2024 South Side Sox Prospect Vote: Round 28

Ronny Hernandez wins our 27th round. Who is the 28th-best prospect in the White Sox system?

It is the seventh year of Top Prospect voting at South Side Sox!

Here’s how 2018 wrangled out — all 42 picks. Also, here’s an archive of every article in the 2018 series. Here’s how 2019 came together, all 50 picks, and the archive as well. Here’s 2020, with the archive. Here’s the 2021 wrap-up of just 35 picks due to flagging participation, along with the full archive. And here’s the 2022 link to the 27-pick wrap, along with the full archive. And Round 24 of voting was 2023’s last (we didn’t do an actual wrap for last year’s voting, but Jordan Sprinkle ended up being our final pick!), with the full archive.

Our Top 100 is now underway, as well. We’ll try for a daily Top 100 entry on site, and the Prospect Vote will turn over as soon as the top vote-getter seems to have an insurmountable lead — but we’ll take no longer than a week to vote each round.

We have six of 10 players from last year’s initial prospect vote poll on our first ballot this year, with two players matriculating out of rookie status (Oscar Colás and Lenyn Sosa) and two pitchers falling out of Top 10 consideration (Norge Vera and Sean Burke). And though “we’re not rebuilding,” four of the Top 10 on the ballot to begin were acquired were not even in the system in 2023; put another way, not a single player from our farm system has moved up onto the first ballot in 2024. Oof.

Last year, Sosa was spending his sixth year among our Top 100 Prospects, and this year we have three players in their fifth years on the list: Bryan Ramos, Cristian Mena and José Rodríguez.

All right, let’s have some fun. And get voting!

[Point of order, the White Sox on February 3 acquired three players who would have participated in this polling (Dom Fletcher, Prelander Berroa, Zach DeLoach). They will all be in our Top 100 Prospect countdown (we’re currently at No. 54, Shane Murphy), but due to the timing of their acquisition, won’t be in our Prospect Poll.]

It usually happens faster, but we have our first truly weird result of our polling this year, as Ronny Hernandez stormed to a substantial win in Round 27 on his very first ballot. In addition, as late as Round 27 we have accumulated the most votes yet (in a very short period of time). So, welcome everyone who’s stayed away for the first 26!

On top of that, second and third place were occupied by players who made huge leaps up in polling as well. So this was a pretty topsy-turvy round.

Which is not to take anything away from Hernandez, who is a true offensive force at a premium position on the field. The young backstop ended up getting 53 of 295 (21.8%) votes in his debut on the ballot.

Hernandez is our third catcher out of 27 total players to advance in our poll. Two have come about in the past three votes — and yet another backstop was the runner-up this round.

This is Hernandez’s first time on our Prospects Poll.

Our 2023 vote lasted only 24 rounds, and in 2022 the vote lasted only 17 rounds. The No. 27-voted prospect in 2021 was Konnor Pilkington, and in 2020 it was Bernardo Flores Jr.

Joining the competition this round is Bunyanesque folk hero Tim Elko.

