MLB Pipeline has reorganized its top 100 prospects list, along with their individual team top 30 lists, and the White Sox are as well represented as they have been since their “contention window” opened up.
With this new list, the White Sox officially have three prospects ranked in the top 100. Colson Montgomery sticks above the rest, however, as he is listed as their 17th-ranked prospect in all of baseball. In terms of scouting grades, Montgomery received a 60 overall grade (based on the 20-80 scale), with his hit and power both also grading at a 60. Both his arm and fielding tools graded as a 55, while his running came in as a 50. Montgomery is the last prospect on the list with at least a 60 overall grade.
Scouts appear to be very bullish on Colson Montgomery based on the individual write-up on the site, saying he has “impressed evaluators with his ability to make advanced swing decisions for a youngster, rarely chasing pitches out of the strike zone while laying off difficult offerings and pounding the ones he should.”
Colson Montgomery is joined by fellow first-round draft pick Noah Schultz on the newly updated list, as he comes in ranked 66. MLB Pipeline gave Schultz a 55 overall grade, with his slider being given a 65. Schultz has been on a herculean rise this season, as he has been absolutely dominant in his first professional season for the Single-A Kannapolis Cannonballers. probably the biggest compliment the site gave Schultz was when discussing his ability to control his motion on the mound, saying “he has uncommon athleticism and body control for a tall teenager and is much more polished than (Randy) Johnson was at the same stage.” There is no guarantee he will even come close to having the same type of career Randy Johnson had, but it is clear that scouts are very high on the 6’9 left-handed pitcher.
Finally, the last prospect to crack the top 100 for the White Sox is newly acquired catching prospect Edgar Quero. Quero comes in ranked 87th in baseball and also received a 55 overall grade. MLB Pipeline mentions that Quero has the ability to hit more home runs than he has shown so far this season and that they think he can be an above-average hitter at the MLB level. Defensively, they mention his movement skills and his arm as assets but also note that he still has some room to grow in other aspects of his catching ability.
After those three, the White Sox organizational top 5 is rounded out with 2023 1st round pick Jacob Gonzalez and recent trade acquisition Jake Eder. Both received 50 overall grades from MLB Pipeline, and they seem to believe that both players have a shot to be impactful MLB regulars.
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