Top Draft Picks Billy Carlson, Jaden Fauske Attend Chicago White Sox Game

CHICAGO –– Jaden Fauske grew up attending White Sox games as a fan from Willowbrook, Ill., but Tuesday's experience was a bit different.

Now the White Sox No. 6 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, Fauske and No. 3 prospect Billy Carlson were featured throughout Tuesday's game. Carlson, drafted 10th overall, and Fauske, a second-round pick, threw out the first pitch, toured team facilities, spoke to reporters pregame, conducted an interview on CHSN and took in the game against the Tampa Bay Rays on a nice night at Rate Field.

The rebuilding White Sox hope Carlson and Fauske can contribute to future success. Another player in that category –– Colson Montgomery, who has hit 18 home runs in his first 53 games –– is willing to help them along that process.

"He’s killing it, super cool dude," Carlson said of Montgomery. "He texted me right when I got drafted like, 'I'm here when you need me.’ So that just speaks to his character and the kind of guy he is."

Fauske aims to be in Montgomery's position down the road.

"Talking to Colson, he said he remembered being in our shoes when he was doing this tour after he was drafted," Fauske said. "So hopefully nin a couple years we’re in the same spot, talking to the new guys who just got drafted.

Carlson had the highest fielding grade, 70, of all shortstops taken in the 2025 MLB Draft, and he was named the top defensive player in the 2025 class by Perfect Game.

He doesn't want his bat to be overlooked, though, after slashing .365/.517/.647 (31-85) with six home runs and 34 RBI in 31 games as a senior at Corona High School in California.

After a break following the draft, Carlson was glad to get back on the field in Arizona as part of the bridge league, learning from and performing in front of White Sox coaches.

"Just good seeing live pitching," Carlson said. "I mean, obviously, high school season ended, drafted, a long time with no competition so just fun competing against the best. A lot of big leaguers on rehab coming down there going against us, so been super cool.

For Fauske, it provided a sense of the White Sox approach at various levels.

"It was good. I mean, you kind of understand what the organization is about," Fauske said. "Especially because they preach, or what they tell us is that, Low-A, High-A, Complex League is the same principles to have throughout the entire organization, which is play hard. So just kind of getting used to their philosophy."

Fauske was part of two state championship teams at Nazareth Academy, and he posted a .461 batting average and a .597 on-base percentage with six home runs, 36 RBI and 29 stolen bases in 34 games as a senior. He also earned a spot on the 2024 Dick’s Sporting Goods All-American Classic and Prep Baseball All-American Game rosters.

In a sense, Fauske had already been around professional baseball culture before being drafted by his hometown team. He learned from Jim Thome, who hit 134 home runs for the White Sox from 2006-09 and now serves as an assistant coach for at Nazareth Academy, where his son, Landon, plays.

"Sometimes you forget because of how down to earth and humble he is," Fauske said of Thome. "Like if you’re just talking to him, you would have to see his size to give it away, but you would never know who you were talking to. Then hearing him talk about baseball you kind of remember who he is and stuff. But being so close to Landon you kind of, most of the time it's just Landon’s dad."

While Fauske has been familiar with the White Sox and city of Chicago for years, it's been a fresh experience for Carlson, a southern California native, and one he's enjoyed.

"I went to dinner last night, got to see the city, see it all lit up at night, super awesome," Carlson said. "I came down here for medicals right after the draft, but didn’t get to venture out or anything like that, so super cool just to see the city, see how beautiful it is."

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