One of my favorite prospects on this list, Loidel Chapelli had a fantastic start to the 2023 season. He cooled off towards the middle of the year, but he finished with an overall very good stat line on the season. With the uncertainty surrounding the team in the future, he is one of my favorite sleeper picks to be the second baseman of the future for the White Sox.
After defecting from Cuba’s 23 and under-team, he was signed by the White Sox for 500,000 dollars. He is looking to continue the pipeline of recent Cuban stars finding success with the Chicago White Sox. After signing, he reported to the Dominican Summer League affiliate team for the White Sox. He would have an impressive stint there, as he hit .344 with eight home runs and 29 RBIs in just 46 games. He would also post an impressive .448 OBP, as he walked 27 times compared to just 22 strikeouts. Those are elite numbers and he was ready to make the jump to minor league baseball for the Sox.
In 2023, he would have a very solid season for Winston-Salem. He would spend the whole year there after skipping Low-A Kannapolis. In his first action in the United States, Chapelli would hit .254 with a .361 OBP in 106 games. He would add 10 home runs and 57 RBIs to that total. He also walked 61 times and stole 26 bases. A very good overall season, as he is extremely toolsy. He did strike out 115 times, but it takes time to get adjusted to the pitching here, as this was his first time playing affiliated baseball in the United States.
The 21-year-old used to play the corner outfield spots, but has recently switched to second base. This may be a smart move for the White Sox, as he could fill a pressing need at second base, as the White Sox have refused to invest in any long-term solutions at second. It will take a bit of time for Chapelli to get the feel for the position, but he had a solid year at second base with a .982 fielding percentage. I would love for him to start out at AA Birmingham and be fast-tracked to the majors. He has the tools to be successful, so hopefully they make him a priority in terms of development.
Chapelli will need to cut down on the strikeouts but once he does he could be very dangerous. He already has a nice feel for the strike zone and has shown he can be a very good hitter, so if he cuts down the strikeouts, his stat line will improve even more.
For his first full season in the United States, he played very well. I would grade him out to a B, as there is stuff that he needs to work on if he wants to make the next step, but an overall very solid year.
