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How Comments From Baltimore’s GM Just Made The Logan Jones Pick A Home Run

By
Erik Lambert
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logan jones
Jan 29, 2026; Owings Mills, MD, USA; Eric DeCosta at Jesse Minter’s press conference at Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Lexi Thompson-Imagn Images

The Chicago Bears made an unexpected pivot during the 2nd round of the 2026 draft. While many thought they’d continue adding to the defense after snagging Dillon Thieneman in the 1st round. However, general manager Ryan Poles pulled a swerve when he went with Iowa center Logan Jones. It wasn’t a secret that the Bears needed a long-term option at center with Garrett Bradbury in the final year of his deal. Head coach Ben Johnson loved the guy, so the team made the move. One person not happy about it was Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta.

He revealed on the team’s podcast that they really liked two centers in the draft. One was Florida’s Jake Slaughter, and the other was Jones. DeCosta admitted they were shocked and dismayed when both came off the board in the 2nd round. They’d been hoping the two would drop to the 3rd, which is why the Ravens felt comfortable spending their own 2nd rounder on Missouri defensive end Zion Young. Ironically, that specific choice likely forced the Bears to pivot to Jones and, in turn, prompted the Los Angeles Chargers to take Slaughter. This is what can happen when you gamble on certain prospects falling.

This Logan Jones revelation is doubly good for the Bears.

For one, it screws over the Ravens. The AFC power drew a lot of heat a few weeks ago when they traded for Maxx Crosby from Las Vegas. However, they then designated him with a failed physical and rescinded the trade. It is widely believed that Baltimore had expected to retain center Tyler Linderbaum while adding Crosby. Linderbaum signed a massive contract with the Raiders, though. Facing the prospect of losing two 1st round picks while having several roster holes to fill, they “failed” Crosby and signed Trey Hendrickson instead. It feels rather poetic that the Bears ended up being the ones robbing them of their preferred center replacement.

The other exciting part is that Baltimore has a strong reputation for drafting centers. Jeff Mitchell won them a Super Bowl in 2000 as a former 5th round pick. Casey Rabach, a 3rd rounder, had a solid season at center in 2004 and went on to become a long-term starter for Washington. Sixth round pick Bradley Bozeman became a starter for them in the late 2010s, while 1st round pick Linderbaum made three Pro Bowls. This doesn’t include undrafted free agent Matt Skura, who started three seasons for them, including Lamar Jackson’s first MVP campaign in 2019.

If there is a center the Ravens want, the odds are favorable that he will be pretty good.

It isn’t surprising that the Bears got here.

After all, former assistant GM Ian Cunningham was brought up in the Ravens scouting system. He was as familiar with their process and the types of players they targeted as anybody. It wouldn’t be hard to imagine he helped the Poles implement a similar approach to the Bears’ system. The results have been pretty good so far. One thing holding them back was the coaching staff. Baltimore has always had capable coaches leading the way. That finally happened last year when Chicago hired Ben Johnson.

The fact that he pushed hard for the team to draft Logan Jones speaks volumes. After all, he worked with Pro Bowler Frank Ragnow in Detroit and spearheaded the efforts to sign Drew Dalman. Johnson has a keen eye for what that position must look like, especially in his offense. Jones has the athleticism, toughness, technical prowess, and intelligence to man that position for a long time. No doubt the Ravens will be left wondering why they didn’t act sooner if he thrives.

One Year After Arizona Reset, Colson Montgomery Is Emerging As One Of MLB’s Top Shortstops

By
Mitchell Kaminski
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Apr 29, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery (12) smiles after he is dunked after hitting a walk off RBI single against the Los Angeles Angels during the tenth inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images

One year to the day after being told he was getting sent to Arizona to work on his offensive approach, Colson Montgomery stepped to the plate Wednesday with a chance to win the game and complete a three-game sweep of the Angels for the Chicago White Sox.

Montgomery wasted little time doing just that, lining the first pitch he saw from Angels reliever Drew Pomeranz into center field for the first walk-off hit of his MLB career. 

It seemed fitting that the White Sox had just a 14.8% chance to win while down to their final out in the ninth inning before Sam Antonacci ripped a game-tying triple down the right-field line to knot the score at two and flip the script. 

