MLB Insider Gives Chicago White Sox Fans Hope for the Future

The Athletic's Keith Law says Chicago has loaded up the farm system with solid prospects who could help to erase the memory of the worst season in MLB history.

Chicago White Sox infielder Colson Montgomery against the Cleveland Guardians during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale in Arizona in 2023. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Chicago White Sox set the record in 2024 for the most losses ever in Major League Baseball history, finishing 41-121.

And while nothing indicates that new manager Will Venable will steer the White Sox to the playoffs -- or even anywhere close to a .500 record -- help could be on the way.

That's according to Keith Law of The Athletic, who released his ranking of the top farm systems in baseball on Thursday. On his list, Chicago's minor leaguers ranked 12th in baseball, with Law saying the White Sox have some foundational pieces to build around.

MLB 2025 farm system rankings: Keith Law ranks all 30 teams, Mariners are new No. 1 https://t.co/xbwi9LFi0r

— The Athletic MLB (@TheAthleticMLB) January 30, 2025

According to Law:

"Chicago’s system has improved dramatically in the last 18 months, thanks to a couple of big trades and some draft successes, although the list drops off significantly after the top six and they still don’t have the depth that every team needs to fill out the back of a roster. They have three former top-100 prospects who all need to do something to get back on track this year, plus 2023 first-rounder Jacob Gonzalez, who hasn’t looked anywhere near as good in pro ball as he did in college. This is actually one spot lower than they were last year, the result of so many guys going backward in the system in 2024, but way up from where they were in 2023 (28) and 2022 (30, also known as Da Worst)."

MLB Pipeline also is giving hope to White Sox fans. In its new 2025 Top 100, released last week, it said the White Sox have six prospects in that group.

They are pitchers Noah Schultz (No. 16 overall) and Hagen Smith (No. 34) – the No. 1 and No. 2 left-handers on the list – as well as catcher Kyle Teel (No. 32), shortstop Colson Montgomery (No. 39), outfielder Braden Montgomery (No. 55) and catcher Edgar Quero (No. 66).

While the pitchers aren’t likely to make an impact at the big league level early in 2025, it’s possible that Montgomery could join the White Sox out of spring training -- especially if he continues to build on his hot finish in 2024 at Triple-A Charlotte.

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