starting gig, it seems like a stretch to use a top selection on a relief arm in today’s game. The 2019 draft saw the addition of first baseman Andrew Vaughn, one of college baseball’s most feared hitters who’s languishing in league average-dom, and then very little. The year before, 2018, Nick Madrigal and Codi Heuer were the only notable picks – both of whom are on the northside of Chicago. Jake Burger was part of their 2017 class and no one of note was added the year before. Chicago’s approach of one decent big league per draft cycle is OK, but it’s failed to help buoy a pockmarked big league club which could help explain the organization finishing fourth in the weak Central Division six times in the last 10 years. In fact, it’s been 10 years since the club drafted, developed, and graduated an above-average player – former North Carolina State ace Carlos Rodon. Things may change in the next season or two thanks to lefty-swinging shortstop Colson Montgomery. Taken with the 22nd overall pick three years ago, Montgomery continues to stand alone atop of the Sox’s farm system. He reached Double-A by the end of his first full season. And if a back injury at the start of 2023 didn’t knock him out of commission until mid-June, he may have already accrued big league service time. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound middle infielder returned to action with a quick tour through the ACL then headed up to High-A for a couple weeks then finished the year in Double-A. He hit an aggregate .287/.456/.484 with 14 doubles, three triples, eight homeruns, and a pair of stolen bases. He spent the fall playing for Glendale, hitting .269/.291/.539 in 55 trips to the plate.
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: The lefty-swinging infielder showcased a little bit of everything during his phenomenal campaign in 2022 – despite playing against significantly older competition, including a 50-game on-base streak that extended through mid-July. The lone red flag: a slight, slight platoon split against lefties that which is hardly concerning.
Scouting Report: Montgomery continues to be overlooked somewhat – even if he’s widely recognized as a Top Prospect. The Southridge High School product does everything well, flashing a plus tool or two at times even. There’s a change for a 55-grade bat, 55-grade power, and a positive defensive value at shortstop. That type of physical makeup is difficult to find. Montgomery handled lefties well last season, takes a patient approach at the plate, and consistently barrels up the baseball. Silky smooth left-handed swing with easy power, even if he hasn’t fully tapped into it. In terms of big league ceiling, think: .290/.360/.480.
Ceiling: 4.0-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2024
_______________________________________________________________________________________
2. Bryan Ramos, 3B
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 45 | 60 | 30 | 50 | 55 | 55 |
Background: The ball club’s connection to Cuba is longer and deeper than any in baseball, so it wasn’t shocking when they went out and handed Bryan Ramos, a native of La Habana, a $300,000 deal halfway through the 2018 season. And, of course, they immediately placed him on the organization’s patented fast-track development program. He spent his debut season, 2019, as a 17-year-old in the Arizona Summer League. After minor league baseball returned from its COVID-induced absence, Ramos jumped straight into Low-A and – for the most part – handled himself adequately, batting a respectable .244/.345/.415 in 115 games. The hefty corner infielder blitzed his way through High-A in fewer than 100 games and spent the last several weeks in Double-A the following year. Ramos got a late start to the 2023 season, but after a four-game tune-up with Kannapolis, he would spend the rest of the year with Birmingham. He slugged .272/.369/.457 with 10 doubles, one triple, 14 homeruns, and a quartet of stolen bases. Per Weighted Runs Created Plus, his overall production was 22% better than the league average. He spent the fall playing with the Glendale Desert Dogs, putting together a Ramos-like .264/.304/.415 slash line.
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: I’m not entirely sold on the bat completely, but the other tools all suggest a league average starter – bare minimum.
Scouting Report: Consider the following:
Since 2006, only a pair of 21-year-old hitters met the following criteria with one club in Double-A (min. 300 PA): 117 to 127 wRC+, 10% to 12% BB-rate, and a K-rate 20% and 24%. Those two hitters: Eguy Rosario and Bryan Ramos.
I think Ramos may be the single most underrated prospect in the entire game. He just quietly keeps chugging along, quickly – and quietly – moving through the minor leagues with little fanfare, but interesting levels of production. And last season was no different. A former second baseman – or at least, he experimented at the keystone – Ramos is an underrated defender at the hot corner, providing easy positive value. As a hitter, he possesses easy plus raw power that he’s just beginning to bring into game environments. He isn’t a free swinger either, showing a patient approach. He may never hit for a high average, but there 25-homer thump, good leather, and strong OBPs. That collection doesn’t grow on trees. He’s the type of player that you’ll look up in a couple years and realize how unappreciated he is. .250/.335/.465-type potential.
