This off-season we set off to write our first book. Changes and challenges arose, so we've pivoted to releasing our top prospect lists & reports through the site and our Patreon. We're excited to finally show you the hard work of our evaluating team the last few months.
Below you'll find the top 10 players in the system with full reports of the top 5. The full rankings and reports on all top 30 prospects per team will be available on our Patreon at the 55-tier ($5 level) as we publish them. If you're into fantasy baseball, this tier also gets you the dynasty show, the FYPD list and the MiLB Daily Sheet in season. We plan to add all the reports to player pages on the site shortly after the season begins.
Top 10 Team Rank at First 5 Reports for Free Below
1. Colson Montgomery, SS - 50 OFP
Age: 20 Highest Level: CPX
2021 MLB Draft Rank: 19
| Hit | Power | Field | Arm | Run | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 60 | 50 | 55 | 50 | High |
PHYSICAL Tall, athletic frame. He has long levers, but is able to control them very well. Very athletic, was a standout basketball player. He hasn’t lost any athleticism at his current size and could project for more.
STRENGTHS Big raw power that is easily plus at the moment. He’s heralded with a good eye at the plate, too. The ball jumps off his bat when he finds the barrel and with the loft in his swing he’ll have every chance to produce power in game. He is supremely athletic for his size. He moves well and is fluid on the infield with a big arm across the diamond. He can handle a corner if that is where his career takes him, though he has every chance to stick at shortstop.
WEAKNESSES While he is very in control of his actions despite long levers, they will still lead to some swing and miss. There’s a lot to dream on, but right now it’s a lot of raw talent that can polish into a gem. His power is apparent, he can get a little pull happy with it, selling out for that pop in game.
SUMMARY There is a lot to dream on when it comes to Colson Montgomery. His athleticism and size make him a really intriguing prospect. While he has plus raw power and baseline ingredients for a hit tool, there is work to be done for that to appear in game. He’s athletic enough to handle shortstop long term with the arm to handle third if necessary, so it may come down to where the organization feels they need him. The White Sox saw his potential and deemed it worthy of a first round pick. If they are right and it all works out, the ceiling is tremendous.
EVALUATOR Trevor Hooth
2. Wes Kath, 3B - 50 OFP
Age: 19 Highest Level: CPX
2021 MLB Draft Rank: 33
| Hit | Power | Field | Arm | Run | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 60 | 45 | 60 | 40 | High |
PHYSICAL Large long athletic frame. Broad shoulders with long limbs. Has projection left in the upper body. Some present strength in lower body
STRENGTHS Absolute cannon of an arm that will play at the hot corner. Explosive lower half and hips at the plate. Effortless swing with loft that projects for more in-game power. Good baserunner. Soft hands on the field
WEAKNESSES Below average runner out of the box, not burning speed. There are some questions whether Kath has the lateral mobility to cover the ground at 3rd base. Swing can get long and out of synch due to load and bat wrap. Struggled with swing and miss during first taste of pro ball.
SUMMARY Kath has a great profile for a 3B prospect. It is easy to believe that as he grows into his body and matures that his power will increase in strength and in-game frequency. All the tools are there for Kath to be a quality 3B with three potential plus tools. He will need to simplify his swing and operation to mitigate swing and miss against higher level competition.
EVALUATOR Jackson Thomas
3. Jose Rodriguez, SS - 45 OFP
Age: 21 Highest Level: AA
2021 Pre-season Rank: 24 Pre-season OFP: 35
| Hit | Power | Field | Arm | Run | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 50 | 45 | 50 | 50 | Moderate |
PHYSICAL Medium frame, ordinary build. Room to fill out and get stronger, particularly in the lower half and arms. Athletic enough that added muscle won't compromise movements.
STRENGTHS Has great athleticism. Quiet, motionless stance and has quick bat speed. More of a line-drive hitter, but shows really great strength which helps him in the power department. Power has been a significant development for him. Good hand eye and feel for the strike zone. Has shown much improvement in his speed with a good instinct on the basepaths.
WEAKNESSES His approach at the plate is a bit aggressive which may hurt as he faces better pitching and lead him to be exposed as sees better offspeed pitches. Will most likely be a fringe-to-average defender. Arm is about average and doesn’t have a ton of zip to it, which may move him permanently to second base.
