The Chicago White Sox did not have the 2022 season that they were hoping for. After winning the American League Central in 2021, the Sox never lived up to expectations last season, and endured a disappointing campaign that saw them finish with an 81-81 record and miss the playoffs entirely. It's clear that the team will need to do better in 2023, although that may be easier said than done.
The good news for the White Sox is that the AL Central is still wide open for the most part. The Cleveland Guardians and Minnesota Twins will be their top competition, but it doesn't look like there is a team out of this group of three that is destined to blow the other out of the water. And if they can get a couple of key players to put together bounce back campaigns, Chicago could be in business.
With Spring Training officially underway, there will be a lot of buzz surrounding those players and their potential bounce back seasons, but we will also get a chance to look into the future and see which players could end up making a big impact down the line as well. So with that in mind, let's take a look at three prospects on the White Sox who deserve your attention during Spring Training.
3. Lenyn Sosa
Lenyn Sosa finally broke through to the majors last season after putting together a strong season in the minors at AA and AAA. Despite that, Sosa's initial stint left a lot to be desired, and he appears to be in the middle of a battle for a roster spot with the Sox as Spring Training gets underway.
In the minors, Sosa looked more than ready to make the leap to the MLB (.315 BA, 23 HR, 79 RBI, .881 OPS). But once he arrived, the results were fairly disappointing, even if the sample size was small. Sosa hit just .114 over 35 at-bats, hitting just a solo home run for his lone source of run production.
Getting Sosa his first taste of the majors could ultimately prove to be beneficial, though, even as he struggled initially with Chicago. He seems to be a top contender for the teams starting second base job, but even if he doesn't land that, Sosa's positional versatility (he can also play shortstop and third base) should help him earn a spot on the bench if worst comes to worst. A strong Spring Training could change that, though, making Sosa a very interesting player to keep an eye on.
2. Oscar Colas
Oscar Colas made his debut with the White Sox minor league organization last year, and he looks like he could reach the majors at some point in 2023. Colas is one of the team's best hitters in their farm system, and a strong body of work during Spring Training could help him take the next step in his development.
Colas started the season at A+, but ended up finishing it in AAA. His combined numbers are very strong (.314 BA, 23 HR, 79 RBI, .895 OPS) and even more encouraging is that he raked during his initial seven-game stint in AAA, hitting .387 with two home runs and four RBIs in that stretch. If he keeps hitting like that, the White Sox will have no choice but to promote Colas to the majors in 2023.
For the most part, Colas has found a home in the field at first base, although he does have experience playing in center field and right field as well, with scouts noting his ridiculous arm strength. Assuming Colas can build off his strong 2022 campaign in the early going, he could make the jump to the majors at some point this season.
1. Colson Montgomery
The White Sox gave their top prospect Colson Montgomery an invite to Spring Training this season after a strong 2022 campaign saw him jump from A to AA, and while he likely isn't going to make it to the majors this season, it will be a great chance to get a first look at Montgomery.
Many scouts are high on Montgomery because of his ability to do everything well while playing the shortstop position. Montgomery's combined numbers from 2022 (.274 BA, 11 HR, 47 RBI, .810 OPS) are decent, although they are weighed down a bit by his initial struggles in AA, where he hit just .146 over 48 at-bats.
Similar to Sosa, getting Montgomery exposed to the next level should help him out this season. He has drawn rave reviews early in his career, and while his initial struggles in AA are a bit concerning, he only turns 21 today (happy birthday!) meaning he still has a lot of time to work with. He won't make an impact in the majors this season, but Montgomery figures to be an impact player in the future, making him a must-watch prospect if you are a White Sox fan.
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