As the season moves toward summer, we look at some White Sox prospects that are hitting the ball well down in the minors. Overall, it has been a bad year for both the White Sox and their affiliates, as most of the Sox top prospects have yet to play a game(very fitting for the White Sox). Here are some names that are performing well despite that:
DJ Gladney
A 16th-round pick back in 2019, Gladney would have gone much higher if there weren’t concerns about his signability. So far, he has put together a decent minor-league career and is still only 21 years old.
So far this year DJ has a .281 average with 10 home runs and 37 RBIS, good enough for best on the Winston Salem Dash in both categories.
If he can continue to show that he is a consistent hitter he could be promoted very soon, as he leads his league in homers. The power has always been there over his few minor league seasons, but if he can keep the average around where it is now, he could be rising up many prospect lists.
Since he is still so young, there is a good chance that happens and he continues to get better every year, perhaps making it to the majors within the next few years.
Bryce Willits
People have become more familiar with Bryce’s teammate, Tim Elko, but Bryce himself is having just as good of a season. So far he is hitting .317 with 6 home runs and 20 RBIs. These are very good numbers for someone who is in their first minor league season.
The UC Santa Barbara alum was an 18th-round pick just last year and has formed a nice middle-of-the-order duo with Tim Elko. If he can keep this up, both he and Elko will make their way up to High-A by the end of the year.
The power is a nice addition to his game, as he already has six homeruns this year. To put that in comparison, in his whole college career, just three seasons, he only hit 10. If this power development can stick around, he will be flying up the Sox prospect rankings very shortly.
Loidel Chapelli
One of my favorite prospects in the White Sox system, Loidel Chapelli is in the midst of a fantastic year. While he has cooled off a bit, he still owns a .373 OBP, which means he is getting on base quite frequently even if he is not hitting.
He also owns four home runs and 28 RBIS to go along with eight stolen bases. He is a very good all-around player and should be rising up many prospect boards considering his age and the fact that he is in his first year in minor-league baseball.
The lefty has a sweet swing and plays second base, a position of need for the White Sox. If he gets promoted to AA this year, don’t be surprised to see him fighting for the second base job if the Sox don’t address the position in the offseason.
Overall, there is not much to report on in the farm system as many guys are hurt. Hopefully, by the next article, Colson Montgomery will make his 2023 debut and continue his rise to the majors.
make his 2023 debut and continue his rise to the majors