Luis Gonzalez

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Chicago White Sox #11 prospect in 2021
  Hitting: 50. Power: 45. Running: 50. Fielding: 55. Arm: 60.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Gonzalez pitched and hit at New Mexico but was universally regarded as a better prospect as a position player. The White Sox drafted him in the third round in 2017 as an outfielder and signed him for $517,000. Gonzalez struggled at Double-A in 2019, but he redeemed himself with a strong showing at the alternate training site in 2020 and made his major league debut Aug. 18.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Gonzalez has long had gifted hands, solid bat speed and a patient, mature approach at the plate. The White Sox tweaked his lower half after the 2019 season, including reinstalling a toe top he had previously discarded, and the result was a more rhythmic swing. With his improvements and an emphasis on letting the ball travel deep and using the whole field, Gonzalez shows the potential to be an average hitter. He has more line-drive gap power than home run power, but he has the bat speed to impact the ball and drive it over the fence on occasion. Gonzalez is a well-rounded athlete capable of playing all three outfield spots. He is best in a corner, where his plus arm strength is an asset.
  
  THE FUTURE: Gonzalez will head back to the minors to start 2021. How his swing improvements hold will determine if he reaches his everyday ceiling.
• 
  Ranked Chicago White Sox #10 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: A two-way player at New Mexico, Gonzalez showed more potential as a hitter and the White Sox drafted him with their third-round pick in 2017. He put together a stellar first full season as a pro in 2018, when he cruised through both Class A levels while hitting for average and power.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: After a strong turn at Class A, things got more difficult for Gonzalez at Double-A. Scouts saw a player who'd abandoned his approach and had begun trying to pull everything for power. He didn't strike out at a particularly high clip (16.6 percent) but showed a willingness to expand the zone nonetheless. He got better in the second half of the season when he reverted to the shorter, more balanced swing that had helped him do damage the year prior. Gonzalez has the plus speed to play center field but is more suited for right field because of a plus throwing arm.
  
  THE FUTURE: After a return to form in the second half, Gonzalez looks to be back on track. He'll return to Double-A in 2020 to keep working toward his ceiling as an everyday outfielder.
• 
  Ranked Chicago White Sox #9 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Gonzalez was a pitcher and hitter at New Mexico. The White Sox believed there was even more potential to be unlocked once he concentrated exclusively on hitting. He put together an excellent all-around 2018 season at two Class A levels.
  
  Scouting Report: Gonzalez is a well-rounded prospect who has shown he’s capable of putting up solid, professional at-bats with a modicum of power. His home run power is almost exclusively to his pull side. He does line doubles to all fields, so there is hope some of those doubles will turn into home runs. He showed little trouble handling lefthanders in 2018. He took it upon himself to make adjustments within the season, including using his lower half more in his swing and improving his bat path to keep it in the hitting zone more often. Gonzalez moved around the outfield for high Class A Winston-Salem, but the majority of his time came in center field. He’s a capable defender at that position, but his above-average range and plus arm make him a more likely right fielder. Whether he’ll have the power to profile there is a question for 2019.
  
  The Future: After a strong 2018 Gonzalez is likely headed for Double-A Birmingham.
• 
  Ranked Chicago White Sox #14 prospect in 2018
  Brendan McKay was the headliner as far as college two-way players went in 2017, but Gonzalez deserved mention as well. Born in Sonora, Mexico, Gonzalez's pitching stats didn't jump off the page, but he started 22 games over three seasons at New Mexico and hit .361/.500/.589 in his junior year. The industry much preferred Gonzalez as an outfielder, and the White Sox took him in the third round and signed him for $517,000. Though he was a little tired after his college season, Gonzalez made it to low Class A Kannapolis in his first try as a pro and immediately showed contact ability and strike-zone discipline. There are questions about Gonzalez's long-term power potential, though, the answer to which will determe his ceiling. The White Sox believe he'll have average to slightly better power. He's got enough speed and range to play center field, but he's likely to move around the outfield in 2018. His throwing arm is plus. Gonzalez will start 2018 at either Kannapolis or at high Class A Winston-Salem, and his power output will be important to keep an eye on.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #86 prospect in 2017 draft
  Add Gonzalez, a Tucson, Ariz., prep product who was born in Sonora, Mexico, to the list of college two-way performers in the 2017 draft class. The 6-foot, 185-pound lefthanded hitter and pitcher is a prospect with the bat who competes on the mound but isn't a draft factor there. Gonzalez has bat speed to impact the baseball and the plate discipline to get himself into hitters' counts. He hasn't hit for consistent power yet in college, with more line-drive gap power (top 10 in doubles nationally) than home run power. He was tied for first in Division I through mid-May with 53 walks and has nearly twice as many walks (96) as strikeouts (57) between his sophomore and junior seasons. He's an above-average runner who could fit in as a leadoff hitter at the pro level, a role he has filled at times in college. He hit the low 90s as a high schooler but has lost arm strength in college, though some scouts believe it could bounce back as he gives up pitching. Gonzalez may wind up a tweener, not a perfect fit in center and with fringe-average to average power that wouldn't profile on a corner. His competitiveness, hitting ability and solid athleticism should get him out in the first three rounds.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Carolina League #18 prospect in 2018
  A pitcher/outfielder at New Mexico, Gonzalez hit .300 in low Class A to earn a late June promotion to Winston-Salem. He hit even better with the Dash, leading all Winston-Salem hitters with a .313 average while playing all three outfield spots and hitting 40 doubles between the two levels. Gonzalez was the Dash’s best defensive center fielder in the second half, showing above-average range and good athleticism. Now that he’s not pitching his arm is bouncing back, giving him an a potentially above-average arm that fits in right field. Offensively, Gonzalez projects as a top-of-the-order table setter. His power is all pull-oriented right now, but he does take his walks and work counts to get on base. There are scouts who see Gonzalez as a solid fourth outfielder whose bat and glove aren’t quite enough to be an everyday player, but if he keeps hitting like he did in 2018, he can remove many of those doubts.

• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 50. Power: 45. Running: 50. Fielding: 55. Arm: 60.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Gonzalez pitched and hit at New Mexico but was universally regarded as a better prospect as a position player. The White Sox drafted him in the third round in 2017 as an outfielder and signed him for $517,000. Gonzalez struggled at Double-A in 2019, but he redeemed himself with a strong showing at the alternate training site in 2020 and made his major league debut Aug. 18.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Gonzalez has long had gifted hands, solid bat speed and a patient, mature approach at the plate. The White Sox tweaked his lower half after the 2019 season, including reinstalling a toe top he had previously discarded, and the result was a more rhythmic swing. With his improvements and an emphasis on letting the ball travel deep and using the whole field, Gonzalez shows the potential to be an average hitter. He has more line-drive gap power than home run power, but he has the bat speed to impact the ball and drive it over the fence on occasion. Gonzalez is a well-rounded athlete capable of playing all three outfield spots. He is best in a corner, where his plus arm strength is an asset.
  
  THE FUTURE: Gonzalez will head back to the minors to start 2021. How his swing improvements hold will determine if he reaches his everyday ceiling.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 50. Power: 45. Running: 50. Fielding: 55. Arm: 60.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Gonzalez pitched and hit at New Mexico but was universally regarded as a better prospect as a position player. The White Sox drafted him in the third round in 2017 as an outfielder and signed him for $517,000. Gonzalez struggled at Double-A in 2019, but he redeemed himself with a strong showing at the alternate training site in 2020 and made his major league debut Aug. 18.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Gonzalez has long had gifted hands, solid bat speed and a patient, mature approach at the plate. The White Sox tweaked his lower half after the 2019 season, including reinstalling a toe top he had previously discarded, and the result was a more rhythmic swing. With his improvements and an emphasis on letting the ball travel deep and using the whole field, Gonzalez shows the potential to be an average hitter. He has more line-drive gap power than home run power, but he has the bat speed to impact the ball and drive it over the fence on occasion. Gonzalez is a well-rounded athlete capable of playing all three outfield spots. He is best in a corner, where his plus arm strength is an asset.
  
  THE FUTURE: Gonzalez will head back to the minors to start 2021. How his swing improvements hold will determine if he reaches his everyday ceiling.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 50. Power: 45. Running: 50. Fielding: 55. Arm: 60.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Gonzalez pitched and hit at New Mexico but was universally regarded as a better prospect as a position player. The White Sox drafted him in the third round in 2017 as an outfielder and signed him for $517,000. Gonzalez struggled at Double-A in 2019, but he redeemed himself with a strong showing at the alternate training site in 2020 and made his major league debut Aug. 18.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Gonzalez has long had gifted hands, solid bat speed and a patient, mature approach at the plate. The White Sox tweaked his lower half after the 2019 season, including reinstalling a toe top he had previously discarded, and the result was a more rhythmic swing. With his improvements and an emphasis on letting the ball travel deep and using the whole field, Gonzalez shows the potential to be an average hitter. He has more line-drive gap power than home run power, but he has the bat speed to impact the ball and drive it over the fence on occasion. Gonzalez is a well-rounded athlete capable of playing all three outfield spots. He is best in a corner, where his plus arm strength is an asset.
  
  THE FUTURE: Gonzalez will head back to the minors to start 2021. How his swing improvements hold will determine if he reaches his everyday ceiling.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: A two-way player at New Mexico, Gonzalez showed more potential as a hitter and the White Sox drafted him with their third-round pick in 2017. He put together a stellar first full season as a pro in 2018, when he cruised through both Class A levels while hitting for average and power.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: After a strong turn at Class A, things got more difficult for Gonzalez at Double-A. Scouts saw a player who’d abandoned his approach and had begun trying to pull everything for power. He didn’t strike out at a particularly high clip (16.6 percent) but showed a willingness to expand the zone nonetheless. He got better in the second half of the season when he reverted to the shorter, more balanced swing that had helped him do damage the year prior. Gonzalez has the plus speed to play center field but is more suited for right field because of a plus throwing arm.
  
  THE FUTURE: After a return to form in the second half, Gonzalez looks to be back on track. He’ll return to Double-A in 2020 to keep working toward his ceiling as an everyday outfielder.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: A two-way player at New Mexico, Gonzalez showed more potential as a hitter and the White Sox drafted him with their third-round pick in 2017. He put together a stellar first full season as a pro in 2018, when he cruised through both Class A levels while hitting for average and power.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: After a strong turn at Class A, things got more difficult for Gonzalez at Double-A. Scouts saw a player who'd abandoned his approach and had begun trying to pull everything for power. He didn't strike out at a particularly high clip (16.6 percent) but showed a willingness to expand the zone nonetheless. He got better in the second half of the season when he reverted to the shorter, more balanced swing that had helped him do damage the year prior. Gonzalez has the plus speed to play center field but is more suited for right field because of a plus throwing arm.
  
  THE FUTURE: After a return to form in the second half, Gonzalez looks to be back on track. He'll return to Double-A in 2020 to keep working toward his ceiling as an everyday outfielder.