As the White Sox disappointing season continues, fans look to the minor leagues to get excited about something. Luckily, the White Sox have improved their farm system so there are some interesting players to get excited about.
Michael Turner
One of the lesser-known prospects on this list, Turner is having a sneaky good season. The 9th-round pick last year out of Arkansas has been hitting very well in his first full season in the minors.
To this point, he is hitting .298 with four home runs and 39 RBIs. The most impressive part of his game has to be his walk-strikeout ratio. He has walked 61 times while only striking out 57. That is extremely impressive and one of the reasons he has an excellent .422 OBP.
He’s thrown out about 22% of the runners that have attempted to steal on him, which is just okay, but he can work on that. Plus, at this point, most of the pitchers are the ones getting stolen on, not the catchers.
Unfortunately, the White Sox have stocked up on catchers in the last few months so he will have some competition if he wants to make it to the majors. But, if he keeps hitting and walking like this, he’ll have a step up on everyone. He is 25, so you could see him rise quickly through the system, as he very much deserves a promotion.
Jacob Burke
He was known for his extensive on-base streak earlier this season, and he has not slowed down at all. The 11th-rounder is having a great first full minor league season. So far he is hitting .294 with six home runs and 38 RBIs.
He has also added 19 stolen bases, which showcases his above-average speed. For an 11th-rounder, he is proving to be a steal that late. If the hitting doesn’t do it for you, he has had some web gem-type plays in center this year, including this amazing catch:
That is an absolutely insane catch and showcases his talent in the field. At this point, he is moving through the minors pretty quickly and we could see him shortly. I think he has the ability to become a nice fourth outfielder for the Sox, perhaps a better-hitting Adam Engel. Regardless, anytime a later-round pick makes it up to the pros, it is a success.
Loidel Chapelli
Although Chapelli has slowed down from his hot start at the beginning of the season, he is still one of the better players on the Dash. To this point, he is hitting .254 with nine homers and 53 RBIs. He also gets on base a lot, as he has a .358 OBP to go along with that.
He does compliment his game with some nice speed, as he has 24 stolen bases. He’s walked 54 times, but he has struck out 104. If he can cut that down and focus on some more contact, he could be a pretty good all-around player.
For his first full season in the minors, this is a good start. He is only 21 so he has plenty of time time to develop. I think he will start back with the Dash next year but is a candidate for a quick promotion to AA.
