White Sox: Anticipating The Next Wave of Prospects
White Sox top prospects are close to making their MLB debuts in 2019. Which prospect will make the most positive impact on the team after being promoted?
Eloy Jimenez didn’t get promoted to the White Sox this past season as many fans were eagerly waiting for him to make his MLB debut. The young slugger will get his opportunity to get promoted in 2019, but he won’t be the only Sox top prospect to reach the Majors next year.
There is another wave of prospects that are close to ready to make their MLB debuts, and it won’t be long before they’re wearing a Sox uniform next season. Outside of Jimenez, other top prospects that are close to appearing in the Majors will still need more development in the minors before they’re promoted.
However, their development shouldn’t stall their progress into reaching the Majors either in the middle of 2019 or at least by September when rosters expand. The Sox next wave of prospects should provide excitement to fans anticipating their eventual arrivals to MLB.
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While the Sox have a done a good job at being patient with their prospects, there will be a few that will be knocking on the door to get promoted in 2019. One of those players could be Dylan Cease. The Sox third-ranked prospect had a strong 2018 campaign with Single-A Advanced Winston-Salem and Double-A Birmingham.
Cease went a combined 12-2 with a 2.40 ERA this past season. With the Barons, Cease went 3-0 with a 1.72 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and recorded 78 strikeouts in 10 games started. He recorded a total of 160 strikeouts in 124 innings pitched. Cease will likely start next season with the Barons but could make the jump to Triple-A if he has a good start to his 2019 campaign.
If Cease is promoted to Triple-A before the All-Star break, don’t expect the Sox to rush him to the Majors. Cease will likely be promoted in September of 2019 if he has a good season in the minors with Birmingham and Charlotte. With Michael Kopech out for 2019, Cease has the opportunity to step up and make an impact with the Sox if he’s promoted next year.
Another prospect that could make his major league debut in 2019 is Luis Alexander Basabe. The 22-year-old hit .251 in 66 games for the Barons in 2018. Currently, he’s hitting .278 through five games with the Glendale Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League. Basabe still has more development left in the minors, but he too could be promoted when rosters expand next September.
Other pitchers that could make their MLB debuts in 2019 include Zack Burdi and Dane Dunning. Both pitchers experienced injuries in the past year with Burdi making a comeback this past season after Tommy John surgery in 2017. Dunning missed the final two months of the 2018 season with an elbow strain.
Burdi is closer to making his MLB debut than Dunning is. However, Burdi will need a strong Spring Training next year to have a chance at breaking camp with the Sox. If he begins 2019 in Triple-A, he should have an opportunity to be promoted throughout next season. Dunning, on the other hand, will need to work his way back from his injury.
Dunning should begin 2019 with Birmingham and could be on a similar path to the majors as the aforementioned Cease. The 23-year-old only made 15 total starts with Winston-Salem and Birmingham in 2018. He will likely need a full season with Birmingham and Charlotte before he can be in consideration for a promotion.
Lastly, catcher Seby Zavala could also make his MLB debut in 2019. Zavala hit .243 with just two home runs and 20 RBIs in 48 games with Charlotte this past season. If he is going to have a chance at making his MLB debut in 2019, he will need to make adjustments to Triple-A pitching.
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The Sox will have many prospects that could be on the team at some point next season. As the next wave of prospects awaits their arrivals to MLB, Sox fans will continue to monitor their progress through the minors. The best is yet to come for the Sox and their current rebuild.