While the White Sox haven’t given fans much to cheer about over the past three seasons, their farm system provides a glimmer of hope.
With five prospects ranked in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100, Chicago has several potential reinforcements that could energize the big-league roster. Three of those prospects — Braden Montgomery, Hagen Smith, and Noah Schultz — earned invites to Spring Training.
However, one notable omission came from the infield. Caleb Bonemer, ranked 61st among baseball’s top prospects, did not receive a Spring Training invite. While Bonemer has yet to play above the Single-A level, an argument could be made that he did enough last season to earn a look in big league camp.
The 20-year-old turned heads last season, displaying an impressive combination of power and plate discipline. In his first professional season, he earned Carolina League MVP honors, hitting .281/.400/.458 with 10 home runs and 27 stolen bases over 96 games. He also led the Single-A circuit in on-base percentage, slugging, OPS (.858), and doubles (26).
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During that stretch, he was also just one of six qualified minor leaguers last season to record an exit velocity in the 90th percentile while maintaining a ground-ball rate under 30% and a chase rate below 20%.
While he struck out 101 times, Bonemer offset that by drawing 75 walks, showcasing exceptional pitch recognition that kept him from chasing pitches out of the strike zone. He feasted on fastballs, posting a 1.003 OPS against heaters, though he struggled with off-speed pitches, managing just a .622 OPS.
It’s clear that Bonemer isn’t quite ready for big-league action, and he still has some adjustments to make. However, when other young infielders—like William Bergolla Jr., who is only a year older—received invites to camp, it was somewhat surprising that the White Sox chose not to give Bonemer a look. While he has little to no shot at making the Opening Day roster, with his debut likely at least a year away, being around other major leaguers could accelerate his development.
Defensively, there were questions about whether Bonemer could handle shortstop long term. However, he quickly silenced doubters, delivering a solid season thanks to his soft hands and strong arm. Ultimately, he may shift to second base or the hot corner, given the influx of shortstop talent in the organization, which is a good problem to have for a team like the White Sox.
In the meantime, Bonemer’s name is one to watch as he continues to climb through the minor league ranks.
