The mere mention of Hall of Famer Frank Thomas is enough to make a White Sox fan turn dreamy and nostalgic. The Big Hurt was certainly the best White Sox player of the past 50 years and possibly the best in franchise history. So when news broke that Thomas’ son, Frank Thomas III, seems to be following in his father’s footsteps, the fans on the South Side suddenly had something to hope for.
The younger Thomas, just 16 years old, announced his commitment to play at his father’s alma mater Auburn University. He, like his dad, mans first base and ranks among the best players in the Class of 2027, according to Baseball America. He doesn’t quite cut the same figure as his father, but at 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, Thomas III has room to fill out a bit. In time (perhaps by the time the White Sox have a chance to get their hands on him in the draft), he could be a bit more imposing.
Frank Thomas’s son has committed to Auburn University, and White Sox fans hope he’ll keep following his father’s footsteps all the way to Chicago.
The White Sox drafted Frank Thomas at No. 7 overall out of Auburn University in 1989. He made his MLB debut a little over a year later and quickly became one of the most feared hitters in the American League.
He ranks among the best right-handed batters of all time, and his son, who swings a left-handed bat, could be a mirror image, already making loud contact with 90+ mph exit velocity.
2027 1B Frank Thomas III—the 16-year-old son of Hall of Famer Frank Thomas—has committed to Auburn.
— Ben Badler (@BenBadler) October 20, 2025
Auburn’s third Baseball America top 100 player committed in the ‘27 class.pic.twitter.com/GZpzBfHngh
There is a recent trend, seemingly, of sons drafted by a team their father played for, and maybe in a few years, the White Sox will add to the list. Ethan Holliday was recently selected by the Rockies, with whom his dad Matt played for six years, and Billy Wagner’s son Will was drafted by the Astros (although he was traded before he made the majors).
The White Sox and their fans should approach this news with caution, though. The sons of Hall of Famers rarely follow their fathers into greatness. The one exception, ALCS hero Vlad Guerrero Jr., may be enough to create recency bias, but one only has to look at Cavan Biggio, Tony Gwynn Jr., or Tim Raines Jr. to see how little genetics plays a role in baseball fortunes.
For the White Sox and for the Thomases, perhaps it’s best to hope that Frank Thomas III develops into the best player he can be, regardless of his father’s fame, and that the White Sox aim for the best player in the draft, regardless of that player’s name.