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Chicago WhiteSox Top 20 Prospects for 2010

John Sickels — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 04:15:07 -0000

More photos » by Charles Krupa - AP

3 months ago: Chicago White Sox' Gordon Beckham dashes down the first base line on his two run home run in the third inning against the Boston Red Sox during their baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston, Monday Aug. 24, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

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Chicago White Sox Top 20 Prospects for 2010.

All grades are EXTREMELY PRELIMINARY and subject to change. Don't get too worried about exact rankings at this point, especially once you get beyond the Top 10. Grade C+/C guys are pretty interchangeable depending on what you want to emphasize. Complete reports on these and over 1,000 other players will be in the2010 Baseball Prospect Book, now available for pre-order, shipping on February 2^nd!

1) Dan Hudson, RHP, Grade B+: A personal favorite, since I rated him as a big sleeper pre-season and he really broke through.

2) Jared Mitchell, OF, Grade B: Grade A tools, refinement is a Grade C/C+ right now.

3) Tyler Flowers, C, Grade B: Power and patience are plusses, defense has improved a great deal according to all reports.

4) Brent Morel, 3B, Grade B-: I think he's underrated. Only questions about power at higher levels keep him from a Grade B. Now blocked behind Mark Teahen, a long-term signing I don't understand.

5) Jordan Danks, OF, Grade C+: Borderline Grade B-, as I like the tools and think the bat may still come around.

6) Dayan Viciedo, 3B, Grade C+: Cutting him some slack since he was young for Double-A and was pushed fast, but this is a good example of why we need performance data rather than just hype and team propaganda/scouting reports when evaluating players.

7) David Holmberg, LHP, Grade C+: Will the fastball get faster? If it does his stock could go up quickly.

8) C.J. Retherford, 2B, Grade C+: He can hit despite unimpressive tools. Not sure how he fits into long-term plans.

9) Christian Marrero, 1B-OF, Grade C+: Looks underrated to me. Could be a good platoon player.

10) Santos Rodriguez, LHP, Grade C+: Gotta love the strikeouts, but a long way from being ready to help. High ceiling though.

11) Miguel Gonzalez, C, Grade C+: Interesting catcher with good hitting in the Appy League and good glove rep, could rise quickly up the list in '10.

12) Jhonny Nunez, RHP, Grade C+: Power relief arm could help sometime soon.

13) Josh Phegley, C, Grade C+: Borderline Grade C; defensive questions still present and he had trouble transitioning from metal to wood, but can't ignore Indiana numbers completely yet.

14) John Ely, RHP, Grade C: I know scouts hate him but he just keeps getting people out. Passed Double-A Finesse Pitcher Test with flying colors.

15) John Shelby, OF, Grade C: Good speed, good glove, some power, on-base skills still sketchy despite increase in walk rate.

16) Tracye Thompson, OF, Grade C: Great tools, horrible hitting skills at this point. High risk of bust, but physical potential is impressive.

17) Clevelan Santeliz, RHP, Grade C: I know he throws hard and has the pretty ERA in Double-A, but his walk rate remains too high for me to trust him at this point.

18) Lucas Harrell, RHP, Grade C: Another guy with a decent arm but unattractive component ratios.

19) Brandon Hynick, RHP, Grade C: Nice pickup from the Rockies, possible inning-eater type though stuff is marginal.

20) Carlos Torres, RHP, Grade C: Old for a prospect at 27, but pitched well in Triple-A and could be a useful staff asset.

Others of Note (all grade C): Kyle Bellamy, RHP; Ryan Buch, RHP; Nick Ciolli, OF; Justin Collop, RHP; Tyson Corley, RHP; Eduardo Escobar, SS; Stefan Gartrell, OF; Jon Gilmore, 3B; Nevin Griffith, RHP; Gregory Infante, RHP; Nathan Jones, RHP; Jon Link, RHP; Charlie Leesman, LHP; Dan Remenowsky, RHP; Sergio Santos, RHP; Joe Serafin, LHP; Brady Shoemaker, OF; Taylor Thompson, RHP.

This is a very thin farm system, thanks in part to frequent trades and major league graduations like Gordon Beckham. I like the four guys at the top: Hudson and Mitchell are both personal favorites, though both still have enough questions to keep them from getting B+ ratings. Flowers seems to have come around defensively and has a good bat. Morel is another guy I like quite a bit and he has breakout potential in '10.

