Jake Eder is probably the most controversial prospect on this list, as he was traded for fan favorite Jake Burger. Jake Burger went on to improve on almost every facet of the game in Miami, helping lead Miami to the playoffs, while Jake Eder struggled after the trade. This extra critique is unfair to Eder, as it is just unfortunate that he will always be tied and compared to Jake Burger, so many people will have high expectations for him.
Regardless of this extra criticism, Eder is a very talented prospect. Overall in three seasons at Vanderbilt, he started 13 games, good for 92.1 innings. In those innings, he would give up 73 hits, and 47 walks, while striking out 105 batters. He showed elite strikeout stuff as a lefty, which teams covet. This was one of the main reasons the Marlins would take him in the fourth round of the 2020 MLB draft.
Eder would not pitch in 2020 after getting drafted, as COVID had shut down the minor leagues, but they started him off at AA in the 2021 season. There he would absolutely dominate. In 15 games started, he would have a 1.77 ERA. Batters would only hit .169 against him and he had a fantastic .98 WHIP. He would strike out 99 batters in just 71 innings. He looked like an absolute steal in the fourth round.
Unfortunately, Eder would need Tommy John Surgery and that would force him to miss the entirety of the 2022 season. This was extremely disappointing as he had an amazing professional debut.
He would make his way back in 2023, and he would do a little rehab stint at low A before making his way back to AA for the Marlins. There he would pitch 29.2 innings, starting 6 games. He pitched pretty decent, as he had a 3.94 ERA, a 1.28 WHIP, and a .210 opponent batting average. He struck out 38 batters and walked 16. Not a bad return from Tommy John, but he was still working his way back.
This would entice the White Sox to trade for him at the deadline, shipping off Jake Burger in the process. Once he was traded to the Sox, he did not fare well. In 17.1 innings at Birmingham, he gave up 27 hits, walked 15, and was hit very hard. This was good for a 0-3 record and an 11.42 ERA. Not exactly what the team was looking for when they traded a guy who can hit 35 home runs in a season.
He has pitched a bit in the Arizona Fall League, but he hasn’t looked much better. He has started 5 games, good for 15.2 innings. There he has given up 16 hits, 13 walks, and a 1.8 WHIP. Not what the White Sox are looking for out of him. Due to this and his performance in Birmingham, I would grade him out as a C- for the Sox. This is not what you want out of a top 5 prospect, but he is coming off of surgery, so that could be a significant reason.
Overall, Eder is very talented. He has a devastating slider and a mid-90s fastball from the left side that is very hard to hit. If he can get to pre-injury numbers, he has the potential to be an ace for the White Sox. If he shows that 2023 was a fluke, he could be up at some point in 2024 and I am rooting for him, as he could be the best lefty since Chris Sale.
