For a long time, prospects were the biggest key to the Chicago White Sox baseball conversation. A lot of those prospects like Yoan Moncada, Eloy Jimenez, Michael Kopech, Dylan Cease, Lucas Giolito, and Luis Robert amongst others have come up and become great MLB players. Some of them are even knocking on the door of being superstars.
The conversation now is less about prospects because the team is no longer in a rebuild. They have made the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time in team history which means a lot of these prospects have been supplemented by veterans so that the team can take the next step.
Even though the rebuilding phase is over at the MLB level, the organization needs to keep restocking prospects. Being smart in trades, the draft, and international free agency, the White Sox can keep adding them so that they always have a stacked farm.
If they do that, the organization will continue to succeed. Long-term success comes to those who have great Minor League systems pumping out good players year after year. It also allows teams to make trades for MLB players that are ready to contribute at the MLB level. The White Sox saw a lot of them graduate to the MLB ready and they are hoping to keep the organization stocked.
Last year, the White Sox signed Yoelqui Cespedes as an international free agent. He is the younger brother of former MLB star Yoenis Cespedes. We know the success that the White Sox have had with Cuban players for a long time and Cespedes hopes to be the next great one to come through.
Yoelqui Cespedes could be a good player for the Chicago White Sox one day.
2022 could be the year that we see him come up. It probably won’t be right away but injuries and bad performances from anyone would lead to his call-up. It is up to him to perform well enough to make sure he starts the year in AAA so that the next step is the MLB. If all goes according to plan, he will be a great White Sox player for a long time.
How far Cespedes is able to take his production is up for debate but it could be very good. He has an above-average power bat and arm for someone his age. If he can put these tools together, he could become a full-time MLB player in short order.
For 2022 specifically, it would be nice to see the White Sox add a right fielder at the MLB level so they don’t have to rush any prospects but that could be Cespedes one day. If he becomes a very good player in right, the outfield will be even more set with Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert out there. 2022, as mentioned before, could be the year we see him make an impact.