White Sox: Which minor league prospect will be the #NextSox?
August 19th, 2018 will be a day that could potentially go down as a very important one in White Sox history.
The long wait for the White Sox top prospect Michael Kopech is finally over, as the team announced he will be making his way to the big league club with his first appearance scheduled for Tuesday, August 21st.
The young, right-handed flame thrower is finally here.
The news comes as somewhat of a surprise, as many did not expect Kopech to get the call up from Charlotte this season due to the business behind the scenes. However, Kopech’s 3.70 earned run average and 12.13 K/9 was a bit too impressive for the front office to pass up on.
The somewhat surprising Kopech news now creates new questions for the White Sox. Which part of the future will be the next to receive the call to the big leagues? Given that the farm system is packed with talent, it could really be anyone. However, it is not a secret that the business aspect of the game typically keeps players in the minors a bit longer than they should be. Realistically, a handful of Sox prospects could make the team better.
It’s no secret that the fanbase would most like to see the highest rated prospect next in Eloy Jimenez. The 21-year old slugger is absolutely tearing up Triple-A with the Knights. As of August 19th, Jimenez is batting .326 with 21 home runs and 69 runs batted in in 362 at-bats.
Ricky Renteria is receiving a ton of efficient production from his current outfielders. The 2018 emergence of players like Daniel Palka and Leury Garcia make it a little less likely that we will see Jimenez suit up for the Sox this year. That and the complicated business behind it, however.
Another legitimate possibility would be RHP Dylan Cease. Cease, who came over to the White Sox alongside Jimenez in the Jose Quintana trade, is also tearing it up in 2018. The Georgia native’s fastball sits 94-98 miles per hour, a huge part of his success. It has propelled him to a 12-2 record with a 2.50 ERA over 119 innings in the minors this season.
Cease is one of the more experienced players of the White Sox system with five years of professional baseball already under his belt at age 22. That factor alone could make it more likely that Cease could be the next prospect to make the move to Chicago. Especially considering the pitching rotation could use some help right about now.
The third and final player that I could personally see getting the call is Dane Dunning. Dunning is probably the least likely of the three, but his versatility makes it possible that we could see him before the 2018 season comes to an end. Though he has done nothing but start this year in the minors, Dunning has experience coming out of the bullpen and very well could ultimately do that for the big league club.
You can never have enough support in the bullpen, hence why Dunning may find himself in it. The former Gator was labeled as the “most polished of Chicago’s top pitching prospects” by MLB Pipeline in his scouting report.
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Given that he has already had a good amount of professional success at age 23, that makes a lot of sense. It’s no secret that the Sox bullpen could use help, and it has been starving for some over the last couple of years. Dunning could be the answer to that, and it could ultimately end up being this year that he provides it.
There’s endless possibilities, and that could be an understatement considering the MLB roster expansion day on August 1st is quickly approaching. The Sox could potentially give 15 minor leaguers the call once that day comes. Though every fan would like to see the top 15 prospects in the system get the call, it, unfortunately, is more complicated than that thus making the next move unpredictable.
dark. Next. The nun with the arm
Time will tell, but the hope is that the Kopech news could be the first domino to fall in what would be the future of the White Sox. Regardless of who it is that gets the next few calls, the future is still bright regardless. What’s wrong with a little anticipation anyway?