After that things thin out fast. Danks, Viciedo, and Holmberg all have good potential but even bigger questionmarks than the top guys. Marrero strikes me as an underrated player. Rodriguez and Gonzalez are intriguing but we need to see them at higher levels. After that we have a bunch of potential role players, possible bullpen arms, or guys with big ceilings but gigantic holes in their game (Trayce Thompson).

If Mitchell begins to fulfill his potential he'll be the clear number one next year.

The Official SSS Top Ten White Sox Prospects

larry — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:00:44 -0000

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The White Sox did a pretty good job this year in terms of graduating homegrown talent to the big league level. Gordon Beckham, Chris Getz and Clayton Richard all played important roles. Per usual, the system also permitted Kenny Williams to acquire major league talent, as Aaron Poreda, Dexter Carter, RIchard, and Brandon Allen were traded away. Any system would be hurt by the "loss" of those six players; however, for a White Sox system that was only beginning to strengthen itself, both in terms of quality and depth, this has put the White Sox back in the position of having one of the worst farms in baseball. While the top five will probably be essentially a consensus amongst listmakers, after that, the depth drops off precipitously. It was a real struggle to complete the list. You could include any of about fifteen players in the next five and make a solid argument for all of them. The upper levels are full of fringe types and the lower levels, while having some interesting players, isn't all that inspiring to me at this point.

It is good for the club that they have a pretty well set starting five for next season because, outside of Daniel Hudson, there is an alarming lack of starting pitching prospects. Like every organization, there are a number of arms that could be relievers, some, like Jhonny Nunez, ready for opening day in 2010. Where the White Sox have improved is position player talent up the middle. Tyler Flowers looks like a legit catcher to me. And Jordan Danks and Jared Mitchell both look like they'll be able to handle centerfield defensively.

List after the jump.

1. Daniel Hudson: 2009 MiLB line: 147.1IP, 105 H, 34 BB, 166 K at Kannapolis, Winston-Salem, Birmingham and Charlotte. MLB: 18.2 IP, 16 H, 9 BB, 14 K. The Cheat covered him extensively here so I won't give yet another explication of his repertoire here. Suffice to say, his rise through the system last season was meteoric and well-deserved. Like any young pitcher, he still has things to work on but the talent is there. His ceiling is probably a #2 starter, depending upon how his offerings, particularly his slider, develop. I love the movement he generates on his pitches. ETA: Early 2010. The White Sox may want to play the service time game and start him in Charlotte. Barring injury or trade, there isn't a spot in the starting rotation for him. He could be a valuable arm out of the bullpen right away.

2. Tyler Flowers: 2009 MiLB line: .297/.423/.516 at Birmingham and Charlotte. Going into the season, his major question mark was whether he would stick at catcher, both because of his (in)abilities and injury history. He answered that question affirmatively by vastly improving his defense and staying healthy. And, oh yeah, he continued to hit the ball very well. While his strikeout rate is high (30%), he draws plenty of walks and hits for power. Don't expect his batting average to remain high, though, particularly since his BABIP was inflated. His ceiling is probably an average defensive catcher with an above average bat; in other words, a very valuable commodity. ETA: Mid-2010. With the White Sox continuing to implement their new policy of pushing players more quickly through the minors, he may be starting next season on the South Side. Though I think it would be a mistake to limit his repetitions at catcher by having him fill-in for A.J. Pierzynski once a week, it wouldn't surprise me if he found himself doing that along with playing some first and DH. On the other hand, Ozzie took a shot at Flowers' inability to "play small ball" and high K rate so shielding Flowers from such insanity for as long as possible would be prudent.

3. Jordan Danks: 2009 MiLB line: .266/.359/.405 at Winston-Salem and Birmingham. It was a tale of two halves for the left-handed hitting Danks. He tore up the Carolina League before a promotion to Birmingham where he continued to hit very well. Then he was sidelined by a wrist injury, followed by a finger injury and saw his offensive numbers diminish significantly. The question remains which is the true Danks. Was the slugging he initially showed a fluke or did injuries simply impede the awakening of his long projected power? The answer to that will dictate his future because, without some pop, that 26% K rate looks a whole lot scarier. ETA: 2011. Talked up as a possible September call-up in the summer, the poor second half took the sheen off his rapidly rising star. A return to Birmingham for a couple months and then a promotion to Charlotte will be his path next year.

