FutureSox: 2025 White Sox Midseason Just Missed List

The White Sox are playing better baseball in the big leagues and numerous players have graduated from rookie status this year. There are some new names on our upcoming mid-season top 30 prospect list and some players have entered the list from our preseason version of the Just Missed as well. Here’s a refresher on our pre-season top 30 list as well.

The organization recently added 20 new players via the 2025 MLB Draft, international signees have played nearly a full season in the Dominican Summer League, rookie ball has concluded and the trade deadline has come and gone as well. This list has lots of relievers and young position players on it and we could’ve stretched it even further to include more names for this iteration.

That brings us to this list! 21 players who didn’t make our list this cycle but who our writers all discussed and considered in some fashion. These are prospects on the cusp of the radar and history suggests that some will contribute value of sorts down the line.

Note: players are listed in alphabetical order

Alexander Albertus, infielder

The Dodgers signed Albertus out of Aruba for $75K back in 2022 and he did nothing but hit to start his professional career. The 6-1, 175 pounder posted a 143 wRC+ in the Dominican Summer League in 2022 and came back to post a 161 wRC+ with a 30% walk rate in the Arizona Complex League in 2023. Albertus returned to the ACL to begin the 2024 season and he hit .342/.479/.459 with a 151 wRC+. He was promoted to Low-A and struggled in 19 games but did walk at a 12% clip. He posted a 124 wRC+ in the minors in 2024.

The 20-year-old suffered a stress reaction in his left tibia and missed the remainder of the 2024 season prior to being traded to the White Sox in the three-team deal that sent Erick Fedde to St. Louis and Michael Kopech to Los Angeles. He had another surgery this past off-season and he returned to play in eight games in the Arizona Complex League this year while hitting .333/.520/.444. He was promoted to Low-A with Kannapolis but has been back on the injured list ever since.

Albertus possesses a hit-over-power profile with a quick right-handed swing. He rarely expands the zone and has shown a very patient approach at the plate. He has walked 113 times in 144 professional games so far and he profiles as an offensive-infielder. Albertus has the arm for third base but could ultimately fit best at second. The White Sox believe that the infielder will hit the ball harder and drive it in the air more often; leading to 20 homer potential. He needs to play however.

Ely Brown, outfielder

Ely Brown hit .320/.459/.401 with a 16% walk rate and 11% strikeout rate at Mercer last year. The White Sox drafted the left-handed hitter as a draft-eligible sophomore in the 12th round this past July and gave him a bonus of $175K. Brown turned 21 on draft day and he’s already playing in Low-A with the Cannon Ballers. He projects as a center fielder but the organization believes that he can play all three outfield spots.

The 6-0, 180 pound table setter type has displayed bat-to-ball skills with an all fields offensive approach. Brown controls the zone with more walks than strikeouts but he doesn’t have much power projection in his game currently. The White Sox were attracted to the outfielder’s speed, contact rates and in zone decision making in the batter’s box. He received an overslot bonus and he was one of the more intriguing late round selections for the club.

Alejandro Cruz, infielder

The 6-2, 180 pounder has shown a simple right-handed swing that is contact oriented. The Havana, Cuba native comes from the same town as the Gurriel brothers and he was named Tournament MVP of the 15U World Qualifier in Venezuela and appeared on Cuba’s 15U World Championship Team in Mexico as well. The 18-year-old possesses plus makeup and he’s lauded for his competitiveness. Cruz has struggled in the Dominican Summer League in his debut with a 85 wRC+ on the season. He’s walked at an 17% clip with a 23% strikeout rate.

The White Sox signed Alejandro Cruz for $2 million out of Cuba on January 15th and he was their top signing in the current international class. The Cuban third baseman is polished defensively with an average arm and range but fluid actions that should allow him to stay at the hot corner. Cruz is a plus runner with plate discipline who displays pull side power and a feel to hit with a body that can add more size. The infielder did play 22 games at second base this year in the DSL as well. It will be interesting to see if he joins the instructional league squad in Arizona this fall.

