2025 South Side Sox Prospect Vote: Round 9

Who is the ninth-best prospect in the White Sox system?

The trade of Garrett Crochet to Boston, bringing in four top prospects from a system at least as good as ours, is a good enough time as any to signal a transition in the voting and to get rid of the expended Prospect Vote history that topped each of the first seven votes.

Given that our ballot now extends to the (estimated) 16th overall prospect for the White Sox and four players in Boston’s Top 14 are now in the system, we’re temporarily enlarging the ballot for these next few rounds by the remaining three Red Sox prospects in to Round 9, making the total ballot 12 players. Round 10 will be 11 players, and by Round 11 we will be back to 10.

It’s an imperfect system, voting as the White Sox fire sale-acquire prime prospects each offseason (last year, we couldn’t wedge any of the three-player haul from the San Diego Padres for Dylan Cease into our Vote), and invariably one or two of the Boston prospects are going to be rated lower than they “should be.” But hey, we do our best with the hand we’re dealt.

So, it the intro above didn’t telegraph it, new catcher Kyle Teel made quick work of the vote, taking 45 of 149 votes (30%):

Just acquired, this is Teel’s first time on our ballot. He also becomes our second catcher in eight picks, making clear the position of strength in the White Sox system. Not something we’re used to, eh?

This is a good spot for a rare, in-story vote:

Here are the past No. 8s in our Votes:

• 2024 Jordan Leasure (23%)
• 2023 Cristian Mena (27%)
• 2022 Romy González (41%)
• 2021 Gavin Sheets (29%)
• 2020 Luis Basabe (32%)
• 2019 Blake Rutherford (34%)
• 2018 Jake Burger (29%)

Obviously with the additional players included, there were a lot of drops. Somehow Jairo Iriarte continues to struggle to find footing with our voters, falling four spots. Beyond Teel winning the Vote, first-timer Braden Montgomery was the runner-up, Chase Meidroth finished third, and Wikelman Gonzalez ended up tied for fifth.

With the extra Boston players still on the ballot, there are no new player additions this round.

South Side Sox Top-Voted White Sox Prospects for 2025

1. Brooks Baldwin — 37% (Schultz 26%, Quero 13%, Smith 4.5%, C. Montgomery 4.1%, Adams 3.8%, Wolkow 3.5%, Taylor 3.1%, Iriarte 2.8%, Ramos 2.4%)
2. Noah Schultz — 21% (Quero 19%, Smith 11.4%, C. Montgomery 10.7%, Adams 9%, Wolkow 8%, Taylor 7%, Bush 6%, Ramos 5%, Iriarte 4%)
3. Edgar Quero — 25% (Smith 15%, C. Montgomery 12%, Adams 9%, Wolkow 8%, Taylor 7.4%, Bush 6.9%, Ramos 6.3%, Iriarte 5.7%, Perez 5.1%)
4. Hagen Smith — 23% (C. Montgomery 18%, Adams 11%, Perez 9%, Taylor 8.0%, Wolkow 7.5%, Ramos 7.0%, J. Gonzalez 6.5%, Bush 6.0%, Iriarte 5.5%)
5. Colson Montgomery — 29% (Adams 13%, Taylor 10%, Perez/Wolkow 9.5%, Ramos 8.6%, J. Gonzalez 6%, Bush 5.4%, Iriarte 5.0%, Bonemer 4.5%)
6. Aldrin Batista — 22% (Adams 13%, Perez 12%, Taylor 11%, Wolkow 10%, Ramos 9%, Bush 7%, J. Gonzalez 6.3%, Iriarte 5.9%, Bonemer 5.4%)
7. Mason Adams — 20% (Perez 13%, Taylor 12%, Wolkow 10%, Ramos 9.1%, J. Gonzalez 8.6%, Iriarte 8.1%, Bush 7.5%, Larson 6%, Bonemer 5%)
8. Kyle Teel — 30% (B. Montgomery 9.4%, Meidroth 8.7%, Perez 8.1%, W. Gonzalez/Taylor 7.4%, Wolkow 6.7%, Ramos 5.4%, J. Gonzalez 4.7%, Bush 4.0%, Iriarte 3.4%, Larson 2.7%, Bonemer 2.0%)

Caleb Bonemer

Shortstop
Age 19
2024 High Level Okemos (Mich.) H.S.
Age relative to high level N/A
2024 prep stats 8 HR ▪️ 35 RBI ▪️ .541 BA ▪️ 15 SB

There’s scant stat evidence available for Bonemer, but the White Sox dipped back into the plans of prior drafts by picking a prep high up in the draft, and a shortstop at that (Jacob Gonzalez was 2023’s first-rounder, Colson Montgomery 2021’s). Bonemer was Michigan’s player of the year as a prep, but at just 19 should see a lot more developmental (Camelback Ranch) play than game action in 2025.

