Our Sox Populi staff combines their prospect lists each offseason, coming up with the Top 100 players in the system. We’ll be summarizing and counting them up here, five at a time, leading up to the regular season.

10
George Wolkow
Outfielder
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
Baseball Cube Rating 44.88
Simple WAR 1.4
There’s no greater hitting upside in the White Sox system than that of one of our tallest prospects, the 6´7´´Wolkow. But don’t confuse upside with readiness, because there is a massive hole in Wolkow’s swing that will need to be stitched up for him to see the higher minors anytime soon. The good news? When Wolkow makes contact, the ball flies very, very far.

9
Grant Taylor
Right-Handed Starter
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
Baseball Cube Rating 72.17
Simple WAR 0.7
Taylor, while the epitome of small sample size, is also the living definition of high upside. With a fastball that touches 100 mph, he is certain to see the majors be it pen or rotation. There is no doubt he could be the White Sox closer right out of camp. But the Sox deign to stretch him out, as, after, all, five innings are better than one from such a dynamic arm.

8
Mason Adams
Right-Handed Starter
Charlotte Knights
Baseball Cube Rating 65.00
Simple WAR 3.0
It’s been a record-setting level of good news-bad news during this Top 100, as some of the best arms in the system have been beset by devastating injury. One of the latest is Adams, whose injury came in Cactus League play, if you can believe it. The 13th-rounder in 2022 (yes, Brooks Baldwin came in Round 12, making this potentially one of the best off-radar dual picks in team history) was destined for Chicago in 2025, via Charlotte if not straight out of camp. Now, we will have to wait one year longer.

7
Jairo Iriarte
Right-Handed Starter
Chicago White Sox
Baseball Cube Rating 55.50
Simple WAR 1.7
With September call-ups limited to two via roster expansion nowadays, Iriarte being plucked as one in 2024, straight outta (where else?) Birmingham, qualifies as high honor. And the righty, pitching out of the pen after an arduous 22 starts in Double-A, acquitted himself pretty well; let’s have the upside (1.50 ERA) offset the downside (eight walks in six innings!).

6
Braden Montgomery
Right Fielder
Texas A&M (NCAA)
Baseball Cube Rating 68.12
Simple WAR 5.2
Montgomery has an interesting distinction, drafted by Boston but never playing in its system due to injury sustained during College World Series play. He’s as close to a five-tool player (OK, perhaps not speed, but damn, 27 homers in 61 SEC games last year!) than anyone in the system, so fingers are crossed for good health and a swift move up the ladder.

Mason Adams photo courtesy of Birmingham Barons.

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