Prior to the start of Spring Training 2025, most within the Chicago White Sox organization would’ve named starting pitching depth as perhaps the organization's biggest strength. It didn’t take long for the pitching depth to be tested.
Before the calendar even turned to May, the White Sox watched several starting pitchers from both the Major League and Minor League rosters undergo Tommy John surgery, ending their 2025 seasons. With a large number of starting pitchers down, including promising youngsters Drew Thorpe, Ky Bush, Mason Adams, and Juan Carela, and veteran Martin Perez, the White Sox will need to get creative to fill innings in 2025.
Fortunately, Chicago's farm system is rich with starting pitching depth. Here are a couple of underrated prospects that are flying under the radar but could be called on to make their Major League debuts in 2025.
Tyler Schweitzer, LHP, White Sox #22 Prospect (MLB.com)
Schweitzer may be the White Sox best pitching prospect that you’ve never heard of. Drafted in the fifth-round in 2022 out of Ball State, the now 24-year-old has been as consistent as it gets through several levels of the White Sox minor league system.
He had a 3.94 ERA and 121 strikeouts over 107.1 innings in his first professional season (2023). Last year, Schweitzer made 25 starts, completing 132 innings (most of which came in Double-A) with a 4.02 ERA.
Schweitzer doesn’t possess overwhelming stuff. His fastball sits around 93-94, and he has just a decent slider and change-up, but he’s a strike thrower that has found success with soft contact. After beginning 2025 with 10 scoreless innings at AA-Birmingham, Schweitzer was recently promoted to AAA-Charlotte. While he’s gotten hit around in his first two Triple-A starts, Schweitzer has an arsenal that should play at the big league level, and if he’s able to settle in and turn in a few solid outings, he could see a promotion to the big leagues before 2025 is up.
Wikelman Gonzalez, RHP, White Sox #17 Prospect (MLB.com)
The lone pitcher acquired from Boston in the Garrett Crochet trade, Wikelmen Gonzalez has been easily forgotten by many in White Sox circles. "Big time stuff with control trouble" is a profile commonly seen across Major League Baseball. Gonzalez, though, was highly thought of enough that he was Boston’s top pitching prospect as recently as 2023. He really struggled with his control at the Double-A level in 2024, and many were concerned he’d be better off in the bullpen.
After coming to the White Sox this past offseason, Gonzalez was assigned to AA-Birmingham and given another shot in the starting rotation. 21 strikeouts over 16.1 innings were enough for the White Sox to quickly promote him for his first Triple-A action at the beginning of May.
Gonzalez made his Triple-A debut for Charlotte on Thursday night, completing two scoreless innings in relief of Mike Clevinger. Gonzalez did not allow a hit, walked two, struck out three, and got the win.
There is no question that his stuff can play at the big league level. With a fastball that can touch 99 and a pair of solid breaking balls, the only question is whether or not he’ll throw strikes consistently enough to stick in a starting rotation. If Gonzalez can demonstrate strike-throwing ability in AAA, he could be headed to Chicago by season’s end. That could be as a starter or in a long relief role.