Ky Bush

Left-Handed Starting Pitcher
Age 25
2024 SSS Prospect Vote ranking 19
2024 High Level Chicago (MLB)
Age relative to high level -5.0 years
Overall 2024 MiLB stats 7-4▪️ 20 games (18 starts, 1 finish) ▪️ 71 2⁄3 IP ▪️ 3.30 ERA ▪️ 100 K▪️ 49 BB ▪️ 1.166 WHIP

Bush made big and unexpected strides in 2024, improving greatly on a career that to date had been more promise, less delivery. He was a stalwart in the crushing Birmingham Barons rotation for most of the summer, then made his MLB debut in August, after spending a short stopover in Triple-A.

Jacob Gonzalez

Shortstop
Age 22
2024 SSS Prospect Vote ranking 9
2024 High Level Birmingham (Double-A)
Age relative to high level -1.7 years
Overall 2024 MiLB stats 130 games ▪️ 8 HR ▪️ 57 RBI ▪️ .238/.307/.343 ▪️ 47 BB ▪️ 74 K ▪️ 17-of-23 (73.9%) SB ▪️ .975 FLD%

Gonzalez got off to a strong start at High-A Winston-Salem (particularly in slugging .399, flexing far harder than he had in his 2023 debut) but tailed off pretty badly as the season wore on. A shortstop who for a second seemed like he might keep pace with the ascendance of Brooks Baldwin and catch Colson Montgomery at Charlotte ended up running out of gas completely.

Wikelman Gonzalez

Right-Handed Starting Pitcher
Age 23
2024 High Level Portland (AA)
Age relative to high level -2.5 years
Overall 2024 stats 4-3 ▪️ 24 games (19 starts, 1 finish) ▪️ 83 2⁄3 IP ▪️ 4.73 ERA ▪️ 92 K ▪️ 46 BB ▪️ 1.255 WHIP

The fourth and least-regarded piece of the Crochet trade, Gonzalez nonetheless sat at No. 14 on Boston’s MLB Pipeline prospect list on the strength of mostly solid stints as a pro, underage at every stop so far. His arresting numbers in 2024 at Double-A indicate a step-back season, particularly with command faltering, and a bullpen transition may loom if he cannot sharpen back up.

Jairo Iriarte

Right-Handed Starting Pitcher
Age 23
2024 High Level Chicago (MLB)
Age relative to high level -7.0 years
Overall 2024 MiLB stats 5-7 ▪️ 23 games (22 starts, 1 finish) ▪️ 126 IP ▪️ 3.71 ERA ▪️ 122 K ▪️ 57 BB ▪️ 1.278 WHIP

As the co-headliner (or darn close) of the Dylan Cease trade last spring, it was no surprise when GM Chris Getz touted Iriarte as sure to get a call-up to the majors by season’s end. Almost every moment of his 2024 pointed in that direction, as he dominated at Double-A. Following a trend that also included Drew Thorpe and Bryan Ramos, Iriarte was one of the two September call-ups to begin September and worked out of the bullpen for six innings to end the season. He’s on the short list to break camp with the big club this spring.

Blake Larson

Left-Handed Starting Pitcher
Age 19
2024 High Level IMG Academy (Prep)
Age relative to high level N/A
Overall 2024 stats N/A

Larson was a TCU commit out of IMG Academy (via Des Moines, Iowa high school). He was rated a lower pick in the draft (108ish) than the spot the White Sox selected him (second round, 68th overall), but the club took a shot on a $1 million-plus bonus getting a young arm to eschew the Horned Frogs, and succeeded. Larson will likely be on the slow boat coming out of spring, with extended instruction at Camelback Ranch and some token starts in the short ACL season. In 2026, we might get a chance to see him getting rotation work in Kannapolis.