Flipping the script is exactly what Montgomery, whom many had labeled a bust after a slow start at Triple-A last season, has done since joining the White Sox. In the year since returning from Camelback Ranch after working one-on-one with White Sox hitting director Ryan Fuller, Montgomery has turned into one of baseball’s most dangerous offensive weapons.

Through 31 games, his 1.2 WAR is the fifth-highest among MLB shortstops. This comes after posting a 3.3 WAR in just 71 games last season.  

Since July 22 of last season, Montgomery has clubbed 29 home runs, tied with Cal Raleigh for the most in the MLB. Over that span, he has also hit more home runs than Aaron Judge (28), Junior Caminero (28), and Shohei Ohtani (26) despite having fewer plate appearances than each of them. His 70 RBIs since July 22nd are also tied for the second most in the majors.

He is currently riding a career-best 13-game on-base streak. During that stretch, the former first-round pick is slashing .291/.339/.770 with a 1.109 OPS, along with five home runs and 12 RBIs.

While Montgomery has struggled to consistently put balls in play, highlighted by a lofty 29% strikeout rate, when he does make hard contact, he is doing damage. His 15% barrel rate ranks near the top of the league, while his .442 expected slugging percentage sits comfortably in the upper half of MLB hitters.

Despite mostly being feast or famine at the plate, the 24-year-old has also emerged as one of the White Sox primary run producers, with his eight home runs and 21 RBIs this season are each tied for seventh in the American League. 

Montgomery’s recent power surge has only added to the buzz surrounding a young White Sox team that has won seven of its last 10 games and sits just 1.5 games out of first place in the AL Central despite still being three games under .500. 

“Right now, we are just laying a brick every single day and building every single day, and just playing really good ball,” Montgomery told MLB.com. “Keep feeding off this excitement.” 

But Montgomery is not just getting it done on the offensive side; he has also showcased exceptional range at shortstop. Montgomery has committed just one error at shortstop this season while ranking third among American League shortstops with a .989 fielding percentage. He also has four Outs Above Average this season, three at shortstop (fourth most in the MLB) and one at third base, a mark that ranks in the top 2% of MLB defenders.

That range was on full display on Wednesday, when he made a backhanded stop on his knee to initiate a critical 6-4-3 double play in the top of the ninth inning.  

Many have speculated that Montgomery will eventually be shuffled to third base to make room for presumed No. 1 overall pick Roch Cholowsky. He has already shown he is more than capable of handling the hot corner, logging 129 innings there with just two errors early in his MLB career.

But Montgomery’s recent work with the glove at short raises the question if the White Sox should instead consider a position switch for Cholowsky or any of the organization’s other prospective shortstops to another position?

The organization still has plenty of time before any decisions need to be made, but if Montgomery continues this upward trajectory, it will be hard to keep him out of the conversation as one of the top shortstops in baseball.

This Under-The-Radar White Sox Move Could Pay Off Big Time

By
Craig Rowland
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Apr 28, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox catcher Drew Romo (36) hits a two-run home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the fourth inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

The White Sox had one of their busiest off-seasons to date under Chris Getz, as they overhauled a significant portion of the roster. We have seen a lot of these players make an impact already, as Munetaka Murakami is quickly becoming one of the premier power hitters in the game.

Outside of Murakami and some of the other more notable major league signings, like Seranthony Dominguez and Austin Hays, there were some intriguing minor league additions. One of those was Jarred Kelenic, but adding catcher Drew Romo was also an interesting move.

Romo was selected with the 35th pick in the 2020 draft out of The Woodlands High School in Texas. After being drafted, Romo quickly found success in the minor leagues, as he put together two very solid seasons in the lower minors in 2021 and 2022. This led to him finding his name on some top-100 prospect lists prior to the 2023 season.

Eventually, Romo earned his first taste of major league baseball in 2024 with the Colorado Rockies. However, he was limited to just 16 games, hitting .176. He would go on to play only three MLB games in 2025, also with the Rockies.

However, while in the minors, Romo was still a productive player. In 2024, he hit .297 with a .339 OBP, adding 14 homers and 60 RBls with the Rockies AAA affiliate. Romo wasn’t quite as good in 2025, as he hit .258 with seven homeruns, but those are still solid numbers for a catcher.