South Side Sox Top-Voted White Sox Prospects for 2024

1. Colson Montgomery — 65% (Rodríguez 16%, Schultz 13%, Nastrini/Quero/Ramos 1.6%, Eder/Mena 0.8%, González/Pallette 0%)
2. Noah Schultz — 64% (Quero 11%, Ramos 10%, Nastrini 5%, Rodríguez 4%, Mena 2.4%, Bush 1.6%, Eder/González/Pallette 0.8%)
3. Bryan Ramos — 29% (Quero 25%, Nastrini 13%, Eder 8%, Rodríguez 6%, González 5%, Bush 4.3%, Mena 3.7%, Cannon 3.2%, Pallette 2.7%)
4. Edgar Quero — 36% (Nastrini 18%, Eder/Rodríguez 8%, Mena 7%, Leasure 6%, González 5.1%, Bush 4.6%, Cannon 4%, Pallette 3%)
5. Nick Nastrini — 27% (Mena 13%, Eder 11.2%, Leasure 10.6%, Rodríguez 10.1%, J. Burke 9.5%, González 8.9%, Bush 4%, Cannon 3.4%, Pallette 2.8%)
6. Cristian Mena — 17% (Eder 14%, Leasure 13.0%, González/Rodríguez 12.6%, J. Burke 11.8%, Cannon 6%, Bush 5%, Pallette 4.3%, Tatum 3.9%)
7. Jake Eder — 20% (Leasure 14%, González 13.0%, Rodríguez 12.5%, J. Burke 12.0%, Cannon/Wolkow 7%, Bush 6%, Pallette 5.2%, Tatum 4.7%)
8. Jordan Leasure — 23% (González 12%, Rodríguez 11.3%, J. Burke 10.8%, Tatum 9.3%, Wolkow 8.8%, Bush 7.2%, Cannon 6.7%, Pallette 5.7%, S. Burke 5.2%)
9. Jacob González — 20% (Rodríguez 13%, J. Burke 12%, Tatum 11%, Wolkow 10%, Veras 9%, Cannon 7%, Bush 6.4%, Pallette 6.0%, S. Burke 5%)
10. Jacob Burke — 29% (Rodríguez 22%, Tatum 10%, Wolkow 9%, Veras 8%, Bush 5.3%, Cannon 4.9%, Pallette 4.6%, Keener 3.9%, S. Burke 3.5%)
11. José Rodríguez — 24% (Wolkow 14%, Tatum 13%, Veras 12%, Drohan 7.3%, Bush/Cannon 6.9%, Keener 5.5%, S. Burke/Pallette 5.1%)
12. Wilfred Veras — 28% (Tatum 14%, Wolkow 12%, Taylor 10%, Drohan 8.1%, Bush 7.7%, Cannon 6.5%, Pallette 6.1%, Keener 4.6%, S. Burke 4.2%)
13. Terrell Tatum — 22% (Wolkow 13%, Taylor 11.0%, Drohan 10.9%, Bush/Cannon 10.1%, Keener 6.7%, Pallette 6.2%, S. Burke 5.7%, Burrowes 4.8%)
14. George Wolkow — 21% (Taylor 13%, Cannon 12%, Drohan 11%, Bush 10%, McDougal 9%, S. Burke 8%, Pallette 7%, Keener 6.1%, Burrowes 5.5%)
15. Grant Taylor — 18% (Cannon 12.8%, Shuster [ineligible] 11.9%, Drohan 10.9%, Bush 10.4%, McDougal 9%, Pallette 8%, S. Burke 7%, Keener 6%, Burrowes 5%)
16. Jonathan Cannon — 23% (Chapelli 12%, Drohan 11%, Bush 10%, McDougal 9%, S. Burke/Pallette 8%, Keener 7%, Burrowes 6%, Baldwin 5%)
17. Loidel Chapelli Jr. — 21% (Pallette 14%, Drohan 13%, Bush 11%, McDougal 10%, S. Burke 9%, Baldwin 7%, Burrowes 6%, Keener 5%, Thompson 4%)
18. Peyton Pallette — 22% (Drohan 11.4%, Bush 10.9%, Hackenberg 10.3%, McDougal 9.2%, Baldwin 8.7%, S. Burke 8.2%, Burrowes 7.1%, Keener 6.5%, Thompson 6.0%)
19. Ky Bush — 18% (Keener 11.4%, S. Burke 10.6%, Burrowes 10.2%,Drohan 9.9%, Thompson 9.5% McDougal 9.1%, Baldwin 8.7%, Hackenberg 7.6%, Martinez 5%)
20. Seth Keener — 21% (Drohan 11.1%, S. Burke 10.7%, Burrowes 10.2%, Thompson 9.8% McDougal 8.9%, Shewmake 8.4%, Baldwin 8.0%, Hackenberg 7%, Martinez 5%)
21. Shane Drohan — 19% (S. Burke 11.2%, Burrowes 10.8%, Thompson 10.4% McDougal 9.7%, Schweitzer 9.3%, Shewmake 8.9%, Baldwin 8.5%, Hackenberg 7%, Martinez 5%)
22. Sean Burke — 21% (Schweitzer 13%, Burrowes 11%, Thompson 10.4% Shewmake 9.6%, Baldwin 8.8%, McDougal 7.9%, Adler 7%, Hackenberg 6%, Martinez 5%)
23. Tyler Schweitzer — 21% (Shewmake 12%, Baldwin 11.5%, Burrowes 10.6%, Hackenberg 9.4%, Thompson 8.5%, McDougal 7.7%, Adler 6.8%, Martinez 6.4%, Carela 5.5%)
24. Ryan Burrowes — 21% (Hackenberg 14%, Baldwin 12%, Shewmake 11%, Thompson 10%, McDougal 8%, Adams 7%, Adler 6.4%, Martinez 5.5%, Carela 4.6%)
25. Adam Hackenberg — 27% (Baldwin 16%, Shewmake 12%, Thompson 10%, McDougal 8.2%, Adams 7.7%, Adler 6.1%, Harris 5.6%, Martinez 4.6%, Carela 3.6%)
26. Brooks Baldwin — 21% (Thompson 13%, Shewmake 12%, McDougal 11%, Adams 10%, Adler 9%, Harris 7%, Nuñez 6.4%, Martinez 5.9%, Carela 5.3%)
27. Ronny Hernandez — 18% (Harris 11.9%, Nuñez 11.5%, Shewmake 11.2%, Adams 10.9%, McDougal 10.5%, Carela 10.2%, Thompson 8%, Martinez 4.1%, Adler 3.7%)

