Prospect rankings from The Athletic

[voodoochile]

Keith Law ranks the Sox prospects for The Athletic (Paywall)

https://theathletic.com/3115891/2022/02/09/white-soxs-top-20-prospects-for-2022-keith-law-ranks-chicagos-farm-system/

[rdivaldi]

Don't waste your money, Keith Law sucks.

[Domeshot17]

Weve been pretty much one of the 2-3 worst in all the rankings. It makes sense, we graduated out a lot of high end talent, other high end talent failed, and our drafts and international signings have not produced what we had hoped the last couple of years. Covid did not help, but so far Jered Kelley has not seemed to live up to the hype yet but its hard to tell because he has not stayed healthy thusfar, even though the potential is very good. It does concern me that we are still struggling to develop prospects out of the draft. Anderson has been sensational, Bummer has been a quality reliever, Crochet has been a very good reliever, but you don't want a middle reliever with pick 11 of round 1 so he has to become either a shut down closer or starter to hit value there. We have some intriguing prospects, but we haven't done a ton well in taking intriguing prospects and turning them into high level MLB players. We do well in trading for others top prospects, but development, we just have yet to figure out, especially in the draft.

[MrX]

https://theathletic.com/3461142/2022/08/01/mlb-top-prospects-2022-minor-leaguers/

Law updated his top 60 and Montgomery came in at 43.

Ramos was honorable mention.

[ChiTownTrojan]

https://theathletic.com/3461142/2022...inor-leaguers/

Law updated his top 60 and Montgomery came in at 43.

Ramos was honorable mention.

If Montgomery keeps doing what he's been doing, he's going to skyrocket up all these boards. There's a pretty good chance he's a unanimous top-20 prospect a year from now.

[Domeshot17]

Montgomery has been really good, he isn’t too 20 good. He could be but this ranking already has projection built in. He needs to show more power and elite D if he’s going to crack the the top 1/4 of the list

[ChiTownTrojan]

Montgomery has been really good, he isn’t too 20 good. He could be but this ranking already has projection built in. He needs to show more power and elite D if he’s going to crack the the top 1/4 of the list

The ranking is weighed down by where he started the season (off the list).

I've read good reviews of his defense, and scouts think power will develop further. It's not like he's Yolbert Sanchez or something, he's slugging .462 on the season. That number paired with a .420 OBP is elite, and he's still only 20 years old.

[Frater Perdurabo]

The ranking is weighed down by where he started the season (off the list).

I've read good reviews of his defense, and scouts think power will develop further. It's not like he's Yolbert Sanchez or something, he's slugging .462 on the season. That number paired with a .420 OBP is elite, and he's still only 20 years old.

He also has a lot of unexplored ceiling; he only started playing baseball full time upon being drafted out of high school. There’s still many skills that have yet to be sharpened into tools, and he already has a great eye and plate discipline.

[Domeshot17]

The ranking is weighed down by where he started the season (off the list).

I've read good reviews of his defense, and scouts think power will develop further. It's not like he's Yolbert Sanchez or something, he's slugging .462 on the season. That number paired with a .420 OBP is elite, and he's still only 20 years old.

we are kind of splitting hairs here. My thing is, I don’t right now see a 60 tool… and most the top 20 middle IF have a couple of them. He could have a 60 hit. His power right now looks 15 homers per year, his D looks good but not great so far. I don’t think he’s a never gonna make it guy at all like I do Sanchez. I just don’t see an elite tool, and when you review the tools and stats of other SS in the top 20, that .882 ops ends up very good but not elite.

[ChiTownTrojan]

we are kind of splitting hairs here. My thing is, I don’t right now see a 60 tool… and most the top 20 middle IF have a couple of them. He could have a 60 hit. His power right now looks 15 homers per year, his D looks good but not great so far. I don’t think he’s a never gonna make it guy at all like I do Sanchez. I just don’t see an elite tool, and when you review the tools and stats of other SS in the top 20, that .882 ops ends up very good but not elite.

I know "batting eye" isn't considered one of the traditional 5 tools, but if it was he would probably be a 70. He has a 16% walk rate and 14% K-rate at A+, that is outstanding. Since I guess it has to be considered part of the hit tool, I could easily see him getting a 60 hit tool by some scouts whenever the grades are updated.

FWIW, going into the season MLB pipeline had him at 50 hit, 55 power, 50 run, 55 arm, 50 field, and 55 overall. Some of those numbers are bound to go up after seeing him this season.

[Tragg]

2 in the top 70; getting better and better and quickly.

[Domeshot17]

I know "batting eye" isn't considered one of the traditional 5 tools, but if it was he would probably be a 70. He has a 16% walk rate and 14% K-rate at A+, that is outstanding. Since I guess it has to be considered part of the hit tool, I could easily see him getting a 60 hit tool by some scouts whenever the grades are updated.

FWIW, going into the season MLB pipeline had him at 50 hit, 55 power, 50 run, 55 arm, 50 field, and 55 overall. Some of those numbers are bound to go up after seeing him this season.

I agree with almost all of this. I like the kid a ton. I just don’t see him breaking the top 20 as SS who do generally either put up a 20+ homer season in the minors, have stupid speed and contact skills or look to be above average offensively with gold glove potential. He’s a kid who does everything good, with the hit tool looking better than expected but the power being more projection/raw. And really the ranking is meaningless.

[ChiTownTrojan]

I agree with almost all of this. I like the kid a ton. I just don’t see him breaking the top 20 as SS who do generally either put up a 20+ homer season in the minors, have stupid speed and contact skills or look to be above average offensively with gold glove potential. He’s a kid who does everything good, with the hit tool looking better than expected but the power being more projection/raw. And really the ranking is meaningless.

You're right the ranking is meaningless, so we're really quibbling about nothing. But I do expect him to eventually put up a 20+ HR season in the minors (unless he's rushed up to Chicago). He'll probably finish with around 12 this year at age 20.

[ChiTownTrojan]

Montgomery checks in at #38 in Baseball America's most recent rankings. At this rate he'll be top 20 by October .

https://twitter.com/TweetsOfHendrix/status/1556721868211634184?s=20&t=

[ChiTownTrojan]

Colas joins Montgomery on Baseball America's top 100 list, checking in at 99.

https://twitter.com/Sleepy_Harold_/status/1558159068048547840?s=20&t=Ba9knaOGFk1n9vUqMg426A