Chicago White Sox 2024 MLB Draft Report Card

Best Pure Hitter: Infielder Sam Antonacci (5) has a precocious feel for the strike zone and makes tons of contact. He had a 93% in-zone contact rate last spring with Coastal Carolina and hit .367 with more walks than strikeouts. In a 23-game pro debut with Low-A Kannapolis, Antonacci slashed .333/.471/.432 with a 10.5% miss rate and similar 92.4% in-zone contact rate.

Best Power Hitter: Shortstop Caleb Bonemer (2) has an odd setup at the plate, but it has worked for him against the top prep arms in the class. He pairs both impressive strength and above-average bat speed to hammer the ball to the pull side. He’s got a chance for above-average in-game power at maturity. 

Fastest Runner: Bonemer (2) is a plus runner, though he has a frame that could slow down a tick as he adds more strength, while outfielder TJ McCants (16) can move around well in the outfield and should be fast enough to play center field. In four college seasons with Ole Miss and Alabama, McCants went 45-for-52 (86.5%) on the bases.

Best Defensive Player: While there’s some risk that Bonemer (2) will be too big to stick at shortstop, even if he has to slide to third base, he has the sort of body control, hands, athleticism and arm strength to be an above-average defender at the position. And he’s also looked plenty good at shortstop for now too.

Best Fastball: Lefthander Hagen Smith (1) had one of the better fastballs in the class as a whole, and it would be hard to find another lefty with a heater as impactful as his. He averaged 95.6 mph and has been up to 100 with the pitch, and thanks to a lower release point and flat approach angle he’s able to get tons of in-zone misses with the fastball. A 70-grade projection feels reasonable if he can maintain that velocity on a pro schedule. 

Best Secondary Pitch: Two 70-grade pitches from the left side makes you the fifth overall pick in the draft. That’s what Smith (1) has between his fastball and a hard mid-80s swing-and-miss slider. He used the pitch to dominate both righties and lefties in college, sported a 56% miss rate and has improved his usability of the pitch over the last three years.

Best Pro Debut: Antonacci (5) was Chicago’s most impressive hitter after signing and led all White Sox batters with a .903 OPS and 102 plate appearances. On the mound, righthander Aaron Combs (8) didn’t allow an earned run in six relief appearances and 7.2 innings. He struck out 13, walked four and averaged 95 mph with a fastball that got up to 97.

Best Athlete: Bonemer’s (2) size, speed and power combination was one of the most enticing of the class. He has physical tools that match up with most 2024 high schoolers not named Konnor Griffin and has a chance for above-average tools across the board outside of the hit tool (which we currently have as average). 

Most Intriguing Background: The McLain name has been a recurring one in the draft in recent years. Matt McLain was a first-rounder out of high school and then again out of college when he signed with the Reds in 2021, then Sean McLain followed suit as a fifth-rounder in 2022. Nick McLain (3) is the youngest brother in the family and split the two as a third-rounder who signed with the White Sox for $800,000.

Closest To The Majors: Smith (1) could be pushed rapidly and has the stuff to get outs in a big league bullpen now. The White Sox pushed lefthander Garrett Crochet to the majors quickly in a reliever role before converting him back to the starting rotation, and Smith has the sort of command and stuff to do similar if Chicago finds that valuable. If not, he could still move quickly as a starter. 

Best Day Three Pick (Or NDFA): Righthander Pierce George (13) has a very limited track record and some health and control concerns, but he has a huge 6-foot-5 frame and has flashed lights-out stuff at his best, including a fastball in the 98-100 mph range and a hard upper-80s slider.