For whatever reason, the Rockies didn’t give him much playing time and he found his way to the White Sox in the offseason. He started the season with the Charlotte Knights, where he hit .298 with four homeruns in just 17 games. This led to the White Sox DFA’ing Reese McGuire in favor of Romo.

This gave Romo the chance to make a statement in the major leagues, and he did just that. In Tuesday’s game, he hit his first two career homeruns, one of which was off the best pitcher in the big leagues this season. Over three games, he is hitting .333 with two homers, three RBls, and has walked twice compared to just one strikeout. This is an extremely small sample size but a good start nonetheless.

Now, with Edgar Quero still just 23 years old and in need of a reset in AAA, there may be a conversation on whether Romo sticks with the team when Kyle Teel returns. Romo would need to continue to produce, but this may not be a crazy scenario.

Romo is just 24 and has only 60 major league at-bats under his belt. He is also a former top-100 prospect, a high draft pick, and is solid behind the plate. When you combine that with his productive minor league career, the White Sox may have found another player to work with.

The White Sox would benefit from giving Romo some run, as he could turn out to be another valuable addition to the roster. You can never have too many catchers, and with Quero’s slow start, Romo may be able to step in and fill that void. If the White Sox are able to get production out of both Everson Pereira and Drew Romo, that would be a huge win for the player development of the organization.

This Obvious Move Could Fix The White Sox Pitching Staff

By
Craig Rowland
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Arkansas starting pitcher Hagen Smith pitches against LSU during the SEC Tournament elimination game Thursday, May 25, 2023, at the Hoover Met.

To everyone’s surprise, the White Sox have gotten very good production out of their starting rotation. Coming into the season, that was one of the team’s biggest concerns, as there wasn’t any proven front-line pitching slated to break camp with the team.

However, to start the season, that has been quite the opposite and pretty much everybody has looked good. Sean Burke is having one of his best starts to his career, as he has a 3.21 ERA over 33 innings. Erick Fedde is having a rebound season, as he has a 3.24 ERA over 33 innings. Davis Martin has established himself as the ace of the staff, as he has a 1.95 ERA over 37 innings. Additionally, Noah Schultz has come up and looked very good, as he has a 3.52 ERA over his first 15 major league innings. 

The only rotation arm who has struggled so far has been Anthony Kay, as he has not been able to go deep in his starts. The White Sox have tried to solve that by having an opener for him, but that hasn’t seemed to fix the problem, as he has only gone more than five innings once this season. However, if the White Sox are inclined to keep him in the rotation, there is an easy fix that’s right in front of our eyes.

Instead of wasting a late inning reliever like Grant Taylor as an opener and preventing them from pitching in a high leverage situation, the White Sox should just promote Hagen Smith. Smith has only been going four innings in his minor-league starts, as he is on some sort of strict pitch limit. Piggybacking him with Kay would work out nicely, as they could combine for eight innings without wasting a reliever.

Most importantly, this would allow Smith to continue his development with the major league club, while staying on whatever pitch count the White Sox organization has him on. Not only would this get him valuable major league innings, it could take a huge weight off the bullpen.

Smith has looked very good this year in AAA, as he has been racking up the strikeouts. That will likely translate over to the major leagues, as he has incredible swing and miss stuff. Smith needs to work on his control, but he can do that in Chicago with some of the best coaches in the organization.

At a certain point, it’s no longer advantageous for players to keep dominating at the minor league level. They eventually need to come up and rip the Band-Aid off. If the White Sox want to continue to manage Smith’s workload, this would be the perfect way to do it while still allowing him to develop into the long-term ace they believe he can be. This is a move that would work out nicely for everyone involved and would be beneficial to the entire team.

Inside The Bears’ Near Trade-Up for Colton Hood — And Why They Dodged a Mistake

By
Erik Lambert
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colton hood
Sep 27, 2025; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive back Colton Hood (8) scores a touchdown after an interception against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the first half at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Wesley Hale-Imagn Images

Some Chicago Bears fans were upset that general manager Ryan Poles wasn’t more aggressive in the 2026 draft. His defense needed some serious difference-makers after finishing 29th last season. After making a deep playoff run, it made sense to take a legitimate swing at finding some impact guys. Instead, the Bears played the boring approach, taking safety Dillon Thieneman in the 1st round before going on an offensive frenzy on day two with center Logan Jones, tight end Sam Roush, and wide receiver Zavion Thomas. As it turns out, things were almost very different, and it centered on Colton Hood.

