White Sox Rumors: Chicago coveting son of Hall-of-Fame player in July’s MLB Draft

Of all the excitement of the White Sox offseason, perhaps the biggest event was the MLB Draft Lottery, which saw the White Sox land the first overall pick for the first time since 1977. Fans have gotten a glimpse of UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowksy, who enters the 2026 college season as the likely top pick. With all qualifying offer players now signed, the White Sox now know that their second pick in the draft will be 41st overall, and buzz has already started on who the team might target with that pick. 

MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis offered some information in a recent mailbag, and tied the White Sox to the son of Hall-of-Famer and current front office assistant Jim Thome. 

“In 2024, the White Sox used their second-round pick on a high school hitter who had played for their Area Code Games team and signed him for $2,997,500,” Callis wrote. “Last year, they did the exact same thing with center fielder Jaden Fauske. This time around, they’d love to travel that route once again with Landon Thome, Fauske’s former teammate at Nazareth Academy.” 

Later, Callis said “Everyone in baseball knows that Chicago covets Thome” 

Landon Thome could be a fit for the White Sox on and off the field

MLB Pipeline ranks Thome, 18, as the 42nd best prospect in the class. They describe him as “one of the best all-around hitters in the 2026 high school crop”. A left-handed hitter, Thome has demonstrated the ability to hit for both contact and power, with the main questions surrounding where he’ll eventually end up on defense. While he’s listed as an infielder, some scouts believe he ultimately ends up in left field. He’s committed to Florida State, but is projected to go in the first two rounds of the draft, so it feels likely he’ll pursue a pro career instead. 

Landon’s father Jim, of course, played for the White Sox from 2006-2009, hitting 134 home runs over that span. He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018 and has worked as a special assistant in the White Sox front office since 2013. He’s also an assistant coach at Nazareth Academy, the suburban Chicago high school that White Sox 2025 second round pick Jaden Fauske played at alongside Landon Thome. 

With the top pick in the draft, the White Sox receive a high bonus pool for the upcoming draft that will allow them to potentially float a player to the second round and overslot them. Choosing Thome at 41 would be right around his slot value and could allow the White Sox to use more money later in the draft. It’ll be interesting to see the team’s approach, but financially, they should be in a good spot to land multiple impact players. 

Landing the son of such a prominent big league player that White Sox fans know well could be a fun wrinkle into the team’s draft plans. Aside from the fun connection though, Landon Thome has legitimate potential to be a good hitter at the big league level. He’d add another strong, left-handed hitting prospect to the organization as they look to put together waves of talent. 

White Sox fans have many reasons to be excited about the young players coming up through the organization, and the team could add even more this July.