Ceiling: 3.5-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2024
_______________________________________________________________________________________
3. Edgar Quero, C
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 55 | 50 | 30 | 55 | 50 | 55 |
Background: In one of the most stunning turn of events near the deadline since, well, the White Sox unexpectedly waved the white flag in 1997, the Angels ended their will-we or won’t-we dance and pushed their collective chips to the center of the table and dealt for Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López. Nearly a month later they were placed on waivers (along with a slew of other veterans) and eventually claimed by the Guardians. This time, though, the White Sox made the right call, acquiring the Angels’ top prospect, Edgar Quero, along with left-hander Ky Bush. The move added a serviceable southpaw and a potential impact bat to the system. A Cuban import that signed with Los Angeles back in 2021, Quero reached Low-A just a couple months later. Two years ago the young switch-hitter mashed his way through the level during an extended return, slugging .312/.435/.530 with 35 doubles, two triples, 17 homeruns, and 12 stolen bases (in 17 total attempts). Last season, in perhaps a bit of shocking move, the Halos’ brass pushed the then-20-year-old straight up to the fires of Double-A. And, surprisingly, he more than held his own. Appearing in a 101 games between both organizations’ Double-A affiliates, Quero hit .255/.380/.351 with 17 doubles, six homeruns, and a stolen base. His production, according to Weighted Runs Created Plus, topped the league average mark by a quietly solid 5%.
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: At this point it’s probably easier to list what the young phenom can’t do. And, well, there’s nothing on the list. Quero’s a (A) switch-hitter with no platoon splits, (B) hits for average, (C) hits for power, (D) runs well – especially for a catcher, (E) works the count, (F) gets on base, and (G) plays strong defense.
Scouting Report: Short and stocky with a thick lower half, he’s often referred to as a bat-first backstop, but he continues to generate solid value as a backstop to complement his above-average hit tool. He rarely swings and misses. The young switch-hitter handled the Angels’ aggressive promotion up to Double-A with relative ease, though his power did take a bit of a step back. I was more bullish on his power two years ago, but the swing path may limit his ability to tap into his above-average pop. Alejandro Kirk with a couple more dingers in his back pocket.
Ceiling: 3.0-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2024/2025
_______________________________________________________________________________________
4. Noah Schultz, LHP
| FB | CB | CH | Command | Overall |
| 55 | 70 | 50 | 55 | 55 |
Background: The Chicago White Sox have had some incredible luck drafting lefties in the opening round of the midsummer draft. The Pale Hose have snagged Carlos Rodon, Chris Sale, and Gio Gonzalez over the past 20 years. And they may have unearthed their next great southpaw starter two years ago. Taken with the 26th overall pick in 2022, the towering Oswego East High School ace stands an imposing 6-foot-9 and 220 pounds. Schultz, a former commit to Vanderbilt, turned in an incredibly dominant – albeit brief – debut last summer. Making 10 starts with the club’s Low Class A affiliate, the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, Schultz posted a 38-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 27.0 innings, allowing just four earned runs. A “shoulder impingement” knocked him out of commission after his mid-August start.
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: He throws a surprising amount of strikes, especially considering his age and size, and he tends to hide the ball fairly well. Chicago hasn’t done well drafting and developing pitchers, but Schultz has a chance to be very good.
Scouting Report: Just a couple of interesting tidbits about Schultz’s dominance in 2023:
He allowed one hit over his first five appearances, spanning 12 innings. He posted a 16-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio during that time.
All four of his earned runs occurred during one clunker of an outing against the Carolina Mudcats. Otherwise, he tossed 25.2 innings of scoreless ball.
He allowed more hits than innings pitched in just two of his 10 appearances.
After touching the upper 90s as an amateur, Schultz’s heater settled comfortably in the 93- to 94-mph last year. His low arm slot adds a bit of deception – along with his wingspan – but it wasn’t missing too many sticks last season. The slider is lethal, particularly against southpaws. Tremendous amount of horizontal movement that starts well off the plate and sweeps across the entirety of it. Schultz commands the strike zone surprisingly well, and he can throw both of his secondary offerings (slider and changeup) for strikes. There’s some #3 / #4 type potential. He’s not entering his age-20 season with fewer than 30 innings under his professional belt. One word of caution: once he returns to the mound, he needs to prove that his dominance isn’t correlated to not turning over a lineup multiple times.