Mason Adams

Right-handed Starting Pitcher
Age 24
2023 High Level Birmingham (AA)
Age relative to high level -1.3 years
Overall 2023 stats 6-5 ▪️ 23 games (13 starts, 2 finishes) ▪️ 1 SV ▪️ 109 IP ▪️ 3.14 ERA ▪️ 1.202 WHIP ▪️ 125 K ▪️ 29 BB

Adams, a 13th-rounder in 2022, has been a pleasant surprise, sprinting from Low-A to Double-A last summer. There’s still much to prove with just three Birmingham starts under his belt, but at this juncture Adams could be the best high-minors starter in the system.

Eric Adler

Right-Handed Relief Pitcher
Age 23
2023 High Level Winston-Salem (Low-A)
Age relative to high level -1.1 years
Overall 2023 stats 2-0 ▪️ 5 saves ▪️ 28 games (17 finishes) ▪️ 31 1⁄3 IP ▪️ 2.87 ERA ▪️ 42 K▪️ 18 BB ▪️ 1.309 WHIP

Drohan was a Rule 5 pick from Boston, which means he’ll have to impress enough in spring training — and frankly, throughout the season, as he must remain on the active roster in the majors for all of 2024 — or get sent back to the Red Sox. He was otherworldly in Double-A but terrible at Triple-A in 2023; if the White Sox gave up on Nick Avila last spring, it seems a stretch that Drohan sticks with our Sox.

Juan Carela

Right-Handed Starting Pitcher
Age 22
2023 High Level Winston-Salem (High-A)
Age relative to high level -2.1 years
Overall 2023 stats 3-7 ▪️ 23 games (22 starts, 1 finish) ▪️ 115 2⁄3 IP ▪️ 3.58 ERA ▪️ 136 K▪️ 43 BB ▪️ 1.193 WHIP

There is a lot to be very excited about with Carela, who is somewhat lost among higher-profile, trade-deadine acquisitions. Despite being young for the level, he dominated at High-A. It seems Carela is what we’ve been hoping, at least results-wise, Norge Vera would be.