Phil Fox, right-handed pitcher

Phil Fox is a 22-year-old reliever with a 3.59 ERA and 55 strikeouts to 10 walks over 47.2 innings in High-A with the Winston-Salem Dash this year. The White Sox drafted the 5-9, 183 pound righty out of Pittsburgh last year after he transferred from Gardner Webb. He should finish the year in Double-A with the Barons.

He was a 7th round pick in 2024 and the White Sox paid him $200K after he performed as one of the best relievers in college baseball playing in the ACC. Fox posted a 1.47 ERA with 45 strikeouts and three walks in 36.2 innings in his final college season. The right hander was also great in the Cape Cod League and the White Sox loved his flat, upshot fastball.

Zach Franklin, right-handed pitcher

The 26-year-old reliever was recently promoted to Triple-A and a big league look isn’t out of the question for Franklin in 2025. The 6-1, 198 pounder was a 10th rounder out of Missouri in 2023 who signed for $10,000. The righty posted a 3.20 ERA while averaging 13.3 K/9 in 50.2 innings last year.

Franklin possesses a mid 90’s fastball with a low 80’s slider. He also shows a mid 80’s changeup and a curveball as well. In 42 innings pitched with the Birmingham Barons this year, the righty posted a 1.71 ERA with 60 strikeouts and 19 walks on the season. Franklin is another close to the majors option for the White Sox in a potential bullpen role.

Pierce George, right-handed pitcher

The White Sox selected Pierce George in the 13th round of the 2024 MLB Draft and gave him an over-slot bonus of $200K as a redshirt sophomore. The 6-6, 240 pound righty transferred from Texas to Alabama but only threw 11.1 innings for the Crimson Tide in 2024 with a 4.76 ERA. The 22-year-old has always struggled to throw strikes consistently but he remains in a White Sox’s revamped pitching development infrastructure that should have some mechanical tweaks in store.

George has high octane stuff with a fastball that gets up to 102 mph and an 87-90 mph sharp slider that flashes plus as well. The big righty also threw 5.2 innings for Chatham in the Cape Cod League where he struck out eight hitters. George has thrown 36.2 innings with the Cannon Ballers in Low-A and posted a 6.38 ERA on the season. He has piled up 44 strikeouts with 28 walks while posting a 4.16 FIP however. He has the ceiling of a premium closer if he can throw enough strikes.

Adrian Gil, infielder

The White Sox signed Gil out of Venezuela in 2023 and he was recently promoted to full season ball as he’s playing for the Kannpolis Cannon Ballers in Low-A. The 19-year-old hit .246/.364/.448 with seven homers and a 107 wRC+ in the Arizona Complex League this season.

The 6-0, 193 pounder plays first and third base and he likely profiles in a corner infield spot so his bat will really need to do some heavy lifting. The right-handed hitter has shown strikeout rates over 30% but he’s walked at a 10% clip generally as well. Gil was a low dollar signing in his class but he posted a 161 wRC+ in his debut in the Dominican Summer League back in 2023.

Wikelman González, right-handed pitcher

González has a live arm with a fastball in the mid-90s that has topped 97 mph, and his low release height creates a unique profile. His curveball and command are plus pitches, but his command struggles stems from these two. Cutting down on his walks will be key to reaching his potential as a mid-rotation arm. If González doesn’t hone in on his control, his stuff can easily translate to the back end of the bullpen. The White Sox decided to begin that transition in Charlotte after four starts to open the year in Birmingham.

Gonzalez was acquired from the Boston Red Sox in the trade that sent Garrett Crochet to the east coast and he’s thrown eight innings in the big leagues this year with six strikeouts. The 23-year-old was one of the most exciting arms in the Boston system and he could finish the year with the White Sox in a relief role. The 23-year-old has walked too many batters in Charlotte but he could be a fixture in future Chicago bullpens.

