1 White Sox prospect off to scorching start at each level of the minor leagues

The White Sox have been inconsistent at the major league level to start the 2026 season. They swept the defending American League champion Blue Jays, then immediately followed it up with an embarrassing sweep at the hands of the Orioles. The play on the field has been inconsistent, but that was to be expected with a young White Sox team still learning how to win. Much like the last few seasons, the primary interest for White Sox fans lies in the next wave of prospects set to come to the big leagues. With the minor league season a couple weeks old, several prospects have started to stand out in the early going. Here’s one White Sox prospect from each minor league affiliate that’s off to a great start. 

Charlotte Knights: IF William Bergolla Jr. 

Everyone knows how dominant lefty Noah Schultz has been to start the season. He looks healthy and back to his own form after dealing with tendinitis in his knee for much of 2025. I’ll go with a bit more unconventional of a pick here and talk about Bergolla. The 21 year-old infielder has started on a complete team, going 16-for-35 to start his season, good for a .435 average. He has an OBP of .524 and has also made an impact on defense and on the bases. Bergolla will likely never be a prototypical MLB hitter because he doesn’t generate much power. But he’s the best pure contact hitter in the White Sox system, with some scouts guessing he could be a faster Luis Arraez with better plate discipline. The White Sox would certainly be thrilled with that outcome. Whether he gets regular at bats or is simply a sparkplug on the bench, Bergolla should get a shot at some point in 2026 to prove his skillset can translate to the big league level. 

Birmingham Barons: IF Jeral Perez

White Sox fans have already been feeling much better about the 2023 Erick Fedde trade as of late thanks to the success of Miguel Vargas, but Jeral Perez continues to be an interesting name to watch. As a 20 year-old, Perez slugged 22 homers with High-A Winston-Salem in 2025, though he needed to make some progress on his contact ability and on defense. The White Sox gave him the promotion to Double-A this season at age 21, and so far Perez has made it pay off. He’s slashing .348/.444/.435 through six games. While he’s yet to hit his first home run with Birmingham, Perez has been the most consistent hitter in the Barons lineup through the first week of the season, and the White Sox are hopeful that the strong offensive numbers will continue. Perez will be 21 all season, so a strong season at a higher level could see him surging up prospect rankings. 

Winston-Salem Dash: OF George Wolkow

After two full years in Low-A, the White Sox made the decision to start George Wolkow in Winston-Salem this season. The 20 year-old brings endless upside but a ton of risk to the White Sox system. His .808 OPS in 2024 got him off to a very promising start, but his production dipped in his second year, and his final OPS didn’t clear .700. Through his first six games in Winston Salem, Wolkow is hitting .286 with a home run and an OPS of .899. When at his best, there’s no other prospect in the White Sox system with the speed and power combination of Wolkow, and he could very easily be one of the top prospects in the organization with consistent production. Despite two full years of minor league experience, he’s still just 20 years-old, the White Sox have proven that they’ll be patient with his development. Wolkow is certainly someone to keep an eye on this season. 

Kannapolis Cannon Ballers: IF Billy Carlson

The White Sox first round pick from 2025, Carlson has gotten his first taste of minor league baseball over the past couple weeks, and it’s been a solid start for the teenager. The 19 year-old is 6-for-21 with two doubles, six RBIs, and five walks. Carlson was widely viewed as one of the best defensive prospects in the draft but questions remained about his swing. The White Sox worked with him throughout the offseason on shortening the swing and early results are positive. He’ll need to cut down on the strikeout rate, but he’s certainly shown that he can have competitive at bats in minor league baseball. Carlson may not have a Caleb Bonemer-type breakout this season, but any sort of above average offensive season from him will be a big win for the White Sox.