The post 2025 Mid-Season White Sox Top 30 Prospects: 1-15 appeared first on Sox On 35th.
Revealing the top half of our top 30 prospects list, this group of players has the potential to join the White Sox core in 2026 and beyond.
Despite the graduations of top prospects Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel, and Edgar Quero, the White Sox still have 4-5 players who rank in various top 100 prospects lists. Along with them, several additional prospects have the upside to see their names pop up in those lists within the next year or so. Breaking down the top prospects in the White Sox system, it is clear that the system has a steady stream of talent working its way to the major league level.
In case you missed it:
2025 Mid-Season White Sox Top 30 Prospects: Honorable Mentions
2025 Mid-Season White Sox Top 30 Prospects: 16-30
15. Blake Larson, LHP
Drafted with the supplemental second-round pick the White Sox received in the Gregory Santos trade, Blake Larson, inking him to an above-slot bonus of $1,397,500. While he originally planned to make his debut in the White Sox minor league system this season, he recently underwent Tommy John surgery and was forced to miss the entire season.
When healthy, the southpaw sits in the 92-94 mph range with his fastball, although at just 185 lbs, it is expected that he will gain a considerable amount of velocity as he matures. He pairs the fastball with an above-average slider that he can get good spin rates on and a developing changeup. He throws from a low three-quarter arm slot and will need to clean up his delivery if he wants to stick as a starter. There is a lot of projection and a considerable amount of risk with the Larson pick, but his ceiling could be a front-line starter when it is all said and done.
14. Jeral Perez, 2B/SS
While Miguel Vargas was the headliner of the trade that sent Erick Fedde, Michael Kopech, and Tommy Pham to the Dodgers, Jeral Perez was a very intriguing part of the return for the Sox as well. A 20-year-old middle infielder, Perez has produced at every level he has faced so far, showcasing above-average raw power to go along with his exceptional patience and discipline at the plate. He topped 20 home runs for the first time in his minor league career this season, and has the potential to hit that mark consistently at the MLB level while also getting on base frequently.
Defensively, the Dodgers had Perez primarily playing second base, although the Sox have allowed him to split time between second and shortstop since they acquired him. He has solid actions in the field and just enough range. However, his fringy arm may force him to stay at second base, where he could be above average defensively.
13. George Wolkow, OF
A 6’7 outfielder, George Wolkow was selected in the seventh round in the 2023 draft at just 17 years old and signed for a $1 million signing bonus (equivalent to second-round value). Wolkow has experience playing both right and center field, but projects to the corner spot long-term. He exceeded expectations in 2024, making it to Low-A Kannapolis at just 18 years old and producing well despite striking out in over 40% of his at-bats. He got off to an extremely slow start to the 2025 season, however, and has seen his overall numbers dip from last season.
Despite that, there are some positives to take away from his 2025 performance. He has cut his strikeout rate by over 10% and has been a legitimate threat on the basepaths with over 30 stolen bases. He may not be producing the type of power production you would expect with his 70-80 grade raw power, but he still generates eye-popping exit velocities. Overall, he has shown growth in his second full minor league season and will look to put it all together in 2026.
457 FEET
George Wolkow got ALL of this one
— Pipeline to 35th (@PipelineTo35th) June 9, 2024
12. William Bergolla, 2B/SS
There might not be a prospect in the White Sox system who has a better pure hit tool than William Bergolla. Acquired for Tanner Banks at the 2023 MLB trade deadline, Bergolla was one of the top international free agents in the 2022 class before signing with the Phillies for a signing bonus of just over $2 million. At just 20 years old, he is already competing at the Double-A level, hitting around the .280 mark all season and drawing more walks than strikeouts. There is virtually no power to his game, however, which will cap his overall offensive upside.
Defensively, Bergolla spent more time at second base while with the Philies. The Sox are committed to developing him as a shortstop, though, and have almost exclusively played him there since he was acquired. He does show solid range and good actions, and he should have just enough arm strength to stick there long-term.
11. Kyle Lodise, SS
With their 3rd round pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, the Sox added a high-floor middle infielder to their system in Kyle Lodise. He hits the ball harder than his 5’11” frame would suggest, and has shown fantastic instincts at the shortstop position. His range and arm are a bit limited, however, which might ultimately force him to shift over to second base. His bat-to-ball skills and his instincts in the field give him a very good chance of carving out a future role on an MLB roster.
The Sox clearly feel confident in Lodise’s college development, as they sent him straight to High-A Winston-Salem. He has solely played shortstop with the Dash, and has already impressed at the plate with his swing decisions and eye at the plate.