4. Jared Mitchell: 2009 MiLB line: .296/.417/.435 at Kannapolis. His performance was exactly as expected: lots of walks, lots of strikeouts and lots of defense. Quite toolsy but also quite raw, it will be very interesting to watch his development over the coming seasons. Guys like Mitchell tend to either succeed spectacularly or fail spectacularly. The ceiling of a plus defensive CF with good power, plus contact and plus on base skills is certainly tantalizing. ETA: 2012. Will probably start at Winston-Salem and then move to Birmingham when Danks is promoted.

5. Dayan Viciedo: 2009 MiLB line: .280/.317/.391at Birmingham. I can sugarcoat ii as much as I like but there's no denying that Viciedo was not very good this year. Yes, at 20 he was young for the league. And, yes, he was acclimating to a new culture. But, no, his beisbol wasn't very good. First, his defense is terrible at third so he's going to need to find a new position. Second, while scouts will still tell you that he has quick hands and power potential, his pitch recognition is poor. Finally, questions about his fitness still linger. All that said, he gets a mulligan from me for last season, particularly since he showed some signs of life in the second half. But he's going to need to show improvement soon - starting in the Arizona Fall League next week - in order to justify his price tag. ETA: 2011. Back to Birmingham and then on to Charlotte.

6. Brent Morel: 2009 MiLB line: .281/.335/.453 at Winston-Salem. I'm a big fan of Morel. He doesn't strike out a lot, he's got gap power, his defense is fantastic, he's got good speed (25 for 34 in SBs) and his makeup is excellent. If you can get past the fact that his bat will be less than average for third base, you can see the makings of an average to solid player. The Joe Randa comparison still rings true to me. ETA: 2011. Will start in Birmingham and may spend the whole season there.

7. C.J. Retherford: 2009 MiLB line: .297/.340/.473 at Birmingham. The guy just puts up numbers. He was a doubles machine this year, racking up 46 in 128 games. There's nothing overwhelming in his tool box but average or so at a lot of things can get you to the majors and that appears to be the case with Retherford. Most scouts don't think he'll be more than a utility player - he played mostly 2B this year but has experience at multiple positions - but I could see him slotting in as a somewhat below average starter with the right team. ETA: Late 2010. Will start in Charlotte and could find himself as the first infield call-up when Chris Getz inevitably injures himself.

8. David Holmberg: 2009 MiLB line: 40 IP, 40 H, 18 BB, 37 K for Bristol. He's got good velocity for a lefty, hitting the low 90s, and a plus curve. He's a scouts' favorite with a clean delivery and makeup to boot. Development of a changeup is essential. Fresh out of high school, he's a long way away but his potential makes him an interesting prospect. ETA: 2013. Extended spring training and then a return to Rookie ball before moving up to Kannapolis.

9. Christian Marrero: 2009 MiLB line: .308/.348/.501 at Winston-Salem and Birmingham. The 23 year old lefty had a a very good season offensively and deservedly has begun to receive some attention as a prospect. He's got some issues to overcome, however, starting with his defense. He's essentially split time between RF and 1B in his career but, despite a plus arm, he probably isn't good enough to stick in the outfield. That means his bat is going to need to be good enough to merit consideration at 1B. The decline in walks from 11% at Kannapolis last year to about 6% this year suggests he may not quite have the bat. ETA: 2011. A return to Birmingham for a couple months and then a promotion to Charlotte.

10. Clevelan Santeliz: 2009 MiLB line: 56.1 IP, 43 H, 35 BB, 52 K at Birmingham. Santeliz improved his control markedly as the season wore on. In the first half, he walked 27 in 35 innings. In the second half, just 8 in 21.1. If that improvement is real, the 23 year old righty could find himself and his mid-90s fastball and plus slider in the bullpen role sooner rather than later. ETA: Mid-2010. Will be in Charlotte and probably will be the first choice for a reliever call-up.