Ceiling: 3.0-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2026
_______________________________________________________________________________________
5. Jacob Gonzalez, SS
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 50 | 50 | 30 | 55 | 50 | 50 |
Background: The 2022 draft class was highlighted by a strong bloodline connection. Jackson and Matt Holliday, Druw and Andruw Jones, Cam and Lou Collier, and Justin and Carl Crawford – just to name a few. And while the 2023 class didn’t have those type of well-known connections to the game, it doesn’t mean members of the class haven’t grown up around the game. Take, for example, University of Mississippi shortstop Jacob Gonzalez, whose father spent a year in the low levels of the minor leagues. Jess, the elder Gonzalez, made 15 appearances with Lethbridge and High Desert in 1994, throwing 40.2 innings with 36 punch outs and just 13 walks to go along with an unsightly 5.09 ERA. He would pop up in the Indy Leagues pitching for Mohawk Valley the next year before riding off into the proverbial sunset. The younger Gonzalez, though, has a significantly brighter future. A stalwart two-sport star at Glendora High School, home to former big leaguers Ed Kirkpatrick, Aaron Rowand, and Adam Plutko, Gonzalez was a lit stick of dynamite during his freshman collegiate season in 2021. He finished the year with a whopper of a production line (.355/.443/.561) with 16 doubles, one triple, 12 homeruns, and a pair of stolen bases. Production, by the way, that not only led all true freshman in hits and runs scored that year, but also garnered him SEC All-Freshman Team status as well as D1 Baseball National Freshman of the Year. His bat, though, finally cooled in limited action with the National Team during the ensuing summer, going 4-for-22. Projected as the potential top pick in the 2023 draft heading into his sophomore season, Gonzalez’s production took a noticeable step backward for the Rebels; he batted .273/.405/.558 with nine doubles, three triples, 18 homeruns, and a quartet of stolen bases. And, once again, he spent the summer playing for Team USA. He batted .250/.333/.417 with a pair of extra-base knocks in seven games. Last season the lefty-swinging shortstop rebounded by slugging .327/.435/.564 with a career best in doubles (18) to go along with 10 homeruns. The Pale Hose drafted him in the opening round, 15th overall, and signed him to a deal worth $3.9 million. Gonzalez struggled through his debut after joining the organization, batting .211/.333/.260 in 34 games.
Scouting Report: Per the usual, here’s my pre-draft write-up:
Gonzalez looked otherworldly during his freshman season with the Rebels. Consider the following:
Since 2011, only eight SEC hitters batted at least .350/.440/.540 in a season (min. 300 PA): Mike Zunino, Brent Rooker, Jonathan India, Austin Martin, Tanner Allen, Sterlin Thompson, Wyatt Langford, and – of course – Jacob Gonzalez. Only one of those hitters – Jacob Gonzalez – accomplished the feat as a teenager.
Now let’s take a look at his production in 2023. Consider the following:
Since 2011, 43 hitters in the SEC batted at least .320/.430/.560 in a season (min. 250 PA). Of those 43, eighteen walked more times than they struck out.
Strong pitch recognition with the ability to make consistent contact from an up-the-middle position. Gonzalez has no issues laying off of pitches just outside the strike zone. He possesses average power and speed with enough leather to stay at the position. The swing, though, isn’t what you’d expect from a potential early first rounder. It’s short and quick, but of the slashing type that’s geared more towards doubles than homeruns in the professional game. He seems like an ideal candidate for a team like the Cubs or Orioles. Mid-first round talent. Low ceiling, very high floor.”
Ceiling: 2.0-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2025/2026
_______________________________________________________________________________________
6. Grant Taylor, RHP
| FB | CB | SL | CU | Command | Overall |
| 60 | 55 | 60 | 60 | 45 | 50 |
Background: Never one to shy away from risk, it wasn’t surprising to see the organization take a second round flier on injured LSU right-hander Grant Taylor last summer, signing him to a deal worth $1.66 million, the recommended slot value. A highly decorated player at Florence High School prior to joining the Tigers, Taylor made 17 appearances for the SEC powerhouse in 2022, throwing 31.0 innings with 39 punch outs and 21 free passes to go along with a 5.81 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP. Taylor, a former member of Team USA’s 15U squad in 2017, spent the ensuing summer hurling games for the Brewster Whitecaps in the Cape Cod League: 8.1 IP, nine strikeouts, five walks, and a 2.16 ERA. His elbow started barking prior to the 2023 season and he eventually underwent the knife for Tommy John surgery. He’s expected to be ready for the start of the 2024 year.
Scouting Report: It’s all but a foregone conclusion that the team stretches him out as a starting pitcher once he returns to work. Above-average fastball that sits in the 93- to 95- mph range (and touched 98 mph on occasion), it’ll be interesting to see how the former reliever’s velocity carries deep into games. Plus slider and cutter with a solid curveball. He has Cade Horton vibes. He’s likely due a complete reevaluation since there’s such limited mound-time over the past couple years.
