10 Chicago White Sox Prospects To Know Beyond The Top 30 in 2024
Baseball America’s Top 30 Chicago White Sox Prospects entering 2024 are here exclusively for subscribers. The list includes updated scouting reports, BA grades and tool grade projections every player.
Inevitably, there are players every year who barely miss the cut when we narrow down the list. These players are all worth monitoring for various reasons and it’s likely some will either reach the big leagues in 2024 or enjoy breakout seasons lower in the minors.
Here are next 10 players to know in the White Sox system beyond their Top 30.
31. Christian Oppor, LHP
Chicago’s 2023 fifth-rounder is a projectable lefthander with athleticism and an intriguing three-pitch mix. The juco product has a fastball and slider that project as above-average offerings and a changeup that could get to fringe-average. Oppor ties it all together with potentially average control. He’ll make his full-season debut in 2024.
32. Juan Carela, RHP
Carela is a projectable righthander who came over from the Yankees in the deal that sent reliever Keynan Middleton to New York. Carela, who signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2018, works with five pitches that sit in the 50-55 range on the 20-to-80 scouting scale. He needs to add more strength to fit as a starter.
33. Alex Speas, RHP
Speas was designated for assignment by the Rangers on Sept. 30, 2023 and claimed by the White Sox four days later. The 2016 second-round pick made his big league debut this past July and showed wicked stuff—including a four-seam fastball that averaged 99 mph in the big leagues—but also had serious trouble throwing strikes. If he can find a few ticks better control, he could be a useful bullpen piece. He worked primarily with a cutter and slider in his brief MLB time.
34. Tyler Schweitzer, LHP
The White Sox took Schweitzer out of Ball State in the fifth-round of the 2022 draft but didn’t officially unleash him until 2023, when he split the year between the Class A levels. The lefty boasts four potentially average pitches but no one pitch that stands out above the rest. His mix and pitchability could lead to a role in the back of a rotation.
35. Eric Adler, RHP
The White Sox selected Adler out of Wake Forest in 2022 after a down season in the Demon Deacons’ bullpen. Despite the results, the righthander has intriguing stuff that high-spin fastball in the low 90s, a downer curveball in the low 80s and a sharp slider that sits between 86-90 mph. He dominated righties but needs to up his control and command to get the most out of his mix.
36. Korey Lee, C
Acquired from the Astros at the trade deadline, Lee profiles as a catch-and-throw backstop with a double-plus arm and solid-average pull power but with a below-average hit tool and below-average defense.
37. Maximo Martinez, RHP
Acquired from the Dodgers just after the trade deadline for international signing bonus slot money, Martinez deals a fastball that has been up to 100 mph.
38. Aldrin Batista, RHP
Obtained in the same trade as Maximo Martinez, Batista was on target to lead the Arizona Complex League in strikeouts before getting a bump up to Low-A Kannapolis. He fanned 12.5 batters per nine innings and in five starts posted a 2.66 ERA in his first time in full-season ball.
39. Ronny Hernandez, C
Still just 19, Hernandez is a lefthanded-hitting catcher who makes hard contact and drives balls to the gaps. Like other young catchers, he has work to do to improve his defense.
40. Fraser Ellard, LHP
A big lefty with a funky lower-slot delivery, Ellard throws a two-seamer with sink and a four-seamer at the top of the zone, complemented by a slider with big sweep. He can be an effective reliever against lefthanded batters, perhaps getting to the big leagues as early as 2023.
