The White Sox have been underwhelming to this point, as they are currently 9-14 to open the season. However, things are starting to pick up, as the bats have woken up over the last few games. That should start to excite fans, as the White Sox have some very talented young hitters already on the current roster.
If that isn’t exciting enough, there have been some fantastic starts to the season for a lot of their minor league players, as most of the White Sox top prospects are showing why they are considered top prospects. This is a good thing for the organization, as it can put pressure on the players currently on the roster.
Outside of their consensus top-100 prospects, there is a player that has put himself back on the map, as he has gotten off to a hot start to the season. That player would be the White Sox 2023 first round pick, Jacob Gonzalez.
So far with the Charlotte Knights, the AAA affiliate of the White Sox, Gonzalez is hitting .250 with a very good .375 OBP and a .875 OPS. These are all higher than his career averages, so he may have finally figured something out.
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However, the most intriguing part about Gonzalez’s game so far is the power numbers. In just 20 games he has already hit five homeruns. That is impressive in itself, but it is even more impressive when you consider his career high is eight homeruns in 130 games. Gonzalez is currently on pace to crush that.
Jacob Gonzalez murders this pitch 398' at 102MPH for his 5th HR on the season. #Knights trail 5-1. pic.twitter.com/Ln3BSAMmvN
— FutureSox (@FutureSox) April 21, 2026
On top of his five homeruns, he has driven in 13 runs, walked 14 times, and has stolen three bases. This will put him on pace to beat most of his other career highs. This is encouraging to see, as the results hadn’t been what everyone was looking for at this point in his career.
Still just 23, it seems that things have started to click for Gonzalez. If he can keep up the power, he could be a valuable asset to the White Sox, as he has positional versatility all over the infield. While he is a true shortstop, he has been getting some significant playing time at first base with the Knights.
Gonzalez is going to play himself into a promotion to Chicago at this rate, as there is only so much left for him to prove. However, it may be tricky to get him consistent playing time, as the infield and DH spot are pretty much filled on a daily basis. Regardless, the White Sox will need to figure something out, as he deserves a shot in the big leagues.