Eduardo Herrera, infielder

Herrera really struggled in 2024 after signing with the White Sox for $1.8 million as the biggest bonus in their international class. The right-handed hitter repeated in the Dominican Summer League this year and has hit .252/.403/.414 with five homers. The Venezuelan has played first and third base while striking out at a 23% clip with a 18% walk rate and 107 wRC+.

The 18-year-old was ranked as the #11 player in the 2024 international signing class per MLB Pipeline and the 6-3, 212 pounder was known for his power potential. The Sox really lauded Herrera’s power potential and tournament success when he was signed. The infielder should head stateside for fall instructional league to finish out 2025 and make his stateside debut in the Arizona Complex League to start the 2026 season.

Jairo Iriarte, right-handed pitcher

It’s been a really tough season for Jairo Iriarte as he has dropped from #8 overall on our pre-season list to the just missed portion of our coverage. In 33.1 innings with the Charlotte Knights this year, the righty has posted a 6.21 ERA while compiling 38 strikeouts and 25 walks. Iriarte’s stuff has really backed up and he only made five starts before the White Sox transitioned him to a bullpen role. The Sox were trying to improve his velocity vai some mechanical tweaks and he completed a sojourn with the development staff in Arizona.

Jairo Iriarte, acquired in the Dylan Cease trade, had a solid season for the Barons that ultimately garnered a call-up with the big club at the end of the 2024 season. In 126 innings in Birmingham, Iriarte posted a 3.71 ERA, a 1.28 WHIP, 122 strikeouts, and 57 walks across 23 appearances (22 starts). The 23-year-old has a fastball that sat mostly 92-95 with some cutting action but topped at 100 mph last season, as well as a slider that exhibits plus potential that he can vary the shape of, operating in the low 80s.

The Venezuelan righty also has a low 90s changeup that has late fade but not enough of a velocity separation from his heater at this point.Iriarte throws from a lower slot and has displayed a loose delivery with a lot of extension, but command has been the main issue for the righty and will likely determine what his big league outlook projects to be.

Seth Keener, right-handed pitcher

The 6-2, 195 pounder posted a 4.02 ERA with 80 strikeouts in 69 innings across A and High-A last season with the Cannon Ballers and Dash. Keener likely stayed in the rotation with Winston-Salem to start the 2025 campaign but his season hasn’t gone well. Keener’s strikeout rate is down and he’s posted a 7.84 ERA on the year. The 23-year-old has transitioned to a relief role of late but some struggles are still evident.

The White Sox took Keener in the third round of the 2023 draft and paid him $800K after he pitched primarily out of the Wake Forest bullpen during his junior season. The organization felt like he was a starter that just happened to be squeezed out of a dominant college rotation. The righty has an elite slider with a fastball that sits 92-95 mph on a pretty consistent basis. He could ascend a bit quicker in a relief role.

Nick McLain, outfielder

With two brothers in professional baseball already, the youngest attempted to make a name for himself as well in the White Sox’s system. The 5-10, 190 pounder started his career at UCLA but he missed his entire freshman season with a back injury. McLain transferred to Arizona State for his final two college seasons and he missed time there as well after breaking the hamate bones in each of his wrists. The switch-hitter finally played consistently last spring though and he was impressive for the Sun Devils.

The 22-year-old batted .342/.457/.663 with 12 homers and he walked more than he struck out. McLain can play all three outfield spots but profiles the best in right field due to a plus arm. He’s a tweener as a smaller corner guy but he has the ability to drive the ball to all fields. The White Sox love his makeup and the bloodlines. He signed for $800K but he didn’t debut until this season in Low-A. He’s a pull hitter who controls the strike zone but he unfortunately is injured again and will miss the rest of the season. McLain hit .261/.414/.304 with the Ballers while posting a 123 wRC+ in just 13 games.

Mark McLaughlin, right-handed pitcher

McLaughlin was a top 500 draft prospect at Baseball America when the White Sox selected him out of Tennessee in the 7th round of the 2022 draft. The now 24-year-old signed for $150,000 and had decent success in the minor leagues out of the gate. He was extremely effective performer out of the Volunteers’ bullpen in college with a 92-95 mph fastball from an over-the-top release point along with a 12-to-6 big breaking curveball in the mid 90’s.

