It’s been only three months since the 2026 MLB draft and several of the players in the White Sox draft class have yet to begin their professional careers in game action. Prep picks like Landon Thome and Cole Prosek reported to the team’s facility in Arizona to close out the summer but have not yet reported to a minor league affiliate. First overall pick Roch Cholowsky had his season cut short due to a wrist injury, so White Sox fans will need to wait until 2027 to get an extended look at the highest-drafted player for the White Sox in nearly 50 years. A few 2026 draft picks did make their affiliate debuts to end the season, however, and some of them got off to a strong start. Here are 3 players from the White Sox 2026 draft class that got off to a strong start.
OF Clay Burdette
A 7th-round pick from Xavier University, Clay Burdette became the highest-drafted player in school history thanks to his unique combination of power and speed. There were questions about his contact and strikeout rates, but the White Sox came away so impressed after watching Burdette that they made him a priority in the middle rounds. After watching Xavier take on Georgia Tech during the college season, White Sox International Scouting Director David Keller believed Burdette was the second best player playing in that game behind Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey, who went third overall to Minnesota. Burdette’s affiliate debut made it easy to see why. In 29 games for Low-A Kannapolis, he slashed .274/.381/.481 with two home runs, four doubles, six triples, and 13 stolen bases. 46 strikeouts in 29 games are a lot, but it’s a speed and power combination that just isn’t seen a ton. MLB Pipeline named Burdette the top early performer from the White Sox draft class, and he’ll look to build on his strong start in 2027.
CLAY BURDETTE HITS AN INSIDE-THE-PARK HOME RUN FOR HIS FIRST PROFESSIONAL HOMER! pic.twitter.com/zOwtUTqf41
— Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (@Kcannonballers) August 21, 2026
OF Braden Holcomb
The White Sox continued their trend of drafting power with their 12th-round pick in Vanderbilt outfielder Braden Holcomb. The 6-foot-4 outfielder brings all kinds of tools to the White Sox organization. During his junior season at Vanderbilt, he led the team with a .352 batting average, 60 hits, 19 doubles, and 54 RBI. He only hit 14 home runs but has the size and strength to develop more power as a pro. Holcomb began in Low-A, where he hit .321 with two home runs, six doubles, and two triples in just 13 games. For the final week of the season, he received a promotion to High-A Winston-Salem, and he went 2-for-8 with three RBIs and a walk in two games. He’s likely to begin his age-22 season at the High-A level, and continued production could help him reach the upper levels in his first full year. There’s a lot to like here for the White Sox.
1B Grayson Fitzwater
Attending Virginia Military Institute probably didn’t help Grayson Fitzwater’s draft stock, but his excellent senior season was enough to put him on the White Sox draft radar, and Chicago selected him in the 13th round back in July. The 22-year-old hit .325 with 21 home runs in his senior year after hitting 17 and 18 in each of his previous two seasons, and he slugged three homers in three games in the MLB Draft league this summer. He began his professional career in Kannapolis, where he hit .271 with four homers and an .851 ERA in 29 games down the stretch. Like a few other players in this class, Fitzwater features a lot of power and questions about his contact and whiff rates, but he’s off to a strong start and could move quickly if he continues to perform well. Like Holcomb, I expect Fitzwater to open 2027 in High-A with the potential to quickly receive a promotion if the strong performance continues.
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