The Tennessee cornerback had been touted as a possible 1st round pick going into the draft. So it was a surprise when he wasn’t taken. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Bears were so taken with Hood that they considered trading up in the 2nd round to get him.

“The Bears eyed a trade-up in the second round but chose to stand pat. They were high on Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood, who went No. 37 to the Giants. Chicago figured its No. 25 pick, Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman, would be gone in the top 20, so perhaps Hood would’ve been a viable fallback option there if Thieneman was off the board.”

The Bears’ interest is hardly surprising. Hood is a tall, athletic, and physical cornerback with a solid nose for the ball. He is basically the prototype of what defensive coordinator Dennis Allen and defensive backs coach Al Harris want in the position.

Trading up for Colton Hood would’ve been a mistake.

Before you say anything, it has nothing to do with the cornerback’s talent. He is a good player and deserves the buzz he received before the draft. This was more of an issue of resource management. The Bears only had seven picks at the start of the 2026 draft, and they’d already given up their 5th rounder in 2027 to grab Garrett Bradbury after Drew Dalman retired. This was not a team boasting a large inventory of assets. Trading up from #57 to get Hood almost certainly would’ve cost them a 3rd round pick. Maybe their other 2nd.

Thankfully, Poles saw sense. When it became clear the Giants were going to take him, the Bears GM knew the price tag was too steep. There is also the matter of resource allocation. Had they selected Hood, he would’ve been the fifth defensive back the Bears had spent a 1st or 2nd round pick on since 2022. There is nothing wrong with having a strong secondary, but such a steep tilt in one direction goes a long way in explaining why the Bears’ defensive line has underperformed for most of Poles’ tenure.

The Bears managed to help multiple positions because of that.

Jones will likely serve as the team’s long-term solution at center, be it this year or in 2027. Roush is a stout blocking tight end who should immediately help open up the running game. Lastly, Thomas is an explosive return man who can elevate the special teams while also offering upside as a receiver. Would Colton Hood have been good enough to equate the contributions of those three? Maybe, but he’d have to be really good. The truth was that Chicago had too many needs to justify giving up extra assets for another cornerback.

Besides, they ended up addressing the position anyway. Malik Muhammad arrived in the 4th round. He exhibits many of the same qualities as Hood: athletic, fluid, hard-nosed, and physical. He may not be as big, but there is no question that he can be a contributor on this team. All in all, the Bears made the correct decision. As much as they may have liked Hood, it was not the time nor the position for them to be aggressive. Cooler heads prevailed, and the team is better for it.

Latest Report Raises Concern Over White Sox Draft Plans

By
Craig Rowland
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Jun 17, 2025; Omaha, Neb, USA; UCLA Bruins shortstop Roch Cholowsky (1) throws to first base against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the third inning at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

The White Sox have played .500 baseball in the month of April and are 7-3 in their last 10 games. After the rough start to the season, that’s pretty good. Now, they sit just 1.5 games back from the Cleveland Guardians for first place in the American League Central. This is an unlikely pace for them to sustain, but we are better at this point than most people thought.

With that, the White Sox can focus on developing their young players and forming a winning culture. That culture will continue to build as they promote more top prospects as we approach the All-Star break. That is a huge week for the White Sox, as they hold the first pick in the MLB draft after winning the draft lottery.

This was a great year to win the lottery, as there is a generational prospect available for the White Sox. That would be Roch Cholowsky, a shortstop from the University of California, Los Angeles.

After a sophomore season that saw him become one of the best players in college baseball, he’s followed it up with another fantastic season. In 44 games, he’s hit. 331 with a .462 on base percentage. He’s added 18 home runs, 52 RBIs, and he’s walked 26 times compared to 28 strikeouts. While this isn’t quite what he did last year, at least in terms of K/BB ratio and batting average, the power numbers are up, as he will likely finish with more home runs this season.

Regardless, he has done nothing to suggest that he should not be the first overall pick in this year’s draft. However, recent reports from Bob Nightengale are starting to scare White Sox fans. According to Nightengale, the White Sox are still unsure on who they will pick first overall. Additionally, it is unclear on whether the White Sox are Cholowsky’s top preference.