This Week in White Sox Minor League Baseball

larry — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 16:48:00 -0000

Jared Mitchell (via Sox Machine)

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This week:

The material for TWIWSMiLB is becoming more threadbare. September call-ups have taken the likes of Daniel Hudson, Tyler Flowers and Carlos Torres. Minor league rehab assignments appear to be over for the season. And, just to further deplete things, Jared Mitchell and Christian Marrero hit the DL.
The minor league playoffs begin next week. Great Falls begin on the 12th against a TBD opponent. Kannapolis start against Lakewood on the 9th. Winston-Salem also go on the 9th against a TBD opponent. Birmingham open on the 10th against Jacksonville.
Bristol completed their season and sent a good bit of their roster to Charlotte to replace call-ups and players competing in the World Cup. The results for most of these Rookie-leaguers has been predictable, including permitting Rays' top prospect Desmond Jennings to go 7-7. It does, however, provide a few more games for these guys so that's helpful. Two notables are Brady Shoemaker and Miguel Gonzalez. Shoemaker was named an Appalachian League surprise by Baseball America. As noted, this list is for guys who are old for the league but, nevertheless, deserve attention for putting up excellent numbers. The right-handed outfielder had a .351/.426/.585 line and hit a home run for Charlotte last night. Gonzalez, on the other hand, is a legitimate prospect. The catcher has been a favorite of mine since he put up good numbers in the Dominican Summer League last year and, at 18 years old, is very age approporiate for the Appy League. The Venezuelan hit .311/.385/.503 this season and, while he's described as having "a bit of a thick body", he's definitely one to watch. Expect to see him continue his season in the Venezuelan Winter League (VWL).
One Bristol player who didn't make the jump to AAA is 2009 second round pick Trayce Thompson who, instead, is getting a preview of his likely destination next season, Great Falls. His adjustment to pro ball has been difficult but, as a very raw high schooler, that isn't unexpected.
Brent Morel: .278/.333/.445.
When Clevelan Santeliz was added to the 40-man roster last year in order to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft, I scratched my head. While he had good stuff, he had little control and his stint in the VWL hadn't been impressive, either. However, Santeliz has made good on the White Sox' confidence by improving his control markedly as this season wore on. In the first half, he walked 27 in 35 innings. So far in the second half, he's walked 8 in 20 innings while also improving his K rate. Assuming this isn't just a small sample size aberration, he's certainly put himself into the mix for a bullpen role for sometime next season.
Birmingham Roundup: Jordan Danks: .250/.344/.366; Dayan Viciedo: .280/.318/.393; C.J. Retherford: .302/.345/.476; Christian Marrero: .301/.340/.520; John Shelby: .243/.320/.395; John Ely: 150.1 IP, 137 H, 48 BB, 118 K, 1.44 GO/AO; Charlie Shirek: 90.1 IP, 97 H, 17 BB, 32 K, 1.43 GO/AO; Henry Mabee: 28.2 IP, 20 H, 10 BB, 21 K, 1.65 GO/AO.
Josh Phegley: .233/.288/.423.

As always, the Minor League Update fanpost on the right rail provides a place for daily updates and commentary and the opportunity to vote in the weekly poll.

This Week In White Sox Minor League Baseball

larry — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 14:33:16 -0000

Christian Marrero in the on deck circle.

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This week

Jake Peavy began his White Sox organization career with a very good 43 pitch outing: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K. His next start will be August 18, likely for the Knights again. Sox Machine has video from his start. Word is that September 3 against the Cubs is the target for his first White Sox start.
Sox Machine has been touring the White Sox minor league affiliates. For a report on Kannapolis and Jared Mitchell, go here; for a report on Birmingham and Dayan Viciedo, go here; for a report on Charlotte and Tyler Flowers, go here.
Freddy Garcia looks like he's the next Starter Candidate 5 (election set for August 18) after a good outing in Charlotte: 6 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 9 K.
Daniel Hudson didn't have a good AAA debut: 4 IP, 8 H, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP. His second start was much, much better and what we've come to expect from Hudson: 7 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 6 K. Sox Machine once again provides video and analysis of this start (teaser: he thinks Hudson is not ready for the big leagues and I agree).
Jordan Danks: .249/.342/.367 for the Barons. Most of the wind has come out of the "Danks will be ready next year" sails. Whether it was the wrist injury or just coming back to earth, Danks is looking far more mortal. The Rios acquisition may have lessened the urgency on his progress. Expect him to return to both the Arizona Fall League this year and Birmingham next season.
The August 17 deadline for signing draft picks is quickly approaching. There hasn't been much information regarding whether the Sox will be signing anyone else. One could posit that KW's recent shopping may have consumed any cash the club could have put towards signings. The latest news I heard was that Tennessee's coach was "cautiously optimistic" about Bryan Morgado returning to school. Baseball America leaves open the possibility that an over-slot bonus would get him; however, they suggest Justin Jones will indeed be attending California. No new information on Dane Williams and Brian Goodwin, though both are very likely to attend UNC. Gonzales observes that the Sox would get a pick in 2010 if they don't sign Morgado.
Tyler Flowers: .292/.354/.444 in AAA. He was voted by the Southern League managers as having the best strike zone judgment and as the best defensive catcher(!). C.J. Retherford garnered the best defensive 2B accolade. Why the White Sox acquired Andy Cannizaro (along with the other filler already there) to play for the Knights instead of just promoting Retherford is beyond me.
Jared Mitchell: .288/.435/.425. He's basically been as advertised, lots of walks and lots of strikeouts.

