Latest Top 100 prospect update is more fuel for White Sox recent fire

As the White Sox continue their early season surge, many folks around baseball are starting to recognize the White Sox as an up-and-coming team in Major League Baseball. Amid the group of exciting young players like Munetaka Murakami, Miguel Vargas, and Colson Montgomery that have taken the city of Chicago by storm in the first couple months is the reality that more help is coming. Seven weeks into the season, MLB Pipeline released an updated top 100 prospect list, and several White Sox prospects are surging up the board with their strong early season performance, adding more fuel to the fire of optimism on the southside. 

IF Caleb Bonemer: Previously 61, Now 15

To the surprise of absolutely nobody, Winston-Salem Dash infielder Caleb Bonemer is one of the fastest-rising prospects in all of baseball. The 20 year-old won Carolina League MVP in his first pro season in 2025, and he’s already surpassed his home run total from a season ago in mid-May. His batting average has dipped slightly from .281 to .254, but he’s actually increased his on-base percentage from .401 to .404 thanks to an increased walk rate. Defensively, Bonemer was drafted as a shortstop but has shifted his focus to third base this season as the White Sox look to find a defensive home for a crowded infield group. With a 1.023 OPS and 13 home runs in 37 High-A games this season, it won’t be long before Bonemer gets a promotion to Double-A, putting him in line age-wise with some of the top prospects in all of baseball. He won’t turn 21 until October and could easily be a top five prospect by the end of the season should his production continue. 

OF Braden Montgomery: Previously 36, Now 24 

Braden Montgomery is no longer the top-ranked prospect in the White Sox organization, but it’s to no fault of his own. Montgomery impressed in his debut season in 2025, reaching the Double-A level and posting an .804 OPS for the year. He opened eyes in big league camp this spring and began the season at the Double-A level once again, where he hit .313 with six home runs in 27 games before a promotion to Triple-A Charlotte. So far, Montgomery is hitting .304 with a .873 OPS in 11 games in the highest level of the minor leagues. The 23 year-old has proven he can hit for both power and contact against professional pitching, and his final step will be a bit more seasoning against Triple-A arms. Should he continue the pace he’s on, Montgomery should reach Chicago by midseason, giving the White Sox another highly anticipated debut to further bolster an already-fun lineup. 

LHP Noah Schultz: Previously 49. Now 27 

Ahead of the 2025 season, Noah Schultz was the top-rated left-handed pitching prospect in all of baseball. His stock took a bit of a hit with a rough go in 2025, but much of it was due to tendinitis in the knee of his plant leg leading to a drop in velocity and inconsistency of control. The White Sox wanted to see Schultz back healthy in 2026, and it took just three outings in Charlotte for the team to pull the trigger on his debut. It’s been a mixed bag for Schultz to start his big league career. Through six starts, his ERA sits at 4.91, but opponents are hitting just .186 against him. His biggest problem has been 21 walks in 29.1 innings, a problem the White Sox hope he’ll grow out of as he matures and figures out how to pitch at the big league level. Schultz will get the chance to iron out his control issues in Chicago this summer, and it’ll be a development for White Sox fans to watch as the season moves along. 

LHP Hagen Smith: Previously 72, Now 50 

It’s difficult to have a conversation about Schultz without mentioning his left-handed counterpart Hagen Smith, who dealt with a similar step back in 2025 after being selected fifth overall in 2024. Smith worked hard on mechanical adjustments to throw more strikes and started to see the results towards the end of 2025. The White Sox moved him up to Triple-A to begin the season, but the team has been closely monitoring his workload and limiting him to three or four inning per start. Smith has once again been effective when throwing strikes, as hitters are batting just .173 against him. Unfortunately, his control issues have resurfaced at times. Still, Smith may be the next man up in the event of an injury to a White Sox starter, and it should only be a matter of time before he makes his big league debut. It’ll be interesting to see how the White Sox handle his workload once he reaches Chicago.

SS Billy Carlson: Previously 73, Now 53

If you simply look at the offensive numbers for Billy Carlson so far this season, you’ll find them unremarkable. The 19 year-old shortstop is hitting just .234 with a .669 OPS this season and has yet to hit his first professional home run. But this was always expected from Carlson this season. In fact, many are surprised that he’s even reached the Low-A level this early, let alone that he’s holding his own. When the White Sox drafted Carlson 10th overall out of a California high school, they knew him as a plus defender with a bat that was going to need significant time to develop. That has held to form so far in 2026. White Sox fans can look for Carlson to improve offensively as the season goes on as he gets more comfortable with professional pitching. Don’t be surprised if he spends the entire season with Low-A Kannapolis and even starts the 2027 season at the same level. The long-term project is still on track, and Carlson still has a chance to be an impact talent for the White Sox in a few years.

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