Chase Meidroth

Shortstop
Age 23
2024 High Level Worcester (AAA)
Age relative to high level -4.3 years
Overall 2024 stats 122 games ▪️ 7 HR ▪️ 57 RBI ▪️ .293/.437/.401 ▪️ 13-of-19 (68.4%) SB ▪️ 105 BB ▪️ 71 K

Meidroth was Boston’s No. 11 overall prospect prior to the trade to Chicago, and presumably is the closest of the four players acquired to the majors after playing all of 2024 in Triple-A; GM Chris Getz seemed to imply as much, giving his new grinder-infielder a shot to break camp with the club in spring. All of the “grindy” superlatives apply to this shortstop-third baseman-second baseman, but the number that pops out is his 105 walks in 122 games last season.

Braden Montgomery

Right Fielder
Age 21
2024 High Level Texas A&M (NCAA)
Age relative to high level -0.3 years
Overall 2024 NCAA stats 61 games ▪️ 27 HR ▪️ 85 RBI ▪️ .322/.454/.733 ▪️ 5-of-7 (71.4%) SB ▪️ 53 BB ▪️ 59 K

Montgomery was Boston’s No. 5 overall prospect prior to the trade to Chicago, and was selected in the first round in the 2024 draft. He’s a switch-hitter with prodigious power, and might possibly have the skill to shift to center field. Expect a slow start to his pro career, however, as the blue chip is still rehabbing a bad ankle injury suffered in last year’s College World Series.

Jeral Perez

Shortstop
Age 20
2024 High Level Kannapolis (Low-A)
Age relative to high level -1.5 years
Overall 2024 stats 105 games ▪️ 12 HR ▪️ 52 RBI ▪️ .262/.370/.423 ▪️ 62 BB ▪️ 110 K ▪️ 4-of-7 (57.1%) SB ▪️ .939 FLD%

Despite seeming to be the secondary, or at best equal, prospect in the controversial trade deadline giveaway of Erick Fedde, Michael Kopech and Tommy Pham, Perez proved a sheer masher with the Cannon Ballers. The White Sox have been smart to collect solid middle infielder prospects over the years, and Perez could prove to be the best of the bunch.

Bryan Ramos

Third Baseman
Age 23
2020 SSS Prospect Vote ranking 38
2021 SSS Prospect Vote ranking 22
2022 SSS Prospect Vote ranking 12
2023 SSS Prospect Vote ranking 3
2024 SSS Prospect Vote ranking 4
2024 High Level Chicago (MLB)
Age relative to high level -4.3 years
Overall 2024 MiLB stats 88 games ▪️ 10 HR ▪️ 44 RBI ▪️ .242/.320/.387 ▪️ 98 wRC+ (AAA) ▪️ 31 BB ▪️ 86 K ▪️ 8-of-11 (72.7%) SB ▪️ .952 FLD%

Once again slowed by injury, Ramos slumped all season in spite of making the jump from Double-A to the majors. Third base should be his to lose in spring training, however.

Grant Taylor

Right-handed starting pitcher
Age 22
2024 SSS Prospect Vote ranking 15
2024 High Level Kannapolis (Low-A)
Age relative to high level +0.3 years
Overall 2024 stats 0-0 ▪️ 5 starts ▪️ 19 1⁄3 IP ▪️ 2.33 ERA ▪️ 32 K ▪️ 2 BB ▪️ 0.724 WHIP

The White Sox have made such a commitment to bolstering arms over the past few years, they even use plum selections for injured players like Taylor. The LSU righty finally made his pro debut (post-TJS that robbed him of 2023) and acquitted himself well. Pay particular plaudits to Taylor’s vastly-improved (and a typo, right?) K-BB ratio ... yeah, that’s a 16.0, people.

George Wolkow

Right Fielder
Age 19
2024 SSS Prospect Vote ranking 14
2024 High Level Kannapolis (Low-A)
Age relative to high level -2.5 years
Overall 2024 stats 91 games ▪️ 13 HR ▪️ 56 RBI ▪️ .257/.357/.451 ▪️ 9-of-11 (81.8%) SB ▪️ 47 BB ▪️ 158 K

Just 19, you can forgive some of the holes in Wolkow’s swing and just dream on his speed-power combination moving through the system. He suffered the teenage extremes, from dominance to helplessness, but should be ready to explore High-A in 2025.