Chicago White Sox Dominate MLB Pipeline's Preseason Top 100 Prospect Rankings

Even though Colson Montgomery took a tumble down the rankings, the Chicago White Sox have Noah Schultz, Kyle Teel and Hagen Smith propping up an elite farm system.

Jul 15, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a Chicago White Sox hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Truist Park. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The 2024 season couldn't have gone worse for the Chicago White Sox.

The core that guided them to the postseason in 2020 and 2021 was almost fully dismantled, and the next generation had fallen well short of expectations. The end result was a 41-121 record, the worst by any team in MLB's modern era.

Chicago has reason to hope that things will change in the near future, though, with a treasure trove of elite young players on the verge of breaking into the big leagues.

MLB Pipeline released its fully-updated list of the top 100 prospects in baseball on Friday night, featuring six White Sox players. While the Chicago Cubs and Seattle Mariners lead the way with seven top-100 prospects, the White Sox have more top-66 prospects than any other organization.

Left-handed pitcher Noah Schultz came in at No. 16, followed by catcher Kyle Teel at No. 32, left-handed pitcher Hagen Smith at No. 34, shortstop Colson Montgomery at No. 39, outfielder Braden Montgomery at No. 55 and catcher Edgar Quero at No. 66.

Schultz and Smith are ranked as the top-two southpaw prospects in the league. Teel and Quero, meanwhile, are the No. 3 and No. 9 catching prospects.

Colson Montgomery has been pegged the No. 11 shortstop – a far cry from the No. 2 spot he had at the position at the start of 2024, but still impressive in a vacuum.

The White Sox took Montgomery in the first round of the 2021 MLB Draft. Schultz was their first round pick in 2022, while Smith was their first rounder in 2024.

As for Chicago's other three top-100 prospects, they all arrived via trade.

Teel and Braden Montgomery came over from the Boston Red Sox in December's blockbuster Garrett Crochet deal. Quero was one of two prospects the White Sox got from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López in the summer of 2023.

Schultz, Teel, Quero and Colson Montgomery are all expected to make their MLB debuts in 2025. Smith is tracking for a 2026 promotion, while Braden Montgomery is projected to reach the majors in 2027.

That sets the White Sox up to reap the rewards of their highly-touted farm system in the not-too-distant future, which means their historic struggles could soon be behind them. Of course, the six rising stars will have to prove they have what it takes to contribute in the big leagues, but for now, they combine to represent a beam of hope for the tortured fanbase.

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