You wouldn't have found Christian Marrero on many prospects lists going into the season. He had a solid but unspectacular season at Kannapolis and the lefty was old for the league. He began the year at Winston-Salem and put up some good numbers (.314/.357/.482) and earned a promotion to Birmingham. He had a slow start for the Barons but has heated up and now has a line of .303/.343/.517 in AA. While he's a RF, he was playing some 1B for the Dash and began in that position for the Barons, as well, reportedly because the organization wanted to see more positional flexibility. He's recently returned to the outfield. Obviously, he has more value if he can hold down a corner outfield spot - where his plus arm can be more useful - and his bat is starting to look like it might actually be good enough, though more walks would be helpful.
Dayan Viciedo: .278/.313/.388.
Brent Morel has continued to have a solid season for the Dash: .276/.333/.463. I'm beginning to think the White Sox may use their "under AA" slot in the Arizona Fall League on Morel.

As always, check the White Sox Minor League Update fanpost on the right sidebar for daily updates and commentary, and to participate in the weekly poll. If you're interested in White Sox minor league updates, follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/SouthSidelarry.

This Week in White Sox Minor League Baseball

larry — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 15:54:22 -0000

Christian Marrero

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This week:

Daniel Hudson made his AA debut. LIstening to his first start, I was surprised to hear that, on the Birmingham gun, his fastball was frequently registering in the upper 90s. Now, I know the gun there is fast; however, because of Aaron Poreda, I know roughly how much faster it is than reality. And these readings were suggesting that Hudson's fastball was not sitting in the 90-93 MPH range that scouting reports previously had him at but more in the 93-95 MPH range. John Sickels and Keith Law both confirmed this week that Hudson's fastball had gained a few ticks. This certainly helps to explain his success this year, going from A ball to AA in a half season, and also raises his status and ceiling as a prospect.
I remain puzzled that Hudson's Old Dominion teammate Dexter Carter is still in Kannapolis. Guys with K/BB ratios of 94/20 in 78 IP need to be challenged.
The White Sox' two rookie league teams began play this week. The Bristol Sox probably have the most interesting players at this point, as the Great Falls Voyagers are still waiting for the highly drafted college players to arrive. Bristol has two young pitchers drafted out of high school - Nevin Griffith and Steven Upchurch. Drafted in 2007, Griffith missed almost all of last season after Tommy John surgery. He has apparently abandoned the slider, which he credits with causing his elbow problems, and is going to feature his curve and changeup more. Before his injury, these were described as potential plus pitches. His first start was not good - 5 IP, 6 hits, 4 BB, 3 K, WP, HBP - though it probably shouldn't have been unexpected. Upchurch, on the other hand, had a very solid first start: 6 IP, 5 hits, 1 BB, 3 K. The 2008 draft pick is unlikely to spend much time in Bristol before promotion to Kannapolis.
The Voyagers are waiting/hoping for more of the college guys to arrive and start playing, especially the likes of Jared Mitchell and ~~Josh Phegley~~ (update: assigned to Kannapolis), if only for cameos, as there really isn't all that much about which to be excited on the team right now. Picks like RHP Justin Collop (6th), RHP Ryan Buch (8th), OF Nick Ciolli (10th), and CF Kyle Colligan (12th) have been assigned there though, due to the length of time since the end of their college seasons, the pitchers haven't debuted yet.
Speaking of Mitchell, he had an excellent finale to his collegiate career by leading LSU to the College World Series title and garnering the tournament's Most Oustanding Player award. In the three game final, he went 5-13, 3B, HR, 2 BB.
Tyler Flowers: .275/.429/.512. I asked earlier this week how long one can keep a guy with that line in AA. I guess we'll see. Flowers and Dayan Viciedo were both selected to the Futures Game, which is played the day prior to the Major League All-Star game.
Recently promoted Christian Marrero has slotted into Brandon Allen's spot for the Barons nicely: .273/.306/.576 in nine games. The lefty's move to 1B from the outfield appears, at least for the moment, to be permanent so he'll need to keep that slugging up in order for his bat to play at that position.
Brandon Allen, after a torrid start to his AAA career, cooled down significantly this week, as he was hitless in all four games against Louisville to end the week. He has a .258/.258/.419 line in eight games now. To all those who were attempting to infer a link between the timing of his promotion and Konerko's injury (or whatever else), his was merely a deserved promotion for a guy who had spent the equivalent of a full season in AA. He ain't ready for the majors yet.
Jeff Marquez, who missed about a month and a half with elbow problems, returned for the Knights last week and has been far more effective than prior to his injury. In two starts this week, he went 11 IP, 8 hits, 5 BB, 9 K. Still no real evidence, though, of his supposed amazing groundballing abilities.

