In a White Sox season that’s been defined by the growth of the team’s young players, Chicago’s fans have had a ton to look forward to. With 15 big league debuts this season, several more on the way in 2027, and a team that’s already in first place, the future looks bright for the White Sox. But not every prospect in the White Sox system has truly taken a step forward this season. The White Sox updated top 30 list features a lot of new names, but also some players that could find themselves on the outside looking in if they don’t turn things around. Here are three of those players.
LHP Christian Oppor
One of the biggest surprises of the 2025 White Sox season, Oppor has been one of the biggest disappointments in 2026. The former fifth-round pick posted a 3.08 ERA in 2025 during his age 21 season and reached the High-A level. Oppor wasn’t on the White Sox top 30 lists to start 2025, but played his way easily into the top ten by the end of the season. The team aggressively assigned him to Double-A Birmingham to start the 2026 campaign, and things went wrong from the get go. In 24.2 innings to start the year, Oppor posted a 9.49 ERA and walked a whopping 36 hitters. After some time on the development list in Arizona, he’s returned to Winston-Salem, where he’s walked 16 hitters in just 2.1 innings. Yes, that’s a real statistic. Oppor’s complete inability to throw strikes caused him to plummet to 21st on the White Sox updated top 30 list, and unless he fixes his command in a hurry, he’s unlikely to stay on the list for long.
Christian Oppor is one of the few starting LHPs in the minors who can run his heater up to 100 mph 🔥
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) April 7, 2026
The @whitesox LHP is a pick to click this year.
Here's why:https://t.co/47P0s9IM73 pic.twitter.com/iDv6SCAl2V
IF Alexander Albertus
The White Sox first acquired Alexander Albertus in the 2024 trade that sent Erick Fedde to the Cardinals. Albertus hit .310 in the Rookie League as an 18-year-old and was off to a solid start in his first stateside league before an injury disrupted his 2024 season. He missed nearly all of the 2025 season with injuries and has returned to the lineup in 2026 at age-21. Unfortunately, Albertus has done little to stand out this season, posting just a .733 OPS in Kannapolis. All hope isn’t lost for Albertus, but he’ll need to show some of the potential he showed before his injuries or risk plummeting down prospect rankings. The White Sox have an abundance of talent in their middle infield throughout the organization, so at this point, Albertus is pretty far down the list.
OF Samuel Zavala
One of the biggest disappointments of the past few years, Samuel Zavala hasn’t really emerged into the offensive player the White Sox hoped he’d be when they acquired him from the Padres in the Dylan Cease deal. Zavala’s strong plate discipline and wiry strength are traits that haven’t left, but the 22-year-old has yet to put together a consistent offensive season in the White Sox organization. With his promotion to Double-A this season, Zavala has posted his career high in home runs at 12, but he’s hitting just .224 and has yet to post an OPS over .732 as a member of the White Sox. He’s been off and on the top 30 list and he currently checks in at number 30, but barring a late season surge, that’s not likely to last.
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