McLaughlin was solid in 2024 but he’s struck out 56 hitters with just 13 walks in 50.2 innings across High-A and Double-A this season. The righty posted a 2.78 for the Winston-Salem Dash but he’s been better in Birmingham. In 15 innings in Double-A, the 6-3, 205 pounder has posted a 0.60 ERA. He’s one of the few minor league pitchers who has a K-BB% over 20% with a ground ball percentage of 45%. He also has held opponents to a batting average under .200 with a WHIP under 1.00 and an xFIP under 3.00.

Frank Mieses, outfielder

Baseball America’s Ben Badler wrote that Mieses “could end up as the best position prospect in the class for the White Sox” after the club signed him for $175,000 out of the Dominican Republic this past January. He participated in the Dominican Summer League All Star Game and he’s hit .306/.434/.435 through 36 games in the DSL this year. The outfielder has posted a 126 wRC+ with two homers and a 15% walk rate.

The 6-1, 170 pounder is a lean, athletic center fielder with good plate discipline and strength to drive the ball. The 17-year-old makes quality contact and he’s an above-average runner. Mieses has made 30 plus starts in center field and his defensive instincts have been solid. He’s an exciting young bat in the system and he should join the instructional league team this fall in Arizona.

Abraham Nuñez, outfielder

Nuñez is the son of the former big league infielder of the same name who played for the Kansas City Royals and Florida Marlins and he was the biggest bonus teenager signed in the White Sox’s 2022 international class. The Dominican plays center field and he hit .299/.427/.442 with a 136 wRC+ in 2023 during his Dominican Summer League debut. The 6-2, 175 pounder walked at an 18% rate and hit three homers in that first season.

The left-handed hitting, athletic outfielder followed up that performance by slashing .292/.382/.371 in the Arizona Complex League last year with a 10% walk rate and 21% strikeout rate. Nuñez possesses good bat speed and controls the zone and he’s just an average runner. The 19-year-old didn’t display much power but he opened up his batting stance at the plate with present changes to his hand load and set up as well. In the final month of the year, Nuñez hit .407/.485/.463.

Nuñez began the 2025 season back in Arizona and he hit .292/.382/.371 at the complex prior to a promotion to Low-A. He’s struggling in affiliated ball but he has two homers and an 8% walk rate for the Cannon Ballers with solid defense overall. He likely returns to Low-A in 2025.

Peyton Pallette, right-handed pitcher

Pallette signed for $1.5 million after being selected by the White Sox in the second round of the 2022 draft out of Arkansas. The 6-1, 180 pounder was seen as a potential top 20 pick as a starter coming into his junior season but he missed that year rehabbing from Tommy John surgery ultimately. The 24-year-old threw 72 innings in Low-A with Kannapolis in 2023 and posted a 4.13 ERA in 22 starts. Pallette was a member of the Winston-Salem rotation to begin 2024 but he struggled in the role and the organization pivoted to a bullpen role.

After moving to the bullpen, Pallette threw 39.2 innings with a 1.13 ERA and 51 strikeouts to 10 walks with Winston-Salem and Birmingham. In Double-A specifically, the righty posted a 1.80 ERA in eight games. He possesses an upper 90’s fastball with life at the top of the zone and a plus overhand curveball in his arsenal. Pallette struggled after a promotion to Triple-A with Charlotte. Prior to that, he had more success to open the year with the Barons. In 24.2 innings, the righty has posted a 3.90 FIP with a 5.11 ERA and he has 56 strikeouts in 45.2 innings total this year. He could debut in Chicago at any time.

Yobal Rodriguez, right-handed pitcher

The 17-year-old recently pitched in the Dominican Summer League All Star Game and Josh Norris of Baseball America lauded his changeup. The 6-2, 170 pound Cuban signed with the White Sox for $230,000 as one of the first signings for David Keller in his new role. Rodriguez is a strike thrower with a great changeup for a teenager. He shows a slurvy curveball as well.