This Week in White Sox Minor League Baseball

larry — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 03:53:49 -0000

You are what you wear? So the White Sox hope.

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This week, I'm truncating the news and publishing larry's Official SSS Top Ten White Sox Prospects List after the jump:

The Dominican Summer League opened play and the White Sox have the aptly named DSL White Sox participating. While it is inherently difficult to get solid information regarding the players in this league, the famous/infamous 18/35 year old Juan Silverio is playing and off to a hot start. I'll let others wax on about the rumors surrounding his $600,000 signing. I will, however, be watching him and a few other players, such as 2B Daurys Mercedes and C Jamie Del Valle. All of the players in the league are years away from ever even sniffing the majors but are worth some attention.
Jose Contreras made one final start at Charlotte before his call-up for Monday's game: 6.2 IP, 3 hits, 4 BB, 3 K.
Sox Machine recapped the month of May for Charlotte and Birmingham and Winston-Salem and Kannapolis.
Finally, there were a couple odd stories this week from the low minors. First, Sergio Santos, who some may rememeber was a non-roster invitee this spring training and played third base, has re-surfaced in Kannapolis as a pitcher. Next, after an injury to one of the two umpires, Winston-Salem's Christian Marrero had his offday cut short when he was pressed into service as a replacement umpire.

First, a brief discussion of methodology. It's an alchemy. I think about tools, current skills, makeup, ceiling and likelihood of reaching that ceiling. And then I mash it together. One could probably say that pitchers are at a disadvantage in this because of their increased likelihood of injury. I also am not a fan of numerical listings. What does it mean to be #2 if the gaps to #1 and #3, respectively, are of markedly different sizes? That's why I prefer groupings. Here, I would probably put Beckham by himself, #2-3 together, #4-5 together, #6 all alone, and then #7-10 together (and, no, there was no one left off who would make the last group).

1. Gordon Beckham, 3B: The organization’s clear top prospect received the call-up he deserved this week so he won’t be eligible for this list much longer. At every level – Class A, Arizona Fall League, AA, AAA – Beckham was superlative. While the shift to third base will raise additional and different questions about his glove than there were about it at shortstop, the bat will make up for it. His line drive swing should result in lots of doubles and the Cell will carry a lot of his hits out, as well. Path to the majors: Arrived.

2. Tyler Flowers, C: The heir apparent to the top spot has improved his standing this season with some superb hitting for the Barons. Many observers – including this one – would be able to make a pretty good argument that his bat is ready for the majors right now. Behind the plate, however, he requires a good deal more seasoning but the White Sox are adamant that he will be a major league catcher. Path to the majors: Flowers has a clear, though measured, path – he is the organization’s only prospect of any note at the position and A.J.Pierzynski, whose contract is up after next season, should play well enough to squelch any calls to prematurely promote him. Expect a call-up to Charlotte sometime in the second half with a late 2010 arrival.

3. Aaron Poreda, SP: The organization’s top pitching prospect returned to AA this season to continue working with J.R. Perdew. While his fastball has never been questioned, his secondary offerings always have. In the past, scouts have overwhelmingly predicted a future in the bullpen; recently, however, his slider and changeup have become more consistent – though still need work – and opinion has shifted to a more even divide between rotation and relief. The White Sox have been patient with Poreda, consistently resisting calls to bring him up, and their patience may be rewarded. Path to the majors: He’s ready now for the bullpen (and has been for awhile) but needs the rest of the year in the minors to develop as a starter. Expect a September call-up and a spot in next season’s Opening Day rotation.