This is frustrating to hear as a White Sox fan, as Cholowsky is the type of player you dream of selecting with the first overall pick. However, since it is still so early, we have no choice but to believe that this is all smoke and mirrors as to not drive up the price of the signing bonus. Plus, publicly committing to a pick in April wouldn’t be the smartest thing to do as an organization. But, it is a bit strange to hear a report like this from Bob.

However, if these reports are true, it would be malpractice for the White Sox not to select Cholowsky with the first overall pick, as players like him don’t grow on trees.  

While there are certainly some other players in the draft that could be the first overall pick in other draft classes, Cholowsky is on another level. We have to take this report with a grain of salt, as it’s pretty clear that Cholowsky should be the pick. But, if they don’t pick him, and he becomes a superstar while whoever the White Sox select doesn’t, that’s a fireable offense. 

At this point, it is best to believe that this report is out there as to not give the obvious away and that the White Sox are just simply doing their due diligence with all the other top players. While Chris Getz hasn’t been perfect, he’s done a pretty good job rebuilding this organization from top to bottom, including adding smart baseball people around him. I believe that at the end of the day Cholowsky will be the choice, so we can all take a deep breath and relax.

Insider Reveals When The Chicago Bears Likely Sign EDGE Help — And The Logic Behind It

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears
Nov 3, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (42) sacks Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) in the first half at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Nothing over the past two months has confused Chicago Bears fans more than the team’s remarkable lack of action at the edge rush position. Outside of Montez Sweat, who had 10.5 sacks in 2025, the team had a multitude of problems. Pricey free agent Dayo Odeyingbo struggled through the first half of the season, then tore his Achilles. Rookie 2nd round pick Shemar Turner switched to defensive end after struggling at defensive tackle and promptly tore his ACL. Austin Booker missed several weeks with a knee injury after a stellar preseason. Having seen such turmoil, one would think the Bears would show greater urgency in finding help.

Yet after both free agency and the NFL draft, not a single addition was made. Bears general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson insisted on their belief that getting Odeyingbo and Turner back healthy, along with Booker’s strong finish to the season, that they should be okay at edge. Many are skeptical, left wondering whether the Bears plan to dabble in the veteran market, where some notable names remain available. Albert Breer of the MMQB was asked about this. His response felt noteworthy.

The Chicago Bears are likely waiting for more information.

He believes the Bears won’t make a decision until they have enough information. That means waiting to see what the health status is of Odeyingbo and Turner this spring. If both have a chance to return for training camp, the team may hold off. If not, expect a move in the near future.

“I’d say it’s worth keeping that on your radar. Last year, like this year, the Bears didn’t spend a single draft pick on an edge player, despite their lengthy search for a better bookend to Montez Sweat. The hope in 2025 was that a combination of Dayo Odeyingbo, who can play on the edge on early downs but is better suited inside in passing situations, and Austin Booker would be enough. Odenyingbo got hurt. Booker battled injury, too. Which led some, myself included, to believe they’d bolster the position in the draft.

Now that they haven’t, I think the two names you mentioned would be in play as we get closer to the start of training camp. Cameron Jordan, of course, was with defensive coordinator Dennis Allen in New Orleans, and might make sense as a short-term fix (he’ll be 37 in July). Similarly, Jadeveon Clowney fits the big, long, rugged type of edge player Allen favors. Seeing Odeyingbo and Booker in the spring should help inform decision-making on all of this.”

The Bears are in an awkward position.

They’ve invested a lot in the defensive line as is. Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett got sizable contracts last year. Turner was a high draft choice. They probably would rather try getting a return on their current investments. Signing prominent names like Cam Jordan or Jadeveon Clowney would take snaps away from them. While it may seem like an easy decision for people outside the organization, it isn’t that simple. The Bears believe in those players and feel they can be strong contributors. Good health is a crucial step in that process.

That being said, time is not on their side. Odeyingbo’s injury requires a recovery time of 9-12 months. That basically means the odds of him being ready for camp are unlikely. Turner, on the other hand, is on a timeline that should have him ready for action, provided he doesn’t suffer any setbacks. If it plays out this way, would the Chicago Bears be comfortable going into the season with Sweat, Booker, and Turner as their primary trio, hoping that can suffice until Odeyingbo returns midseason?