10. Mason Adams, RHP
Mason Adams gained a lot of fans in scouting circles during the 2023 season with a strong showing across three levels, ending his season with a brief stint with the Double-A Birmingham Barons. A 13th-round draft pick in 2022, Adams has exceeded expectations with his performance so far, following up his first season with a strong 2024 showing. Between Double-A and Triple-A, Adams held a 2.92 ERA across 120.1 innings in 2024.
Currently, his curveball is his best pitch, generating a ton of break and locating it well. Adams also utilizes both a 2-seam and a 4-seam fastball, neither of which is viewed as anything more than average offerings. He may not have front-line starter potential, but he has a chance to be a legitimate back-end-rotation starter for the White Sox eventually. He had little left to prove and was likely in line to make his MLB debut at some point in 2025, but he needed Tommy John surgery in early April and was forced to miss the entire season.
9. Jaden Fauske, OF
Jaden Fauske, an 18-year-old outfielder out of Nazareth Academy (IL), was receiving some late first-round buzz heading into the draft, so the Sox got excellent value landing him with the 44th overall pick. He did end up commanding an over-slot $2,997,500, equal to the slot value of the 32nd pick, but the upside he brings with his bat is well worth the investment.
A catcher early in his high school career, he moved to the outfield for his senior year, where his athleticism should give him a chance to stick at any of the three outfield spots, although a corner is most likely. The Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year is extremely disciplined at the plate, can hit to all parts of the field, and has enough raw power to hit 20-25 home runs a season at his peak.
8. Sam Antonacci, INF
In his first full professional baseball season, Sam Antonacci has completely shifted talent evaluators’ perception of him. A 5th round pick in 2024, he began this season at the High-A level, where he proved he was more advanced than the competition while hitting to a 153 wRC+. He earned a promotion to Double-A Birmingham and has retained very similar numbers at that level as well.
While he isn’t the most athletic player on the field, his instincts allow him to get great jumps and be an effective base stealer. Defensively, he has spent plenty of time all over the infield dating back to his college days, but profiles best as a second baseman with just average arm strength. At the plate, he is almost exclusively contact-oriented, likely struggling to hit double-digit home runs even at his ceiling. His plus bat-to-ball skills combined with his plate discipline and high baseball IQ should allow him to be an on-base machine with both a high batting average and walk rate.
7. Christian Oppor, LHP
One of the biggest breakout performers of the 2025 season, Christian Oppor has skyrocketed through the White Sox rankings. The White Sox initially had an agreement to draft and sign him as an 11th-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, but the Athletics drafted him instead and failed to sign him. After spending the following season at Gulf Coast State Community College, the Sox made it an even bigger priority to add him to their system by drafting him in the 5th round and signing him to a $550,000 signing bonus.
His first full season in the White Sox system showed flashes but was also met with inconsistency. This season, however, has been strong all the way through, dominating at the Low-A level and earning a promotion to High-A, where he continued to perform well. The southpaw typically sits in the mid-90s but can hit 97-98 with his fastball when he wants. He pairs that with a slider that sits in the low 80s and generates a ton of horizontal movement. He is athletic and can repeat his low-slot delivery well, leading to deception that allows his arsenal to play up. He needs to continue honing his command, but he has the chance to turn into a mid-rotation starter.
6. Tanner McDougal, RHP
Tanner McDougal always had the stuff to eventually break out, but injuries and command issues have held him back for most of his minor league career. This season, however, he has made some adjustments and finally looks like the pitcher the Sox were hoping they were getting when they drafted him in the 5th round back in 2021. He has cut his walk rate down significantly, while maintaining high strikeout rates and showing an ability to make it deeper into his starts.
McDougal can touch triple digits with his fastball, but it’s his curveball and slider that make him so dangerous on the mound. He generates elite spin rates with both breaking pitches, getting hitters to whiff on his pitches at high rates. He is also working on developing a changeup, but that is well behind the rest of his arsenal at this point. Eligible for the 2026 Rule-5 Draft, McDougal is a lock to be added to the 40-man roster ahead of the 2026 season, and could even be in play to join the bullpen before 2025 is over, although his future remains as a starter.
5. Hagen Smith, LHP
While many assumed the White Sox would be targeting a bat with the 5th pick in the 2024 MLB First-Year Player Draft, it was the southpaw Hagen Smith that they ultimately landed on, and it is easy to see why they ultimately chose him. Earning SEC Pitcher of the Year honors this past season, Smith put up video game-like numbers during his final collegiate season. He struck out 17.3 batters per nine innings while allowing just a .144 batting average against as the ace of the Arkansas pitching staff.
The 2025 season hasn’t necessarily been a disappointment, although he hasn’t exactly lived up to expectations. He has produced excellent strikeout numbers, but his command has been more of a concern than initially anticipated, and his velocity is down a bit from his college days. He missed time with some injury concerns and overhauled his mechanics with Brian Bannister during the season, so a full offseason of adjusting should do him some good. Despite any concerns, he still has front-line starter upside.