4. Brandon Allen, 1B: Once described by a member of the front office as the organization’s "sleeping giant," Allen awoke in a big way last season and has continued to produce this season. While he’s a big man at 6'2'' and 230+, he’s very athletic with surprising speed on the basepaths and plays solid defense at first. Path to the majors: With Thome’s contract up and Konerko getting to the age where he’d benefit from more days off from the field, the left-handed hitting Allen should slot right in. Expect a June promotion to Charlotte and a mid 2010 arrival.

5. Jordan Danks, CF: You can bet that, once Beckhamania dies down, the next savior for whom fans will be clamoring is Danks. Always a toolsy player, at Texas Danks never fulfilled the promise with production. Because of this and a perception that he would finish his college eligibility, he dropped to the White Sox in the seventh round where they scooped him up for a well over-slot bonus. Such "scouting," as Hawk and Stone describe it, has paid handsome dividends so far: his numbers after promotion to Birmingham (.348/.419/.489) have been nearly idential to those at Winston-Salem. The K rate remains worrisome but his production – not to mention his above-average defense – is hard to ignore. Another positive is that, consistent with his collegiate history, the left-handed hitting Danks has an acceptable platoon split. Path to the majors: Another guy with a clear path, expect a second-half promotion to Charlotte and a mid-2010 arrival.

6. Dayan Viciedo, 3B: The hype machine has moved on from Viciedo after a piss-poor start to his minor league career. At the time, I cautioned patience because of his extreme youth compared to most of his peers. Soon after, he began to hit for a higher average – he’s now up to .286. The next step will be to add the power expected from a man with his attributes. After that, it would be hoped that some measure of plate discipline could be attained. His defense at third is butcherific so a position change is likely in order. Path to the majors: Slow and steady. He’s going to need a full year at Birmingham. Assuming he adds the power in the second half, he may start 2010 in AAA. But, at 20 and without a clear defensive position, the White Sox can afford to be restrained with their pricey investment. Mid-2011 arrival.

7. Dexter Carter, SP: His classic fastball-curve combo has befuddled Class A hitters so far this season. His K/9 is 11.88, though his dominance shouldn’t be surprising considering his advanced collegiate background. One issue for Carter is the necessity to develop his changeup into a legitimate pitch; otherwise, his future is in relief. Another concern, especially in this organization, is his fly-ball tendencies. Nevertheless, his raw ability is tantalizing. Path to the majors: A promotion to Winston-Salem is in the cards for June. After that, hope for a steady climb up the ladder. 2012 arrival.

8. Jon Link, RP: With a fastball and slider that can be vicious to opposing hitters, Link has the makeup of an aggressive closer. While his walk rate still is a concern of mine, his strikeout rate has remained high. Consistent with organizational philosophy, Link, though a closer, has experience pitching more than an inning in relief. Path to the majors: In other years, we probably would have already seen Link. Thus far, the bullpen has been strong; however, with each of Dotel, Jenks, and Linebrink showing some fragility in the recent past, a hard-throwing righty may be needed later on in the year and that’s when Link will arrive.

9. John Shelby, UTIL: Often lost in the background of the top prospects, Shelby quietly continues to improve. While his numbers this season are a bit non-descript, some of that can be attributed to a low BABIP. He also has cut his strikeout rate while increasing his walk rate. The arrival of Danks has short-circuited the CF experiment but Shelby continues to project as a solid utility player, with a Willie Harris-esque ability to play all outfield positions and second base. Path to the majors: Since he does nothing spectacular and no longer has the CF track to himself, his path is less clear. Likely will spend the rest of the season in AA and start the next in AAA. Mid-2011 arrival.

10. Daniel Hudson, SP: This righty tore through the SAL but has found Advanced A ball a bit more challenging. He’s kept the K rate high but more polished hitters are walking more against him. He has a 91-93 MPH fastball with good movement but often relies on a slider to get strikeouts and hitters are beginning to lay off. Hudson will need to adjust and how he adjusts will dictate his future - tonight's outing was a nice start. Path to the majors: Like Carter, hope for a slow and steady climb up the ladder. 2012 arrival.