Breaking down expectations for each White Sox prospect on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list

For many fans, looking at their team’s roster in the preseason inspires them with confidence and optimism for the season ahead. For a rebuilding team like the White Sox, we just simply aren’t there yet. Don’t get me wrong, the White Sox roster looks much stronger than it did even a year ago. Players like Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel, Munetaka Murakami, and Shane Smith will be prominently featured in highlights this season and give fans plenty to look forward to, but the roster isn’t yet complete. One thing that’s become a staple for White Sox fans throughout the extended periods of rebuilding is awaiting the updated prospect lists and ranking. MLB Pipeline recently released their updated top 100 list for 2026, and several familiar faces are on it. Here’s a quick breakdown and 2026 expectation for each of the five White Sox that made the list. 

#36: OF Braden Montgomery 

A massive piece of the Garrett Crochet trade last offseason, Montgomery made his pro debut last season and hit the ground running. The 22 year-old slashed .270/.360/.444 across three levels and continued to shine this fall, making the Arizona Fall League all-star team. Many scouts viewed Montgomery as a high-power, low-contact hitter coming out of Texas A&M, but he showed a strong ability to get the bat on the ball this season and hit for contact. He’ll need to cut down on the strikeouts this season, but the White Sox believe he’s a future star in their outfield. Montgomery will likely begin 2026 with Double-A Birmingham, where he posted a .780 OPS in 34 games to end 2025. A strong beginning of the season could land him on the big league roster midseason, where he’ll add upside to a thin White Sox outfield. 

#49: LHP Noah Schultz 

At this time last year, Noah Schultz was the top left-handed pitching prospect in baseball and was pushing the top 15 overall prospects on most lists. Unfortunately, 2025 was a bit of a setback for Schultz, who dealt with tendonitis in his knee and wasn’t fully healthy for the majority of the season. When healthy, Schultz has a lethal fastball-slider combination that’s nearly impossible to hit, and his 6’10 frame makes the fastball velocity play even higher than normal. He took a step back in the control department, but the White Sox have expressed confidence that he’ll be fine once he feels healthy again. Look for Schultz to bounce back in a big way. He’s likely to begin the season with Triple-A Charlotte, a level where he struggled last season. A strong start to the year will have Schultz knocking on the door of the big leagues sooner rather than later. 

#61: SS Caleb Bonemer 

The White Sox second-round pick in 2024 was a major story during his debut season. Bonemer posted an OPS of .874 between Low-A and High-A at the age of 19, en route to winning MVP of the Carolina League. Bonemer’s overall hitting ability, impressive bat speeds, and solid defense on the infield have allowed him to shoot up prospect boards, with Baseball America even comparing him to Orioles all-star Gunnar Henderson. Bonemer will likely open the season with High-A Winston-Salem at age 20, where he’ll look to establish himself as one of the game’s top prospects with another strong season. The White Sox infield mix is crowded, so Bonemer may shift to third base this season, but the bat will play anywhere on the field. He’s a year or two away from making a major league impact, but Bonemer will be one of the main storylines to watch in the minors this season. 

#72: LHP Hagen Smith 

The fifth overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft didn’t get off to the start he envisioned in his first full season. Despite strong data on his pitches and overall impressive stuff, Smith struggled mightily with command in 2025 and missed a portion of the season with elbow trouble. On the bright side, Smith seemed to get better as the season went along, and he ultimately pitched well in the postseason with Double-A Birmingham and had a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League. The White Sox are hopeful that a full offseason of work will help Smith fix his mechanics and throw more strikes. If so, Smith could be at the top of the White Sox rotation by midseason. If not, his future may be as a reliever. Regardless, it would be a surprise if we don’t see Smith in Chicago at some point in 2026, barring injury. 

#73: SS Billy Carlson 

One of the more anticipated debuts this season is that of 10th overall pick Billy Carlson, who the White Sox were thrilled to land in the 2025 draft. Carlson, considered by some scouts as one of the best defensive shortstops to ever come out of the high school ranks, reported to Arizona to work during the fall but never made his organizational debut. The White Sox believe he’s more than just a defensive specialist, and hope they can unlock what they believe is an above-average bat as well. If they can, Carlson could be a true five-tool prospect and fly up the rankings. He’ll likely report to Low-A Kannapolis to begin the season, where he’ll spend most of the year. A strong year could earn him a look in Winston-Salem by the end of the season, where he’ll follow a similar development path that Bonemer did in 2025.