Monday, October 20

CHICAGO -- The White Sox checked in at No. 17 within MLB Pipeline’s mid-season ranking of Minor League systems. They dropped 11 spots from the preseason, tied with the Cubs for the biggest fall during that period.

So, where is the optimism amid Chicago’s South Side rebuild, despite a third straight season with at least 100 losses for the White Sox? This ranking decline can be attributed to, in part, top young players such as shortstop Colson Montgomery and his 21 home runs, catchers Edgar Quero and Kyle Teel and infielder Chase Meidroth all graduating and contributing at the Major League level in 2025.

Six players from the organization remain in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100, and other slightly lesser-touted individuals made their presence felt this past season, leading to organizational success along the way.

THREE PLAYERS WHO FORCED THEIR WAY ON TO THE RADAR

OF Braden Montgomery, No. 1 White Sox prospect, No. 35 overall

This 2025 campaign represented Montgomery’s first in professional baseball, despite the Red Sox selecting him 12th overall in the ’24 Draft before coming to Chicago as part of the Garrett Crochet deal. And Montgomery performed with the skill and approach of a seasoned veteran.

“I enjoy a challenge, and the first year of pro ball certainly has been a challenge,” said Montgomery during an end-of-season Zoom. “It’s a game of failure, so you’ve got to fail a separate way and use those failures to round out your bulletproof approach. That’s just kind of what I’ve been working on, and each level comes with its new set of challenges. I’m just excited.”

Montgomery, 22, made stops at Single-A Kannapolis, High-A Winston-Salem and Double-A Birmingham, posting a .270/.360/.444 slash line with 12 homers, 34 doubles, 68 RBIs, 64 runs scored and 14 stolen bases. His time in the Arizona Fall League has been delayed as he fully recovers from a right foot fracture suffered when hit by a pitch in September.

“The thing that sticks out about Braden even after knowing him for a year now in the house, so to speak, is just the work ethic,” said White Sox director of player development Paul Janish of Montgomery, who could reach the Majors in ‘26. “It's crazy how much he wants to be good.

“I joke about some of the guys that I had the opportunity to play with, you run across a lot of guys who were good on accident kind of thing, but I didn't run across any that were great on accident. And Braden's got that kind of makeup. He's got the ability.”

IF Caleb Bonemer, No. 4 White Sox prospect, No. 73 overall

Having turned 20 on Oct. 5, Bonemer probably is further away from the Majors than Montgomery. But they share the bond of a dynamic first professional season with Bonemer being named the ’25 Carolina League Most Valuable Player.

“It's pretty cool to see, when you put in a lot of work,” Bonemer said. “It's something I've always wanted to do, is play pro ball. So, to be able to kind of accomplish some things like that this year, it definitely makes you feel good.”

Bonemer slashed .281/.401/.473 primarily for Kannapolis and for 11 games at Winston-Salem, with 12 homers, 30 doubles and 29 stolen bases. But he has the right focus upon what lies ahead as opposed to what he accomplished.

“I've got to do it again next year,” Bonemer said.

RHP Tanner McDougal, No. 7 White Sox prospect

As Rule 5 eligible, McDougal figures to be added to the White Sox 40-man roster during this offseason. He earned that look with a 3.26 ERA and 136 strikeouts over 113 1/3 innings for Winston-Salem and Birmingham last season. That effort followed an 0-11 run with a 6.04 ERA in ’24.

McDougal has a legitimate chance to help the White Sox early on in ’26, even as a reliever.

TWO POSSIBLE BREAKOUT PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2026

SS Billy Carlson, No. 3 White Sox prospect, No. 71 overall; OF Jaden Fauske, No. 6 White Sox prospect

Let’s put these two young players together, as they were the top two White Sox picks in the ’25 Draft, and both out of high school. Carlson enters as one of the most highly touted defensive shortstops coming from the Draft in recent years, while Fauske has an easy offensive approach geared up the middle with a chance to grow into his power. They both will begin their pro careers in ’26.

LHP Christian Oppor, No. 8 White Sox prospect

This would be a continued breakout for the fifth-round selection in the ’23 Draft, after he struck out 116 over 87 2/3 innings for Kannapolis and Winston-Salem last season, while holding opponents to a .199 average over 22 starts. The 21-year-old southpaw put his name in play, but another strong season would move him closer to the Majors.

ONE BIG QUESTION FOR NEXT SEASON

What sort of Major League impact will be made by Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith?

If this question looks familiar, it’s because it’s a repeat of the finale from my five overall White Sox questions in last week’s newsletter. But Schultz and Smith, the No. 1 (No. 2 overall) and No. 3 (No. 5 overall) left-handed prospects in the game, per MLB Pipeline, are especially key figures attached to future White Sox success.

Smith continues piling up strikeouts and harnessing his control for Glendale in the AFL, while Schultz is recovering from right knee patellar tendinitis.

They are unlikely to break camp with the team, but if all goes well, will be gaining valuable big league experience and contributing sooner than later in ’26.

• The winning times for this year’s Chicago Marathon were 2:02:23 on the men’s side and 2:14:56 on the women’s side. Although I once semi-regularly ran 10Ks, I now don’t think I could drive 26.2 miles in Chicago in that short of time.

• Congratulations to James Fegan, a fellow esteemed White Sox beat writer, for completing this year’s marathon.

• On Oct. 13, we marked five years without our dad, Edward Merkin, who passed away on this date in 2020. We miss him every day, but his wisdom shared, the example he set, and his good humor live on forever.

• Jake Moody was a Michigan man, done good for the Bears on Monday. The actual Michigan football isn’t looking quite as good after Saturday’s debacle against USC, but there’s still time to turn things around and basketball starts soon.

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