Mid-Season Top 30 White Sox Prospects: 30-16 originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
- Editor's Note: "Sox On 35th’s Mid-Season Top 30 White Sox Prospects: 30-16" originally appeared on Sox on 35th. Michael Suareo of Sox On 35th will be a regular contributor to NBC Sports Chicago's White Sox coverage for the 2022 season. You can read more of their coverage at SoxOn35th.com, and follow them on Twitter at @SoxOn35th.
As we close in on the halfway point of the season, we take a look at the farm system of the Chicago White Sox, who came into the season widely regarded as having the worst collection of prospects in the league. While this was due to a plethora of recent prospect graduations after a multi-year rebuild, they still had work to do in terms of replenishing their minor league system.
After looking at the group of players that just missed the Top 30 list yesterday, we have the back half of the White Sox's top 30. This group features an interesting mix of player profiles, with older prospects putting up big numbers, recent draft picks/signings who are off to strong starts, and formerly higher-rated prospects who are talented but struggling to put it all together.
30. Loidel Chapelli 2B
A late addition to the White Sox 2022 international signing class, the 20-year-old Chapelli commanded the third-highest signing bonus the Sox gave out this year at $500,000. Originally signed as an outfielder, the Sox have converted him to 2B where they think his tools will play better. He has shown an extremely advanced hit tool to begin his career, although it’s easy to assume he is too advanced for the Dominican Summer League at this point. It is possible that when he makes his stateside debut he skips the Arizona Complex league and heads straight to Low-A Kannapolis, similar to Norge Vera this season.
29. Johan Dominguez SP
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It is unfortunate that an elbow injury derailed Dominguez's season, as he was on his way to having a fantastic year. In three starts between Double A and Triple A, the 26-year-old right-hander pitched to a 1.42 ERA with 20 strikeouts and only 4 walks in 12.2 innings. His mid-90s fastball paired with a couple of solid breaking pitches and a change-up give him a full arsenal to work with, and he has shown an ability to consistently control it better than expected. Dominguez's first priority will be to get healthy and attempt a comeback sometime in 2023, but hopefully, he can also build off his strong start when he does come back. When healthy, he has the upside to be a back-of-the-rotation starter, although a reliever role might be more likely.
28. Tommy Sommer SP
A 10th-round pick out of Indiana, Sommer had a very productive four-year college baseball career before entering the White Sox system. He has so far put up over 11 K/9 at both of his stops at the Arizona Complex League and Low-A Kannapolis, although he is a bit advanced for those levels considering he will be 24 in September. He has put up impressive results regardless, so the White Sox have something to work with.
27. Tyler Neslony OF
Neslony has put up some big-time numbers since the Sox acquired him from the Braves last July. He has been an above .300 hitter with solid power numbers and has even accumulated double-digit stolen bases so far this season. His numbers are those of a prospect rated much higher, however the fact that he is already 28 years old limits his upside. It is very likely he ends this season with Triple-A Charlotte.
26. Andrew Dalquist SP
Dalquist’s professional career hasn’t gotten off to the start he was hoping for. As a 3rd round pick in 2019, Dalquist was viewed as a high-ceiling pitcher out of high school, and many outlets had him ranked similar to 2nd-round pick Matthew Thompson pre-draft. He was viewed as a bit more polished initially, however, he has struggled with command more than expected and hasn’t had the strikeout numbers to make up for it. Losing a season of development due to Covid canceling the 2020 season didn’t help, but Dalquist has not made the necessary strides that the Sox envisioned him making when they paid him an over-slot bonus to convince him to skip college.
25. Caleb Freeman RP
Drafted as a reliever back in 2019, Caleb Freeman has produced solid numbers at pretty much every stop he has made in the minors and has proven his ability to produce strikeouts and limit runs at as high as the Double A level. Injuries have limited his innings throughout his career, as he has only logged 5.2 innings this season and hasn’t pitched since May 10. If he can stay healthy, though, he could find himself as a member of the White Sox bullpen in the not-too-distant future.
Read the rest of this article and learn about the #24-16 prospects at soxon35th.com.
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