The White Sox drafting Landon Thome on Saturday afternoon was the furthest thing from surprising. Landon’s father, Hall-of-Famer Jim Thome, played for the White Sox from 2006-2009 and has worked as a special assistant in the front office since 2013. The White Sox have a history of drafting players from the local area, and they selected Landon Thome’s high school teammate in the second round in 2025. With all the reports this spring indicating the White Sox interest in Thome, the writing seemed to be on the wall that they could make it happen. So when the White Sox did choose Thome with the 34th overall pick on Saturday, it felt like a long time coming.
Thome’s mom, Andrea, shared this photo on X this weekend
This young man is a first round draft pick for his hometown team, the Chicago White Sox. What is this dream we’re living in? Filled with gratitude for everyone who helped him on this journey. ⚾️❤️ pic.twitter.com/vbBHdAJAec
— Andrea Thome ❤️📚⚾️ (@AndreaThome) July 12, 2026
Landon Thome bring legitimate offensive upside to the White Sox
On the surface, drafting the son of a member of their front office feels like a poor process and very on-brand for the White Sox. But Landon Thome is a legitimate prospect, and his reasons for being selected go beyond his ties to the organization. MLB Pipeline ranked Thome as the 34th-best prospect in the draft, which lines up with the exact slot the White Sox drafted him in. White Sox scouting director Mike Shirley discussed Thome on the radio prior to the draft, indicating the balanced offensive profile he brings to the table. Thome held his own against some of the top prep talents in the country this season, and he has a chance to grow stronger and develop even more than his 55-grade power.
If there’s one question surrounding Thome, it’s his defensive position. He played shortstop in high school but has below average speed, and Mike Shirley indicated Sunday that he expects Thome to focus on second base and third base as he begins his pro career.
Jim Thome was asked about his son being drafted by the White Sox on Sunday:
“I was always able to keep it together as a player”, Thome said. “This is tough. This is so special. What a day, just to watch your son go through that and his name be called, it’s a dream come true.”
As a prep player, Thome is likely to spend the fall in Arizona and report to an affiliate for the start of the 2027 season, in the same way Billy Carlson, Jaden Fauske, and Caleb Bonemer have in recent years. Thome is likely several years away from making an impact at the big league level, but he’ll be a fun name to watch over the next few seasons.
The 2026 MLB Draft has wrapped up, and the White Sox brought in a fun mix of prep and college talent, landing what they hope will be several big league contributors. Only time will tell how the White Sox fared this weekend.
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