Tim Elko

First Baseman
Age 25
2023 High Level Birmingham (AA)
Age relative to high level +0.4 years
Overall 2023 stats 131 games ▪️28 HR ▪️ 106 RBI ▪️ .295/.347/.527 ▪️ 38 BB ▪️ 165 K

Almost from the jump, the experts have been waiting for Elko to trip. Yet with every challenge presented him so far, he’s flourished.

Calvin Harris

Catcher
Age 22
2023 High Level Kannapolis (Low-A)
Age relative to high level +0.1 years
Overall 2023 stats 34 games ▪️ 1 HR ▪️ 22 RBI ▪️ .238/.352/.312 ▪️ 12-of-17 (70.6%) SB ▪️ 21 BB ▪️ 28 K ▪️ 10-of-47 (21.3%) CS

Harris is an offense-first catcher who so far has not flashed the bat he had on display at the University of Mississippi in 2021 and 2022.

Máximo Martinez

Right-handed starting pitcher
Age 19
2023 High Level ACL (Rookie)
Age relative to high level -2.3 years
Overall 2023 stats 0-0 ▪️ 9 games (5 starts) ▪️ 26 2⁄3 IP ▪️ 4.73 ERA ▪️ 28 K ▪️ 17 BB ▪️ 1.425 WHIP

Martinez was the younger addition last year along with Aldrin Batista, after the White Sox dealt international money to the Dodgers. Very young, very raw, very powerful (95-98 mph fastball), and very destined for a third ACL season, it would seem.

Tanner McDougal

Right-handed starting pitcher
Age 20
2023 High Level Kannapolis (Low-A)
Age relative to high level -1.6 years
Overall 2023 stats 0-3 ▪️ 21 starts ▪️ 69 1⁄3 IP ▪️ 4.15 ERA ▪️ 80 K ▪️ 43 BB ▪️ 1.399 WHIP

Poor Tanner fell off the map a bit, getting surgery pretty much right after starting his pro career.

Abraham Nuñez

Center Fielder
Age 18
2023 High Level DSL (Rookie)
Age relative to high level -0.7 years
Overall 2023 stats 44 games ▪️ 3 HR ▪️ 29 RBI ▪️ .299/.427/.442 ▪️ 33 BB ▪️ 22 K ▪️ 12-of-19 (63.2%) SB

Nuñez’s numbers don’t leap out, per se, but a center fielder with good size (6´2´´) with room to fill in at a very young age (turning 18 in mid-February) indicate this could be just the tip of the iceberg.

Braden Shewmake

Shortstop
Age 26
2023 High Level Atlanta (MLB)
Age relative to high level -3.2 years
Overall 2023 Triple-A stats 122 games ▪️ 16 HR ▪️ 69 RBI ▪️ .234/.299/.407 ▪️ 27-of-28 (96.4%) SB ▪️ 39 BB ▪️ 104 K

Shewmake came to the White Sox this offseason, as one of the pieces in the Aaron Bummer trade. The consensus seems to see him as average-to-plus defense. He clearly boasts great speed and base-stealing instincts. With Nicky Lopez, Paul DeJong, Lenyn Sosa, Romy González and José Rodríguez all ahead of or equal to him on the org depth chart, it would take a hot Cactus League to see Shewmake break north with the White Sox; however, Shewmake is on the 40-man roster, so if starting in Charlotte, he could be a painless call-up to Chicago.

Matt Thompson

Right-handed Starting Pitcher
Age 23
2020 SSS Prospect Vote ranking 12
2021 SSS Prospect Vote ranking 10
2022 SSS Prospect Vote ranking 15
2023 SSS Prospect Vote ranking 21
2023 High Level Birmingham (AA)
Age relative to high level -2.3 years
Overall 2023 stats 6-15 ▪️ 27 starts ▪️ 124 1⁄3 IP ▪️ 4.85 ERA ▪️ 136 K ▪️ 85 BB ▪️ 1.568 WHIP

Thompson showed his best signs yet of turning a corner in, with a solid, upper-3.00s ERA from June through August. There’s still considerable wildness in his approach, but he is still significantly young for Double-A. Things could finally be looking up.