There is light at the end of the tunnel, as the White Sox’s arrow is pointing up amid a 19-win improvement from 2024 to 2025. At the heart of this positive momentum is the young core that was called up throughout last season, centered around former top prospects Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel, and Edgar Quero. With these players and more graduating from prospect status, the Sox’s farm system doesn’t look quite as strong as it did a year ago.
There are still plenty of top names to know, along with a relatively deep crop of young talent (especially regarding their pitching and infield depth). The Sox will need to continue to rely on internal development to churn out MLB-caliber players, but there is plenty of talent within the organization to work with.
The following players did not crack Sox On 35th’s Pre-Season Top 30 list. However, this collection of talent includes players who have shown enough to earn looks as role players or have the upside to take huge leaps during this upcoming season. This time last year, both Christian Oppor and Tanner McDougal were left off the top 30 and made significant jumps. Several of these prospects have a chance to do the same thing.
Pitchers
Juan Carela, RHP
Acquired from the Yankees at the 2023 trade deadline, Carela was proving to be one of the more consistent arms in the White Sox minor league system in 2024. Across High-A and Double-A, he posted a 3.71 ERA with solid strikeout numbers and improved walk rates. Unfortunately, his stock has taken a hit after missing the entire 2025 season due to Tommy John surgery. When healthy, he has shown the potential to develop into a back-end of the rotation pitcher.
Gabe Davis, RHP
Ranked as the 147th best draft prospect according to MLB Pipeline, the White Sox snagged Davis in the fifth round of the 2025 draft out of Oklahoma State. He is one of the most intriguing names in last year’s draft class, standing at 6-foot-9 and pairing a plus slider with a fastball that can touch triple digits.
Injuries slowed his development in college, and he battled with command issues when he was healthy. If he can stay on the field, Davis has plenty of upside as a starting pitcher, but also features high-leverage potential as a reliever. He is set to make his professional debut in 2026, likely with the Low-A Kannapolis Cannon Ballers.
Wikelman Gonzalez, RHP
Widely regarded as the fourth piece in the deal that sent Garrett Crochet to the Boston Red Sox, Gonzalez was an intriguing, yet volatile, pitching prospect when working out of the rotation. The White Sox decided to move him full-time to the bullpen after just four starts, and while he still allowed too many free passes, he showed the Sox enough to earn an MLB promotion.
Gonzalez spent the second half of the 2025 season being sent up and down between Triple-A and the MLB, but flashed his potential out of the White Sox bullpen. He should have a more permanent role with the team in 2026, with his above-average fastball and solid breaking pitches providing a strong arsenal.
Lucas Gordon, LHP
A sixth-round raft pick in 2023, Lucas Gordon has seen a bit of a breakout season in 2025. Through 20 starts at the High-A level, Gordon posted a 3.96 ERA with 92 strikeouts through 86.1 innings. The White Sox were impressed enough with his performance that they promoted the 23-year-old lefty to Double-A Birmingham to finish out the season. There, he threw 21.1 innings in four strong starts, logging 24 punchouts and only seven walks.
While he doesn’t show much velocity with his fastball, it has more life than one would expect and plays up. He also utilizes both a slider and a changeup.
Jairo Iriarte, RHP
Iriarte might have seen the most significant drop-off of anyone in the White Sox system last season. While he can still generate swings and misses with plus stuff, his command has regressed to the point that the Sox sent him to Arizona, and in the process, moved him to a bullpen role. Upon returning to the Knights, he continued to struggle in that role and has brought legitimate concerns about whether he can be a factor at the MLB level. He was designated for assignment in February and cleared waivers, providing further doubt regarding his long-term role.
Roderic Ramirez, RHP
A 6-foot-3 right-handed pitcher, Ramirez was originally expected to sign with the San Diego Padres. When the organization allowed him to re-enter the market, the White Sox immediately reached out and struck a deal to add the talented pitcher to their 2026 international class.
The 17-year-old right-hander has a plus fastball that is projected to hit triple digits as he matures, with advanced feel for his secondary pitches. Ramirez is expected to be the highest-paid pitcher in the White Sox’s 2026 international class, with the upside to eventually develop into an MLB starting pitcher.
