Former White Sox top prospect receives more tough career news after Dodgers release

As White Sox fans have gotten to know well over the past few seasons: not every top propspect pans out. For former White Sox pitching prospect Nick Nastrini, the news has been tough in recent years, and his most recent tough break came earlier this week when Nastrini was released by the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers were Nastrini’s third organization since the start of the 2025 season, and he’ll now be looking for a new home once again. 

Nastrini, 26, was originally drafted by the Dodgers in the fourth round of the 2021 draft. He posted strong numbers in his first two minor league seasons. Nastrini reached the Double-A level in 2023 and was traded to the White Sox in the trade that sent Lance Lynn to the Dodgers at the deadline. Nastrini posted a 4.22 ERA in his first four starts with Double-A Birmingham before earning a promotion to Charlotte to close out the season. In Nastrini, the White Sox believed they landed a future starter with plus stuff that needed to harness his control. Those control issues are what would end up defining his tenure with the White Sox organization and his entire career to this point. 

Erratic control has defined Nick Nastrini's early career

Nastrini made his big league debut in 2024, starting eight games at the major league level and struggling to a 7.07 ERA. Despite his high ERA, opponents hit just .234 against Nastrini and the primary damage came from 36 walks in 35.2 innings. The White Sox gave Nastrini another shot during 2025 spring training, but ended up moving him to the bullpen for the regular season. When the control didn’t improve in a relief role, the White Sox waived Nastrini, and he was claimed by the Miami Marlins. He appeared in just one game with the Marlins organization, walking four over two innings and landing back on the waiver wire, where he was claimed by his former team, the Dodgers. 

Nastrini’s control continued to spiral, and he walked seven hitters over three appearances with the Dodgers Triple-A affiliate. He walked three in his lone appearance this season before being released earlier this week. 

It’s an unfortunate reality for Nastrini, who has the pitch arsenal of a major league pitcher, but just hasn’t been able to harness it at all in his career. At just 26 years old, it’s possible a team savvy with pitching development will give Nastrini another shot, but his chances have to be getting slim at this point. The trade wasn’t a complete loss for the White Sox, who also landed righty reliever Jordan Leasure in the deal that brought them Nastrini, but it certainly looks worse than it did at the time. Leasure posted a 3.92 ERA in 68 appearances in 2025 and has earned a longer look as a high leverage reliever for the White Sox. 

As a White Sox fan, I almost always root for former players to succeed. I hope Nick Nastrini can turn his fortunes around and learn how to control his plus stuff. I’d still like to see him put together a good big league career. But if Nastrini is going to figure it out, he’s going to need to do it soon, because he may be running out of opportunities.