There are certain prospects in the Chicago White Sox organization that naturally come with a ton of buzz, even if they don’t have elite status in the eyes of evaluators.
Take outfielder George Wolkow, for example. Wolkow’s Chicagoland roots (Downers Grove North HS), 6-foot-7 frame, and 60-grade power have infatuated White Sox fans from the moment he was drafted in 2023.
Even though he’s the No. 10 prospect in the organization, even the casual White Sox fans seem to know who Wolkow is.
Wolkow is still only 19, and he’s got 12 home runs and 28 stolen bases in Low-A Kannapolis. The tools at such a young age are a good reason to buy stock in Wolkow.
William Bergolla, while not as popular as Wolkow, is another prospect that gets a lot of hype from fans. Bergolla came to Chicago from the Phillies in a trade for left-handed reliever Tanner Banks at the 2024 deadline. He’s 20 years old in Double-A with 32 stolen bases to his name.
Both of these prospects are still so young, and they’re already having some success in the minor leagues. It’s fun to imagine what they could turn into in 3-4 years time. That being said, if we’re looking for a young White Sox prospect who is only scratching the surface of their talent, the fan base seems to be falling in love with the wrong ones.
Jeral Perez has everything that Wolkow and Bergolla do, and possibly more of it. He deserves way more attention and hype from White Sox fans than he has been getting.
Jeral Perez has 20 home runs at 20 years old
Perez has a .772 OPS in High-A Winston-Salem this season with 20 home runs, 21 doubles, and four triples. He won’t turn 21 until November.
If George Wolkow was in Winston-Salem next year for his age 20 season and he mashed over 20 home runs and 50 extra-base hits, the hype would be unbelievable. That’s the equivalent of what Perez is doing in 2025, but he’s still ranked the 21st best prospect in the White Sox farm system.
Perez is ranked behind 19-year-old infielder Javier Mogollon, who is batting .220 with only five (5) home runs in Kannapolis.
White Sox fans are currently falling in love with Lenyn Sosa because of the pop that he provides from the middle infield. If a second baseman hits 20 home runs in the big leagues, he’s one of the best offensive second basemen in the sport.
Perez could very easily be a guy that hits 20 to 30 home runs while playing an average second base. I don’t think that’s crazy to say seeing as he is over the 20 homer threshold this season and he’s still only 20 years old. There is so much time for him to develop, and as his bat-to-ball skills improve, his power will shine through even more.
Miguel Vargas may have been the headliner of the three-team trade Chris Getz made at the 2024 deadline, but Jeral Perez is proving to be the actual prize.
Chicago has a loaded MLB infield with prospects like Billy Carlson and Caleb Bonemer also getting into the mix. Perez refuses to be overlooked, though.
If you are a White Sox fan that’s excited to see George Wolkow or William Bergolla on the South Side someday, you should be just as pumped about the future of Jeral Perez.