White Sox complete Jacob Gonzalez trade by selecting son of Hall-of-Fame slugger in draft

The White Sox have had a busy weekend. They welcomed the Athletics into town for a three-game series, had two additional players named to the All-Star team, and selected UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky with the first overall pick in the MLB draft, and more. Among the weekend’s activities: trading former first-round pick Jacob Gonzalez to the Pittsburgh Pirates for the 34th overall pick in the draft. Just one day later, that pick is now in. The White Sox have selected prep infielder Landon Thome with the 34th pick in the draft. 

Thome, 18, is the son of former White Sox slugger and Hall-of-Famer Jim Thome, who currently works as an advisor in the White Sox organization. Thome, who played his high school baseball at Nazareth Academy in suburban Chicago, will now join his hometown team. He is a high school teammate of White Sox prospect Jaden Fauke, who the team selected in the second round of the 2025 draft. 

Landon Thome's defensive questions are outweighed by his bat

MLB Pipeline ranks Thome as the 34th best prospect in the draft class, matching the exact slot where the White Sox drafted him. He received a 55 grade for both his hit and power tools, and the biggest questions seem to be about his defense and future position. He played shortstop in high school, but his lack of speed will likely require a position change in pro ball. Thome spent the summer working with Padres infielder Jake Cronenworth, a former shortstop who has moved to the right side of the infield, and Thome could soon follow suit. The White Sox may not be sure about where he fits defensively, but they're certain about Thome's ability to hit, and they feel good about his upbringing.

Landon Thome has long been rumored as a White Sox target, and the team’s trade of Jacob Gonzalez to the Pirates Friday evening gave them the draft pick and money they needed to make the pick happen. With a handful of picks remaining on the first day of the draft, and a pair of position players added to the fold, the White Sox will likely address their organizational need for pitching in some form. They have the financial resources to take a big swing on a prep pitcher should they so choose, and fill out the rest of their early rounds with college arms. 

The White Sox still have picks at 41, 77, and 105 on Saturday, and the team will prepare to add an even bigger influx of talent to an already-deep farm system.

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