Ceiling: 2.5-win player
Risk: High
MLB ETA: 2026
_______________________________________________________________________________________
7. Nick Nastini, RHP
| FB | CB | SL | CH | Command | Overall |
| 60 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 40/45 | 50 |
Background: As part of flurry of moves to help restock a sagging farm system (as well as shed payroll), Chicago dealt struggling veteran ace Lance Lynn and hard-throwing reliever Joe Kelly to the Dodgers in exchange for righty Nick Nastrini, minor league reliever Jordan Leasure, and veteran outfielder Trayce Thompson. Nastrini, the most interesting name in the return package, is a 2021 fourth rounder out of UCLA, where he tallied an unsightly 6.89 ERA across 31.1 innings of work during his final season. The Dodgers, as they always do, bet on the arsenal and not on the results, and immediately integrated him into their pitching prospect factory. And he flourished. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound right-hander dominated High-A across 21 starts and spent the last several weeks squaring off against the Double-A competition two years ago. Last season, Nastrini would make 21 starts between both organization’s Double-A affiliates and four final appearances with Charlotte in Triple-A. In total, the former Bruin would throw 114.2 innings, recording 139 punch outs (10.9 K/9), 54 free passes (4.2 BB/9), and a 4.08 ERA.
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: While his command has taken several important strides forward, it’s still in 40-grade territory at times. It wavers. At points in the season Nastrini locked in on the strike zone and was utterly dominant (he posted a 109-to-26 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 76 innings between June 3 and August 30). Beyond on that widow he walked 29 in 40 innings.
Scouting Report: Nastrini’s fastball took a slight step backward last season, going from consistently sitting in the mid-90s to hovering in the 93-mph range and touching the mid-90s. He didn’t generate a huge number of swings-and-misses with his heater when I saw him, but the opposition clearly had issues squaring the offering up, leading to an abnormally high amount of foul balls / tips. Two years ago his curveball looked like the better breaking option; last season it was definitely the slider. His little-used changeup adds a fourth 55-grade or better weapon to his arsenal. As with last year – and the year before and the year before – it’s going to come down to strike-throwing ability. The repertoire is good enough to survive with below-average command. There’s #4-type potential with a sizeable probability he ends up as a high-leverage, late-inning reliever.
Ceiling: 1.5- to 2.0-win player
Risk: Moderate to High
MLB ETA: 2024
_______________________________________________________________________________________
8. Liodel Chapelli, 2B
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 50 | 45 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 45 |
Background: Another one of the club’s high profile signings out of Cuba. The White Sox signed the diminutive infielder to a hefty $500,000 after he was part of a dozen players that defected from the country’s World Cup team in Mexico. Chapelli made his professional debut in his homeland during the 2019-20 season, batting a solid .288/.390/.366 with 12 doubles and two triples as a spry 17-year-old. His offense took a major step forward the following season with the Ganaderos de Camaguey as he slugged .318/.442/.496 with 20 doubles, two triples, seven homeruns, and a stolen base. After the 5-foot-8, 187-pound infielder joined the White Sox, he spent his affiliated debut as one of the oldest bats in the Dominican Summer League where – of course – he dominated: .344/.448/.636 with seven doubles, seven triples, eight homeruns, and 10 stolen bases. Last season the front office pushed Chapelli up to a more age-appropriate level of competition – Single-A – and he continued to show promise. Appearing in 106 games with the Winston-Salem Dash, the Camaguey native batted .254/.361/.411 with 20 doubles, six triples, 10 homeruns, and 26 stolen bases. Per Weighted Runs Created Plus, his overall production topped the league average by 15%.
Scouting Report: Consider the following:
Since 2006, only four 21-year-old bats met the following criteria with one organization in High-A (min. 350 PA): 110 to 120 wRC+, 22% to 26% strikeout rate, and a double-digit walk rate. Those four hitters: Travis Swaggerty, Max Wagner, Drew Robinson, and – of course Liodel Chapelli.
It’s worth noting that: Swaggerty and Robinson accrued some big league time on their professional resumes. And the three are all former early round picks: Swaggerty was the 10th overall pick in 2018, Wagner was a second round pick in 2022, and Robinson was a fourth round pick by the Rangers in 2010.
