3 Chicago White Sox prospects most likely to be traded
The Chicago White Sox needs to make some impactful additions before the season starts. There are glaring needs at second base and right field. With Carlos Rodon likely headed out the door in free agency and Micheal Kopech moving to the starting rotation, some pitching depth would also be useful.
The White Sox found out the hard way that splashy trades come at a price. Last season, the White Sox traded promising young starter, Dane Dunning, in exchange for Lance Lynn. During the trade deadline, Rick Hahn dealt Codi Heuer and former first-round pick Nick Madrigal.
This was in an effort to bolster the bullpen with Craig Kimbrel. The Lance Lynn deal worked out well for the White Sox. The Kimbrel deal, not so much. It’s the nature of the business.
But if the White Sox want to vault themselves into the top team in the American League, risks are going to have to be taken. The free-agent market for quality second baseman is barren. If the White Sox want to add a premium middle infielder, they may have to swing another trade.
The Chicago White Sox might make trades in order to increase their World Series odds.
Unfortunately, the toll for quality pieces usually comes in the form of young talent. Typically, that comes in the form of prospects. The White Sox currently do not have any prospects in Baseball America’s Top 100.
However, they do have some intriguing players in their farm system. Fans want another dominant arm to join the rotation and a double-play companion for Tim Anderson. Here are three prospects it could cost them:
Jared Kelley
Jared Kelley might be able to land the Chicago White Sox a really good player.
Pitching is a hot commodity among every team. Team’s like the Los Angeles Dodgers are competitive every season because their farm system is stocked with it. This is why Jared Kelley is the name most teams will be drawn to when discussing trades with the White Sox.
The White Sox selected Kelley with the 47th pick of the 2020 MLB draft. At the time, he was considered one of the biggest steals of the draft. He signed for $3 million which is considered first-round money despite being drafted in the second round.
Kelley was the most imposing high school pitcher in the nation in 2019, winning Gatorade Player of the Year. During the Area Code Games, scouts marveled at the clinic he put on while on the mound. In 12 innings, he only allowed one hit and 34 of the 36 outs he recorded were via the strikeout.
Some evaluators even went as far as to say it was the best performance in the history of the event. Kelley can hit 98 mph with a fastball that has running action. It is his highest-graded pitch at 65 on a 20-80 scale. He also has a solid changeup to compliment it.
Unfortunately, control was an issue for Kelley when he hit the professional level. He had a 7.61 ERA with a 2.11 WHIP in 12 starts last season and walks were the main culprit. He handed out 26 free passes and hit an additional two batters. He also dealt with some elbow issues which could be another factor in why he could never establish a rhythm.
He is still young and has a strong build. If he can further develop his slider, he could be a major asset for whatever organization he is in. His effortless delivery should have plenty of teams eager to work with him if he is dangled on the trade market.
Colson Montgomery
The Chicago White Sox are very high on Colson Montgomery’s future.
There is a lot to like about Colson Montgomery. He was the White Sox first-round draft choice in 2021 and is slated to be their future middle infielder. He was drafted 22nd overall and looks like one of the most physically gifted athletes in the draft at 6’4 205 lbs. He was also the best shortstop in a very heavy shortstop class.
Montgomery was a two-sport star in high school excelling in basketball and baseball, much like the White Sox current shortstop Tim Anderson. In 2021, Montgomery was named Indiana’s male high school athlete of the year after setting the career scoring record at Southridge High. He had the opportunity to walk on the Indiana Hoosiers college team but opted instead to sign with the White Sox.
Judging by his high school career, he made the right choice. Montgomery is a left-handed bat that can spray the ball all over the ballpark. He has a smooth swing with lots of pop. He helped lead Southridge to its first-ever 3-A State Championship. The 19-year old hit .333 with 17 home runs, 17 extra-base hits, and 24 stolen bases during his final high school season.
During high school, he showed the ability to quickly adjust on the fly. While Southridge was playing in regionals, Montgomery faced a pitcher that was throwing in the 90s. During his first at-bat, he got sawed off and hit a soft line drive to end the inning.
In his first 26 professional games, he hit .287 with a .396 OBP. His patience and maturity at the plate are another one of his major assets. He was able to draw 13 walks. Rick Hahn was stated that he intends on setting up the team for long-term success. It seems unlikely the White Sox would deal their number one prospect in the organization.
However, his major league arrival time isn’t until 2025. The White Sox are in the midst of their championship window making someone who is not in their immediate plans much more expendable. Montgomery should also fetch a high price.
Andrew Dalquist
The Chicago White Sox have a few pitchers that may be expendable this year.
Dalquist is the second-best pitcher in the White Sox farm system behind Jared Kelley. Like Kelley, Dalquist is another right-hander that was drafted out of high school. He was committed to playing ball at Arizona but was drafted in the third round by the White Sox in 2019.
The California native threw three scoreless innings during his professional debut before spending 2020 at the White Sox alternate training site. He posted a 4.99 ERA in 23 games during 2021 with Kannapolis.
While his numbers didn’t jump off the page, scouts have been impressed by his mechanics. He has hit the weight room since being drafted and added some extra mph to his fastball which now sits around 94 mph. However, his delivery creates deception on his fastball, making it tough to time up.
He also has some refined secondary stuff. Dalquist offers a hard slider and a mid-70s curveball. Both have improved since he has turned pro and we probably haven’t seen the ceiling yet for either of those two pitches.
As a right-handed starter with plenty of upsides, it is easy to see Dalquist being packaged into a trade. He is expected to arrive in the big leagues in 2023 despite being in Single-A. Because of how advanced he is for his age, it is easy to see why.
He projects to be a middle-of-the-rotation starter but is not the high-powered arms that the White Sox need at the moment, making him easy to part with. He is an intriguing prospect for any team looking to add to their pitching depth.
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