Tyler Schweitzer, LHP
After a couple of scoreless starts in Double-A that earned him a promotion to Triple-A Charlotte, Schweitzer appeared on track to make his MLB debut in 2025. Unfortunately, the promotion was met with multiple poor outings that led to him being moved into more of a hybrid role and being sent back down.
A former fifth-round pick, he combines a low-mid 90s fastball with several solid secondary pitches and typically gets the most out of them with high spin rates and solid command. He has yet to allow a run at the Double-A level this season, and can still bounce back to carve out a role with the big-league club sometime next season.
Grant Umberger, RHP
After going undrafted in the 2024 MLB draft, the White Sox signed Umberger as a UDFA in February of 2025. In his first pro season, he has far exceeded expectations while spending almost the entire season with the Low-A Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, finishing with one 3.2 inning start in Winston-Salem. He has posted an ERA in the mid-2s with underlying metrics to back that performance up, and generated above-average strikeout numbers while limiting his walks.
Umberger is already 23, so he will need to carry this performance into the upper minor league levels before he can gain more prospect hype. He is, however, certainly off to a good start in his professional career.
Fabian Ysalla, RHP
In his third season in the White Sox organization, Ysalla has made some clear strides and earned his way into a promotion to Low-A Kannapolis after the ACL season ended. His fastball sits in the mid-90s and is expected to continue gaining velocity as he matures and adds strength. He has also developed his curveball nicely, as it has proven to be a solid second pitch. Ysalla has not generated great strikeout numbers yet, but he should be able to generate more whiffs as his stuff continues to improve. His command has been solid, and he should continue to see work in full-season baseball in 2026.
Position Players
Marcelo Alcala, OF
An under-the-radar international signing back in 2023, Alcala has continued to develop into an intriguing prospect in the White Sox system. He finished 2025 tied for fifth in the Arizona Complex League in home runs and has shown a ton of promise defensively in center field.
Alcala’s hit tool remains a massive concern, as he struck out at a 37.5% rate this season and only hit to a .233 batting average. He has an intriguing blend of power and athleticism, but won’t be able to tap into his upside until he cleans things up at the plate.
Alexander Albertus, INF
A $75,000 signing for the Dodgers back in the 2022 international signing period, Albertus excelled in both the Dominican Summer League and the Arizona Complex League in his first two minor league seasons. He earned himself a promotion to the Dodgers’ Low-A affiliate, where he didn’t quite live up to his previous production before being part of the trade that sent Erick Fedde, Michael Kopech, and Tommy Pham to the Dodgers. A tibia injury ended his 2024 season early and forced him to miss most of the 2025 season, logging only 25 plate appearances in the Arizona Complex League.
When healthy, the infielder showcases advanced bat-to-ball skills and a patient approach at the plate. He has also shown versatility defensively, spending time all over the infield. If he manages to log a full season, Albertus could launch his way back into the Top 30.
Matthew Boughton, SS
A prep draft prospect from Texas, the White Sox selected Matthew Boughton in the 11th round and offered him an over-slot $197,500 signing bonus to convince him away from his Texas A&M commitment. He was a bit older for a prep prospect, turning 20 years old shortly after the draft, but the Sox really liked his upside both at the plate and defensively.
Boughton is a plus athlete who excelled in multiple sports in high school and projects to firmly stick at the shortstop position long term. At the plate, he doesn’t produce a ton of raw power and has an average hit tool, but he has quick hands in his swing and could add strength to his frame. The shortstop could move more quickly than the average prep prospect, but that will be dependent on his production at the plate.
Alejandro Cruz, 3B
The White Sox signed the infield prospect for approximately $2 million when the 2025 international signing period began. Despite being eligible to sign in the 2024 signing period, it was reported that Cruz waited due to limitations with the team’s previous international budget.
Ranked 33rd on MLB Pipeline’s Top 50 list for international prospects, there were legitimate expectations for Cruz coming into this season. While there is clearly some room for improvement, he still showed an advanced approach at the plate while showcasing his skillset with four home runs and 18 stolen bases. He will look to build off his solid debut season in 2026, likely in the Arizona Complex League.
