Major League Baseball’s 2026 regular season has reached its final week, and the minor league seasons have officially concluded. While some teams will send a handful of chosen prospects to the Arizona Fall League to continue their seasons, the season is over for the majority of the minor league players. 2026 was a mixed bag for many players in the White Sox system, with some prospects struggling and others raising their stock significantly. Here’s one prospect from each of the White Sox minor league affiliates who stood out in a big way in 2026.
Triple-A Charlotte: IF/OF Rikuu Nishida
White Sox fans are likely already familiar with Nishida, who made his big league debut with 12 games in the majors this season. The former 11th-round pick has garnered attention for his unique offensive profile and electric personality. Throughout his four minor league seasons, Nishida has hit just two total home runs, but he’s demonstrated advanced contact skills and plate discipline, making him a sparkplug at the top of the Knights batting order. In 104 games for Charlotte, Nishida hit .289 with a .422 on-base percentage, walking 83 times and striking out 89. Unless he starts impacting the baseball more, he’s unlikely to be a regular at the big league level, but could have a role as a utilityman or late-game sub for defense and baserunning.
Double-A Birmingham: 1B Anthony DePino
Everyone knows what White Sox second-ranked prospect Caleb Bonemer has done this year, and his remarkable season will continue in Arizona this fall. His inclusion on this list would be too obvious. Instead, I’m going to highlight 1B Anthony DePino, who the White Sox selected in the 6th-round in 2024 out of Rhode Island. The 23-year-old got off to a strong start at the plate in High-A before receiving a promotion to Birmingham and picking up right where he left off. In 93 games at the Double-A level, DePino hit .260 with 19 home runs. He’s limited to first base defensively, but continued growth with his bat should put him in a position to be on the big league radar. DePino, like Bonemer, will head to Arizona to participate in the fall league in October.
High-A Winston-Salem: OF George Wolkow
When the White Sox drafted George Wolkow in the 2023, they knew he was boom or bust. They took him in the seventh round but paid him third-round money, demonstrating their belief in his upside. The story for Wolkow so far has been big power with a lot of strikeouts, and 2026 was no exception. After two years in Kannapolis, Wolkow received a promotion to Winston-Salem at age 20, and spent the entire season at the level. In 123 games, he slashed .239/.317/.446 with 22 home runs and 100 RBIs. Despite striking out 179 times, Wolkow improved his contact rate and continued to make an impact with his power. He’ll likely begin 2027 back at High-A as the White Sox continue to believe in his immense upside.
Don't blink or you'll miss this George Wolkow HR!
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 22, 2026
The @whitesox No. 14 prospect is batting over .700 with two dingers and 11 RBIs in 3 games this week.
Tune in for FREE and see what else he has in store: https://t.co/7xBadLh8HR pic.twitter.com/nwAje24R5z
Low-A Kannapolis: OF Jaden Fauske
The second of two-straight prep prospects selected by the White Sox to begin the 2025 MLB draft, Fauske made his organizational debut in 2025 and spent the entire season with Low-A Kannapolis. The 19-year old slashed .250/.388/.360 with a .748 OPS for the season. He hit just four home runs, but that’s not unusual for a 19-year-old who needs to fill out strength-wise and should develop more power as he grows stronger. Fasuke’s 94 walks were much more notable than his overall lack of power, showing his advanced feel for the strike zone. Fauske will likely begin the season back at the Low-A level in 2027, but a strong start could earn him a quick promotion. He’s definitely a player to watch for the White Sox moving forward.
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