Friday, December 5, 2025

Winston-Salem Prospect Report: Key Players Pushing For Promotions

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Despite the White Sox having one of the worst records in the league again in 2025, they look like a much better baseball team compared to last year, as there have been plenty of close games that could have gone either way.

This leads fans to look into the minor leagues for success stories of players who may be joining the team in Chicago when they are in their window for contention. We take a look at the High-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, the Winston-Salem Dash, and see who has been playing well over the last month, as these players could be on the move to Birmingham sooner rather than later.

Sam Antonacci

One of the first players that should be highlighted is infielder Sam Antonacci, who was selected in the 5th round of last year’s draft. This season he’s hitting .318 with an insane .462 OBP and a .962 OPS. This is in part due to a month of June where he’s been on fire. 

This month over 63 at-bats, Antonacci is hitting .302 with a .450 OBP. He’s added two homeruns, seven RBIs, and nine stolen bases. If that wasn’t good enough, he’s added 12 walks to just 17 strikeouts, which is a very good ratio.

On the season, Antonacci has four homeruns, 29 RBIs and 20 stolen bases. This is elite play out of the 22-year-old infielder, and he is likely due for a promotion to AA sooner rather than later. After the trade deadline when there will likely be a ton of movement, there should be a spot for Antonacci to get consistent at-bats with the Barons, which can put him on the fast track to Chicago.

Christian Oppor

The next player who is having a nice month of June is pitcher Christian Oppor, who had a hot start to the season. After a 2.42 ERA over five starts with the Cannon Ballers, Oppor was promoted to the Winston-Salem Dash, where he got off to a rough start. However, Oppor has seemingly found his groove with the Dash a few starts in.

In the Month of June, Oppor has a 2.70 ERA in 16.2 innings, while striking out 15 batters. Oppor cut down on the walks in his last start, as it was his best in a Dash uniform. In his last start Oppor went five innings, giving up three hits, while walking two. He struck out four and only gave up two runs.

This is exactly what the White Sox wanted to see out of Oppor after his promotion, and at just 20 years old, Oppor has some devastating stuff that could help him become a very good major league pitcher.

Key Trade Pieces Heating Up

Two other players worth mentioning that had very solid months of June are Jeral Perez and Samuel Zavala.

Perez is hitting .260 in June with a .308 OBP. He has added two homeruns and 14 RBIs. While his power surge from May took a slight dip, he still hit 5 doubles, showing that ability to get extra base hits. Perez has 13 homeruns and 45 RBIs on the season, which both rank among the best of any White Sox prospects in the system.

Zavala had a nice June as well, as he is hitting .328 with a .397 OBP. This is huge for Zavala, as he had a tough start to the season. He also added three homeruns, 10 RBIs, and two stolen bases. If Zavala can keep this up, the Dylan Cease trade looks significantly better. 

Craig Rowland
Craig Rowland
Craig is a former college baseball player and currently a practicing attorney. He is a lifelong White Sox fan and has been covering the team for Sports Mockery since 2022. Prior to Sports Mockery, Craig started the White Sox podcast "A Seat At The Table" while completing his undergraduate degree at the University of Illinois.

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