Ryan Galvan, C
Ranked 176th on MLB Pipeline’s top draft prospects, Galvan could end up being a steal as a 13th-round draft pick. He was one of the most improved players in college baseball, showing clear signs of growth both at and behind the plate as Texas’s starting catcher.
Galan has plus raw power, but also has a very questionable hit tool that could limit how often he taps into it. Defensively, he looked like an average receiver with a plus arm. Ultimately, his ability to hit will determine how far he makes it in pro ball.
Jacob Gonzalez, SS
The 15th overall pick for the White Sox in 2023, Gonzalez has yet to live up to the expectations that come with being a first-round pick. Through 89 games at the Double-A level in 2025, he was league average with a 100 wRC+. The Sox decided to give him a promotion to the Triple-A level, hoping that the hitter-friendly Truist Field would allow his bat to shine a bit more. Unfortunately, he slashed only .204/.310/.293 at that level.
On more of a positive note, Gonzalez did post respectable strikeout and walk rates; however, his ability to hit has yet to develop as the White Sox had expected. The 2026 season could be his final shot to prove to the Sox that he can be an MLB-caliber player.
Eduardo Herrera, 1B/C
Herrera headlined the White Sox’s 2024 international signing period class, as the power-hitting third baseman was signed out of Venezuela for $1.8 million. He was MLB Pipeline’s 11th-ranked international prospect overall and was the only one to receive a 60 grade on his power, even drawing comparisons to a young Albert Pujols based on his frame and his power potential.
While he didn’t live up to expectations in his debut season in 2024, Herrera made improvements in 2025 and did a better job tapping into his raw power with four home runs. He also received a few looks at catcher, but his defensive limitations will likely keep him as a first baseman, further putting pressure on his bat to produce.
Nick McLain, OF
The McLain family saw another family member make it into professional baseball in 2024, as the White Sox drafted Nick, the younger brother of Matt, in the third round. Unfortunately, injuries have limited him to just 13 games at the Low-A level in 2025. When healthy, he has showcased an above-average hit tool when hitting from both sides of the plate.
Frank Mieses, OF
Signed for $175,000 this past international signing period, Mieses is looking like a bargain of a find for the White Sox’s scouting department. Named as an All-Star for the Dominican Summer League, Mieses posted a .825 OPS in his first professional season with three home runs and eight stolen bases.
The 17-year-old outfielder has primarily played center field and has showcased plenty of athleticism and at least average raw power. He will look to continue this momentum in 2026, where he could make his stateside debut with the ACL White Sox.
Rikuu Nishida, UTIL
Drafted in the 11th round by the White Sox in 2023, Rikuu Nishida was always viewed as an advanced hitter who was expected to succeed in the lower levels. In 2024, however, he did enough to put himself in legitimate prospect conversations by hitting over .300 and producing a higher BB% than his K%.
In 2025, his batting average dipped a bit, repeating at the Double-A level, but he is still an above-average contact hitter who walks a ton and is difficult to strike out. His absence of any power production will always limit his ceiling, however.
Colby Shelton, INF
Originally a starter at Alabama before transferring to Florida, the White Sox selected Shelton in the sixth round of the 2025 MLB draft with a slightly over-slot $447,500 signing bonus. He was lauded as more of a power hitter his freshman year, but shifted to a more contact-oriented approach this past season and sacrificed some power for more consistent bat-to-ball production. The White Sox are hoping they can find a happy medium with him, where he can continue to make good swing decisions while also showing an ability to hit the ball over the fence. He struggled in his brief debut with the Low-A Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, but will work to bounce back in 2026.
Wilfred Veras, OF
While Veras has been a quietly consistent hitter as one of the youngest players at every level he’s played in, he unfortunately took a step back in 2025. He showed a bit more patience at the plate; however, his strikeout rate has jumped up to 30%, and his power numbers overall were the lowest of his career.
When he’s right, Veras has shown plus raw power and has been a threat on the basepaths, while also continuously improving defensively in the outfield since he moved there in 2023. His aggressive approach has always hindered his production, but his 2025 season was a disappointment beyond those previous concerns.
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Featured Image: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