SUMMARY Rodriguez has a balanced profile and has average tools across the board. There isn’t really one tool that sticks out above the rest. He made great developments in the power and speed department which could really help him hit his ceiling as a utility player. If he works on his ability to calm down his aggressive approach, he could burst through his ceiling
EVALUATOR Jared Perkins
4. Yoelqui Cespedes, OF - 45 OFP
Age: 24 Highest Level: AA
Pre-Season Rank: Unranked
| Hit | Power | Field | Arm | Run | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 60 | 50 | 55 | 50 | Moderate |
PHYSICAL Short compact build, maxed out physically. Strong muscular development all throughout the frame. Physically, his body comp is similar to Rusney Castillo. Works from wide open stance, both knees bent, little leg kick as timing mechanism, bat angle toward pitcher pre-load, works hands onto backside through load and gets into good hitting position.
STRENGTHS Demonstrates plus raw power and has shown the ability to turn on pitches and drive them with authority in game. Above average arm strength and has the ability to play all three outfield spots. Threat to steal once on base.
WEAKNESSES Cut back on strikeouts, swing path tends to lengthen and leads to swing and miss. Struggles to recognize spin and becomes free swinger at breaking pitches out of the zone. Low walk rate is a by-product of his free swinging approach. If he is able to improve in pitch recognition, should see a slight increase in walk rate.
SUMMARY The younger brother of former major league outfielder Yoenis Cèspedes, Yoelqui is not nearly as prolific of a prospect as his older brother. He signed for 2.05 million dollars out of Cuba during the 2021 international signing period. Overall, he possesses a raw skill set and needs to continue refining his approach at the plate if he wishes to continue having success in the upper levels of the minors. Long term, he profiles as a major league fourth outfielder who will be able to play all three outfield spots with above average power ability off the bench.
EVALUATOR Brandon Smith
5. Norge Vera, RHP - 45 OFP
Age: 22 Highest Level: CPX
Pre-Season Rank: Unranked
| Fastball | Curveball | Changeup | Command | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70 | 50 | 30 | 50 | High |
| 94-96 mph | 77-80 mph | 88-89 mph |
PHYSICAL Vera has gotten stronger since signing with the White Sox and it's a noticeable difference on tape. He’s a great athlete with the type of build to dream on. Should age really well. He’s tightened the arm path up as well. He used to show the ball behind his back mid delivery and finish with a long arm stroke, but he’s shortened the arm path and as a result the delivery is much cleaner and should lead to him throwing strikes more consistently. It’s a tall and fall operation from a high ¾ arm slot. Seems like he’s also dropped the El Duque-esque leg kick that he had while pitching in Cuba
STRENGTHS Vera was dominant in his DSL stint, as he should’ve been due to his age and stuff. Tax and visa issues kept him from making his stateside debut, not anything to do with the talent here. He touched 99 per our data from his DSL stint and averaged 95 with the fastball. He dominated hitters with this offering and flashed a slider/curveball hybrid that he commands well.
WEAKNESSES Vera’s changeup is firm and looks too much like a fastball. Lacks depth and essentially is more of a sinker. He did miss some time this year with a tired arm, but it’s also his first full year on the mound since the defection process, so he gets a break from me.
SUMMARY Vera has the most upside of any arm in the White Sox system, and if that changeup comes along he could slot in as a future mid-rotation arm. I expect the White Sox to push him aggressively and he should start at High-A and could even pitch out of the big league bullpen later in the season. Need to see more of Vera against more appropriate competition as he sliced through the DSL hitters with a dominant season.
EVALUATOR Matt Thompson
6. Oscar Colas, OF - 45 OFP
Age: 23 Highest Level: CPX
Pre-Season Rank: Unranked
7. Jake Burger, 3B - 45 OFP
Age: 26 Highest Level: MLB
Pre-Season Rank: 10 Pre-Season OFP: 45
8. Matthew Thompson, RHP - 45 OFP
Age: 21 Highest Level: A
Pre-Season Rank: 6 Pre-Season OFP: 50
9. Jared Kelly, RHP - 45 OFP
Age: 20 Highest Level: A
Pre-Season Rank: 4 Pre-Season OFP: 55
10. Sean Burke, RHP - 45 OFP
Age: 22 Highest Level: A
2021 MLB Draft Rank: 64