4. Billy Carlson, SS
Billy Carlson, 19, was one of the most commonly linked prospects to the White Sox at 10th overall, and it is clear why the White Sox were so high on him. Commanding a $6,235,900 signing bonus (just shy of full slot) Carlson immediately ranks as one of the best prospects in the Sox system and joins many top 100 lists as well.
Arguably the best defensive shortstop in the draft, there is little doubt he will stick at the position. He shows excellent range and instincts, and his history as a pitcher who could hit the upper 90s with his fastball gives him a powerful arm. In terms of his bat, Carlson shows solid bat-to-ball skills, possesses plenty of bat speed, and generates solid exit velocities. He may need to clean up his mechanics a bit, as he hits too many balls into the dirt, but overall, the California native had one of the best floor/ceiling combinations of any prep player in this draft.
3. Caleb Bonemer, SS
If you’re looking to name the top-performing White Sox minor league hitter of the 2025 season, Caleb Bonemer might have the strongest argument. The White Sox selected Caleb Bonemer with the 43rd overall pick in the 2024 MLB First-Year Player Draft and coughed up an over-slot bonus of roughly $3 million to get him out of his commitment to the University of Virginia. It is clear after his first professional season why the White Sox were so high on Michigan’s two-time Gatorade High School Player of the Year.
Bonemer has some of the best bat speed in the system, and should develop into a 20-30 home run hitter at his peak. While there were some concerns about his approach leading up to the 2024 draft, he has quickly put those to rest this season with a walk rate north of 15% and a respectable strikeout rate hovering around 20%. He held a 147 wRC+ at Low-A Kannapolis before earning a promotion to High-A Winston-Salem, where he has looked just as good, if not even better. Defensively, he has exceeded expectations in his ability to play shortstop, although he has gotten some looks at third base as well. Overall, he has an arrow pointing directly up and should rise up both team and overall minor league rankings.
2. Braden Montgomery, OF
As the co-headliner in the Garrett Crochet trade, Braden Montgomery might have more upside than any other position player in the organization. He would have been a lock to be drafted in the top 10 of the draft if an ankle injury hadn’t prematurely ended his final collegiate season, and could have been in play for the Sox at 5th overall. In his first professional season, Montgomery is reminding people just how good he was prior to the injury. He has now made it across three levels, currently hitting in the middle of the Double-A Birmingham Barons lineup.
Montgomery impressed in the lower levels, posting a 150 wRC+ in Low-A and a 134 wRC+ in High-A. His surface numbers to begin his stint at the Double-A level have been equally impressive, although his BABIP has been unsustainably high and his strikeout numbers have jumped up a bit since the promotion. Still, at a level that is always a tough test for hitters due to more advanced competition and pitcher-friendly conditions, Montgomery’s debut season shouldn’t be viewed as anything less than a massive success. He should continue to develop as a hitter, already showing a patient approach, and will eventually be able to tap into his plus raw power consistently. While he has played plenty of center field this season, he still profiles best as the long-term solution in right field for the White Sox. He should challenge to earn his MLB debut at some point in 2026.
1. Noah Schultz, LHP
After an incredibly impressive showing throughout the 2024 season, Noah Schultz cemented himself as the White Sox’s top-ranked prospect and put himself in the conversation to be the best pitching prospect in baseball. While his performance hasn’t quite lived up to that billing in 2025, Schultz is still working his way toward being the ace of a pitching staff at the MLB level.
Drafted in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft, the 6’10 southpaw Schultz has gained some velocity since then, now sitting in the mid-90s. He has also started to pair his 4-seamer with a 2-seamer, adding another way to throw batters off. His best pitch is easily his slider, however, sitting in the low-80s and posting elite spin rates, which generate a ton of horizontal movement. Combined with his nearly side-arm delivery with his long arms, the slider is tough for batters to get a read on, especially left-handed hitters.
While his arrow was pointing straight up after 2024, both his command and his strikeout rate have dipped a bit this season. Brian Bannister was able to provide some more context to his struggles, however, citing some mechanical adjustments to his delivery and challenging him to work in more of his arsenal that he has less command of. Still, he was effective at the Double-A level and earned a promotion to Triple-A, but was sidelined for almost two months with a knee injury. He is now healthy again and is back on track to make his MLB debut some time in 2026 with sights set on eventually developing into the ace the White Sox think he can be.
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Featured image: Laura Wolff/Charlotte Knights
The post 2025 Mid-Season White Sox Top 30 Prospects: 1-15 appeared first on Sox On 35th.