It would be a risky gamble in a season where the Chicago Bears will face a much tougher schedule than last year. The sensible option would be to add as many capable bodies as possible. Jordan or Clowney would be temporary solutions, but nobody can argue that they wouldn’t help.

People Inside NFL Are Higher On Jordan Van Den Berg Than You Think — Here’s Why

By
Erik Lambert
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jordan van den berg
Oct 11, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies quarterback Kyron Drones (1) runs past Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg (99) in the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

For most of the 2026 NFL draft, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles operated on the same game plan as he has for most of his tenure. He either stays put at his original spot or moves down. Over the previous four drafts, Poles had moved up only once for a player. That was in the 2nd round for Tyrique Stevenson in 2023. Since then, it has been sticking to the same formula. However, things took an unexpected turn towards the end of the festivities on day three last week. Poles packaged both of his picks in the 7th round to Buffalo in exchange for their 6th round pick. This enables the Bears to grab Georgia Tech defensive tackle Jordan Van Den Berg.

National scout Brendan Rehor admitted that the pick was largely driven by the Bears’ coaching staff. They zeroed in on him weeks before the draft and practically begged Poles to get him.

“Our coaches have been pounding the table for this kid for a long time, really the last two weeks. We kind of have a process where we will give the coaches a stack of guys in this Day 3 range and this kid’s name kept coming up pretty consistently. It’s basically a DNA match with what our coaches want and then also a high character kid from what our scouts gathered.”

Was this an overreaction to the team not being able to land a defensive lineman earlier in the draft? No. Based on other talent evaluators around the league, Van Den Berg has a lot of fans. One of them said as much to Bob McGinn of Go Long two months before the draft.

“Keep an eye on him,” one evaluator said in February referring to van den Berg. “He’s the sleeper of the defensive-line group. Highly productive. He’ll be one of those rotating guys.”

The path Jordan Van Den Berg took isn’t totally uncommon.

Part of the reason he fell to the 6th round was that he spent his first three seasons at Penn State as a backup. Recognizing the need for a change, he transferred to Georgia Tech. After a decent 2024 season, he finally broke through with three sacks, 11 tackles for a loss, and 29 pressures. He isn’t the first such player to follow this sort of path. Derrick Harmon failed to find a footing in three years at Michigan State. He transferred to Oregon, where he had a breakout season and eventually became a 1st-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The same was true for Shelby Harris. He was invisible in Wisconsin, so he gambled on moving to Illinois State. A productive couple of seasons there enabled him to become a 7th round pick. He just completed his 11th season in the league. Jordan Van Den Berg is a self-motivated young man. Most people wouldn’t have dared leave a football factory like Penn State. His courage to do so and ability to make it work are part of why he is such an intriguing prospect. One person not surprised by this is his head coach, Brent Key. People don’t grasp how competitive the defensive tackle is.

Not until it’s too late.

There is a big opportunity in front of Van Den Berg.

Right now, the defensive tackle depth chart looks pretty crowded. The Bears already had Gervon Dexter and Grady Jarrett established as starters. Then, in free agency, they added Neville Gallimore, Kentavius Street, and James Lynch. That means the rookie has a lot of experienced players to wade through if he wants to make the roster. The good news is that he already has the coaching staff’s admiration. They feel he has lots to offer this team. If he can put in the work and take it to the field in training camp, the door will be open.

He certainly offers them something most others can’t. His interior pass rush potential is immense. There were several flashes of it last season. Jarrett isn’t that type of player anymore. Dexter had six sacks last year but has never been a consistent threat. The Bears have been searching for somebody who can truly wreak havoc in the middle. Jordan Van Den Berg has the physical tools. His character and work ethic have never been questioned. Now he may finally get the coaching he needs.

White Sox 2026 Top Prospects: No. 1 Will Be A Top-10 Prospect By Midseason

By
Craig Rowland
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Okemos shortstop Caleb Bonemer (2) at bat against Grand Ledge in the District Final Saturday, June 1, 2024.

The White Sox had one of the best farm systems to start the season, and by midseason, they should be considered a top-five system in baseball. This rise is due to the existing talent in the system, but also because some under the radar prospects are putting themselves on the map.