It’s not surprising that Chapelli saw some pretty big first- and second-half splits considering the previous year was spent in the foreign rookie league. The lefty-swinging second baseman batted a putrid .213/.320/.365 over his first 58 games and slugged a scorching .301/.406/.465 over his final 48 contests. Chapelli is a rock solid second base prospect, arguably one of the more underrated in the minors. The actual ceiling isn’t over tall, but he’s a safe bet to carve out a gig as a serviceable big leaguer. The 5-foot-8, 187-pound Chapelli owns a little bit of thump, runs a bit, works the count fabulously, and handles offspeed well. Defensively, the former corner outfielder looked competent at the keystone. If he can hold his own at Double-A in 2024, Chapelli could position himself as a key player during the Sox’s lean years before the rebuild is complete.
Ceiling: 1.5-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2024/2025
_______________________________________________________________________________________
9. Jake Eder, LHP
| FB | SL | CH | Command | Overall |
| 55 | 60 | 50 | 45 | 45 |
Background: Eder has a bit of interesting background on the field. He was highly touted prepster coming out of Calvary Christian High School, home to several notable pitching alums like Andrew Painter and Luke Jackson, and the New York Metropolitans eventually took a late round flier on him (34th round) in 2017. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound southpaw opted to attend Pitcher U. – aka Vanderbilt University – but inconsistency / command and COVID limited what could have been a special collegiate career. The Marlins would eventually draft him in the fourth round of the 2020 season and pushed him directly into the fires of Double-A during his debut the following year. And he was brilliant – until his elbow started barking, which would eventually force him under the knife for Tommy John surgery. Finally healthy for the first time in roughly a year-and-a-half, Eder made a stop in Low-A for a brief three-game tune-up before jumping up to Miami’s Double-A affiliate (Pensacola). Chicago – in a heavily criticized move – dealt away slugging third baseman Jake Burger in exchange for the former fourth rounder. Eder would make five mostly disastrous starts once he joined the organization. He would finish his second Double-A stint with 11 starts, throwing 47.0 innings with 60 whiffs, 31 walks, and a bloated 6.70 ERA.
Scouting Report: For being a highly touted – or at least a commonly discussed – prospect, Eder’s ceiling isn’t correlated with the amount of ink he gets. His fastball sits in the 91- to 93-mph range, average territory, but the life on the offering, particularly above the belt, bumps it up on the lower end of above-average. His slider is very, very good, giving him a consistent out-pitch. He’ll mix in his changeup about 20% of the time. It’s decent – nothing more, nothing less. The problem is that Eder has a history of command woes and some of last year’s struggles can be attributed to the long layoff, but not all of it. There’s the ceiling of a fourth / fifth starter, but it’s very likely that he’s pushed into a bullpen role, which could happen as soon as 2024 (if he doesn’t hit the ground running).
Ceiling: 1.5-win player
Risk: Moderate to High
MLB ETA: 2024
_______________________________________________________________________________________
10. George Wolkow, OF
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 30/40 | 40/60 | 40/30 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
Background: There were two seven-figure deals handed out to players taken in the seventh round last summer: the Guardians signed Duke shortstop Alex Mooney to a million-dollar pact and the White Sox agreed to the same deal with Downers Grove North High School outfielder George Wolkow. Taken with the 209th overall pick, Wolkow reclassified from the 2024 Class and instantly became one of the more intriguing prep bats in the draft. Standing a behemoth 6-foot-7 and 239 pounds, the former University of South Carolina commit slugged .363/.525/.686 with 10 doubles, one triple, and seven homeruns during his final (junior) season. After joining the organization, the big outfielder looked overmatched during his 13-game cameo in the Complex League, cobbling together a disappointing .225/.392/.325 slash line in only 13 games, spanning 51 plate appearances. He whiffed 17 times (exactly one-third of the time).
Scouting Report: Wolkow’s a lot like former IMG Academy star outfielder Elijah Green: loud, explosive tools and some very large question marks surrounding the ability to make consistent contact. Wolkow, for example, whiffed 33 times as an amateur last spring – or 23.4% of the time. Elite prep bats aren’t swinging-and-missing that much in the amateur ranks – especially one that’s playing his ball in the state of Illinois and not some place way south or west. Good speed, but it does take him time to get going. Above-average arm strength. When Wolkow does make contact it’s an explosive, echoing sound. Easy power, but he tends to work underneath the ball quite a bit. Risky bat. He’s the type of prospect that could easily be outside the club’s Top 20 or be #1.
Ceiling: 1.5- to 2.0-win player
Risk: High
MLB ETA: 2023
_______________________________________________________________________________________
All statistics were provided via the following website: Baseball Reference, FanGraphs, TheBaseballCube, BaseballProspectus, ClayDavenport.com, Baseball America, and X-user @mk237700 (for compiling Statcast Data)