The righty has a quick arm with a fastball that gets up to 93 mph and he could project for mid 90’s heat as he progresses through the system. Rodriguez has struck out 25 batters and walked ten in 22.2 innings in the Dominican Summer League so far this year with a 2.38 ERA. He should head stateside to join the White Sox instructs group later this fall.

Casey Saucke, outfielder

The White Sox selected Saucke in the 4th round of the 2024 draft, 107th overall out of Virginia and signed him to an over-slot deal. After being drafted, the 22-year-old was sent straight to High-A with Winston Salem. The 6-3, 210 pounder did well, slashing .290/.333/.398 for a 110 wRC+. Saucke has good pop, and is able to hit the ball hard consistently. He hit a 483 foot tape measure shot in college, so clearly there’s big time power when he makes contact. Saucke only played in five games this year before undergoing season ending Tommy John surgery.

Although he didn’t strike out much as a collegian, there are whiff and chase concerns, that Saucke will definitely have to tone down if he wants to be a productive big league piece. It showed a slight bit in his professional debut, notching a 26.3% K% and a BB% of just 6.1%. The former Cavalier is a good athlete, playing shortstop in high school, third base and every outfield spot in college, but likely profiles in right field going forward due to his plus arm. Speed wise, Saucke can hold his own in the outfield and can swipe a handful of bases.

Tyler Schweitzer, left-handed pitcher

Schweitzer made our mid-season list last year and came in at #27 overall but fell off the pre-season 2025 version due to some additions and fresh faces entering the organization. The White Sox selected the lefty out of Ball State in the fifth round back in 2022 and he’s produced since entering the organization after signing for $325,000. While the southpaw is back in Birmingham and has posted a 0.00 ERA there in 24.2 innings, he also threw 50 disastrous innings in Triple-A previously; prompting the demotion.

The 24-year-old has a five pitch mix with a running fastball that gets up to 96 mph and he commands his entire arsenal with a slider, curveball, changeup and cutter as well. The 6-0, 185 pounder profiles as a back-of-the-rotation starter but he’s been pitching in a bulk relief role lately. Schweitzer threw 132 innings in High-A and Double-A last season with a 4.02 ERA and 136 strikeouts to 41 walks. He’s Rule 5 eligible this December and it’ll be interesting to see how the club approaches that decision.

Fabian Ysalla, right-handed pitcher

The White Sox signed Fabian Ysalla out of Venezuela for $50,000 back in 2023. The 20-year-old made his stateside debut in Arizona this year with 49 innings pitched over ten starts with a 2.02 ERA in the ACL. The righty punched out 40 while walking 16. The 6-0, 160 pounder spent two seasons in the Dominican Summer League previously with a good ERA but he doesn’t strikeout many.

Badler called Ysalla a “sleeper to watch” from the Pale Hose’s 2023 international class and his fastball was said to reach 95 mph with a “long arm action and athleticism of a former infielder”. Ysalla projects to throw his fastball in the upper 90’s in the future and he also displays a curveball with a tight rotation, bite and depth. He likely continue his season in fall instructional league with the White Sox club in Arizona.

Samuel Zavala, outfielder

The San Diego Padres originally signed Samuel Zavala out of Venezuela in 2021 for $1.2 million and they moved him rather aggressively through their system. The left-handed hitter put up stellar results in the Dominican Summer League and Arizona Complex League as a teenager. The White Sox acquired the outfielder as the third piece in the Dylan Cease trade last March but he didn’t really live up to the lofty expectations that came with him in 2024.

The 6-1, 175 pound outfielder struggled offensively in 2024 and he’s improved in 2025 with some alterations to his setup and swing. The 21-year-old is hitting .241/.351/.366 with a 115 wRC+ over the course of 91 games in Winston-Salem with the Dash in High-A. Zavala is still a stolen base threat and he can remain in center field for now. The goal is to see Double-A in 2026 while continuing to improve his offensive production.