As we sit about a month into the season, we will now conclude our top prospect list, as we got to know some of the best players in the in the organization. We started with our 20th ranked prospect, making our way to the best prospect in the system. We unveiled our 2nd ranked prospect, Braden Montgomery, in our last article. Here, we cover our number one ranked prospect, Caleb Bonemer.

The White Sox selected Bonemer with their second round pick in the 2024 MLB draft out of Okemos High School in Michigan. At the time, it was widely considered to be a solid pick, as he had a ton of upside as a prep bat. Now, it is looking like an absolute steal.

After being drafted, he did not get into any minor league action, as his first professional games were with the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers last season.

In 96 games for the Cannon Ballers, Bonemer hit .281 with a .400 on-base percentage. He added 10 home runs, 58 RBIs, and an impressive 27 stolen bases. He also had a very solid walk to strikeout ratio, as he struck out 91 times but walked 68. This led to a late season promotion to the Winston-Salem Dash.

With the Dash, he ended up playing 11 games to end the season. In those 11 games, he hit .278 with a .409 on base percentage. He added two home runs, six RBIs, and two stolen bases. He had another solid walk to strikeout ratio, as he struck out 10 times compared to seven walks.

After the season, he began to get plenty of top-prospect hype, as MLB pipeline ranked him as their 61st ranked prospect. However, that is likely to be significantly higher when they update the rankings, as he is off to a torrid start to the 2026 season.

So far with the Winston-Salem Dash, Bonemer has appeared in 21 games. He is hitting .289 with a .406 on base percentage. He also has an insane .783 slugging percentage and an amazing 1.189 OPS. If that wasn’t impressive enough, he’s already added 11 home runs and 26 RBIs. He’s also walked 11 times compared to 29 strikeouts. 

This is extremely impressive for Bonemer, as he has almost as many home runs as he did in 107 games last season. He is truly proving to be one of the most high-upside prospects in the minor leagues, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he is a top-10 prospect in all of baseball by the end of the season.

For these reasons, he is our number one prospect in the system, and he looks to find his way to Birmingham sooner rather than later. Although the White Sox currently have a pretty stacked middle infield, Bonemer will certainly find a spot, even if that means kicking somebody out who’s already established, because he’s just that good. 

Nico Hoerner Laughed Off A Fastball To His Head Like A Psycho

By
Aldo Soto
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The Chicago Cubs bounced back from their series loss this past weekend to even up their West Coast road trip with a 5-4 win over the San Diego Padres on Wednesday. Jameson Taillon pitched seven strong innings, Ben Brown saved the day in the eighth, Pete Crow-Armstrong homered again, oh, and Nico Hoerner took a fastball off his head and laughed it off as he ran to first base.

Hoerner was facing Matt Waldron in the fifth inning when the Padres’ right-hander unleashed a 90mph fastball that drilled the Cubs’ middle infielder directly on the head. Luckily, Hoerner was able to tuck his head in just enough that the ball clanked off his helmet. Still, it’s always a scary scene whenever a hitter gets beaned, so the Cubs went out to check on Hoerner.

The replay is hilarious, though, as you can see Hoerner laughing almost instantly and joking with his teammates, who were looking on from the dugout.

It’s not like pitchers were intentionally trying to hit the Cubs in San Diego, but Hoerner was the third player drilled by the Padres in the past two games after Ian Happ and Michael Busch were hit in Tuesday’s game.

Later in Wednesday’s series finale, Matt Shaw was nearly hit twice by Jason Adam. Then, Shaw homered to give the Cubs a much-needed insurance run that turned out to be the difference in the 5-4 win.

As for Hoerner, he finished the game and there were no concerns following the game regarding his status.

He was literally shaking off the hit to his head with a shimmy.

Incredible. What a psycho in the toughest way possible. The Cubs wrapped up the month of April with a 17-9 record, and head into May at 19-12 overall following a day off on Thursday.

Hoerner was 1-for-4 on Wednesday and is currently leading the Cubs in RBI with 26 and stolen bases with 7. Among Cubs’ qualified hitters, his 133 wRC+ is tops on the team. Through 31 games, Hoerner has put up a 1.7 fWAR, which is currently tied with Matt Olson for No. 1 in the National League.

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