As the Chicago White Sox continue their rebuild, the 2025 MLB Draft will be a pivotal event. Holding the No. 10 overall pick, the White Sox are in range to land a franchise defining talent.
Chicago will need to see how the board falls before making any crucial decisions, but the White Sox could go in numerous directions. Still a ways away from competing, adding premium prospects to their pipeline is Chicago’s main goal, regardless of position or where they go to school.
But if the White Sox were to add a prep infielder, they’d land an intriguing offensive tool to build around. That’s exactly what Kiley McDaniel of ESPN sees happening in his latest mock draft, as Chicago selects high school shortstop Billy Carlson.
“The White Sox are casting a wide net because of where they pick. I think Doyle — and probably Carlson and Parker, too — stops here if he happens to slide this far, while Steele Hall is also in the mix,” McDaniel wrote. “The top tier of talent in the eyes of most evaluators is at least eight players and maybe as many as a dozen, so Chicago will have to be reactive to who is left over. But the White Sox probably will get one of the players they target from that tier.”
Billy Carlson joins White Sox
Carlson ranks as the No. 5 prospect in McDaniel’s top 150. He is considered a five-tool prospect with an elite arm at shortstop. While there are some concerns about Carlson’s age, his raw potential makes him one of the more intriguing names in the entire class.
“Carson will need to tone down his swing mechanics a bit in pro ball, but the big hesitation for teams is his age. The track record of prep position players of this age (he turns 19 just after draft day) suggests, in short, that they tend to be overrated at draft time because they’re facing exclusively younger competition at a point when age is very important,” McDaniel wrote. “On the other hand, Carlson looks like Bobby Witt Jr. if his build and tools were just taken down a notch. In a weaker draft, that upside is very attractive.”
Hernandez's teammate, SS Billy Carlson, is also one of the top prep prospects in the country. He's above average to plus at almost everything on the field and has an 80-grade arm at shortstop. pic.twitter.com/rKpXrT86Gu
— Kiley McDaniel (@kileymcd) April 23, 2025
During his senior season, Carlson hit .365 with 34 RBI and 33 runs scored, via MaxPreps. While the competition level may not be where scouts want him to be, the shortstop has proven to be a consistent threat every time he steps into the box. And an early comparison to Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr is sure to open eyes.
The MLB Draft is always full of surprises as teams plan out contracts for their entire class. But if Carlson is available, it’ll be difficult for the White Sox to pass up.
Chicago farm system update
Chicago has completely rejuvenated their farm system by trading Garrett Crochet to the Boston Red Sox. Adding Carlson to the mix would only make the White Sox’s future stronger and catapult the team up any analyst’s farm system rankings.
In the Crochet deal, Chicago landed catcher Kyle Teel, infielder Chase Meidroth, outfielder Braden Montgomery and pitcher Wikelman Gonzalez. All but Montgomery have made their major league jump. As it stands, Teel ranks as the No. 2 prospect in the organization, and No. 24 in all of baseball, via MLB Pipeline. Montgomery follows at No. 4 in the organization and No. 34 overall while Gonzalez comes in as Chicago’s 15th-best prospect. Meidroth has used up his prospect eligibility, but is hitting .268 with two home runs, nine RBI and nine stolen bases in his first 54 major league games.
Alongside their Crochet deal acquisitions, the White Sox have a pair of pitching prospects poised to lead their rotation of the future. Noah Schultz ranks as the best prospect in the entire farm system and No. 13 in all of baseball while Hagen Smith is ranked third-best for the White Sox and No. 26 overall league wide. Chicago is counting on both to develop into frontline starters.
Both the draft and MLB trade deadline will alter the White Sox’s minor league system. But overall, the team’s goal is simply building a brighter future on the South Side.
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