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Chicago White Sox Organization Overview

Chicago White Sox Organization Overview

A team with fantasy value at every level

Brian Creagh
February 15, 2023

Chicago White Sox Organization Review

Over the next three weeks, I will be publishing organization overviews for every MLB team. Each post will be a deep dive into all levels of the organization and picking out fantasy relevant nuggets. The primary focus will be at the MLB level and trying to uncover players I want to target in upcoming drafts, but I am playing in a few dynasty leagues and want to try to highlight some players to stash or keep an eye out for upcoming trades.

Picks For 2023

Players I like in fantasy drafts given their current price. All ADPs are from the last two months of NFC data.

Andrew Benintendi (ADP: 215.4) - The recipient of the largest free agent contract ever given by the White Sox, Benintendi is in too good of a position to be going outside the top 200. His ADP is already moving quickly, from 246 back in December, he's going almost three rounds earlier on average. He's still a good value. He'll be hitting behind Tim Anderson and in front of Eloy Jimenez, Luis Robert, and Andrew Vaughn.

Tim Anderson (ADP: 89.2) - Injuries plagued TA's 2022 season, and maybe the injury history is just too significant for owners to want to take another risk on him, but I still love the idea of getting .300 AVG and 20/20 upside at pick 90 and at shortstop. He's going right around many closers are coming off the board: Clay Holmes, Camilo Doval, Kenley Jansen, etc. and I would much rather swing for the fences and a healthy Anderson season then take a second/third tier closer here.

Fades For 2023

Players I don't love at current ADP.

Dylan Cease (ADP: 44.5) - Cease is a little too volatile for me to be taking in Round 4. Give me Rodon, Urias, or Javier all going later than Cease instead. Most projections have Cease regressing back to a 3.4-3.8 ERA and I'm inclined to believe those instead of thinking he can continue to outperform his peripherals.

Eloy Jimenez (ADP: 71.2) - I just can't punt steals this early in the draft. If I'm taking in outfielder in Round 7ish, I need to get a little something in the steals department, or be so good in one of the other stats that I can justify the pick. I'd rather have Adolis Garcia going in the same range, or take a swing on Byron Buxton/George Springer staying healthy. Outfielders going in this range need to have a shot at some stolen bases before I'm willing to buy-in.

MLB Breakout Player(s)

Players I like to outperform expectations

Oscar Colas (ADP: 297) - The White Sox don't have a ton of depth right now, and all it might take is for one of Eloy Jimenez, Luis Robert, or Andrew Vaughn to go down for Colas to get a real shot in this lineup. Colas raked at three different levels last year (A+, AA, and for a few games in AAA) and could make an immediate impact once given a shot. He projects for empty power as most systems have his AVG in the .230-.245 range, but he's a huge wildcard and someone they could be underestimating. Wide range of outcomes + few obstacles to playing time + cheap price = buying opportunity to me.

Michael Kopech (ADP: 279) - 9+ K/9 guys are hard to find this late in the draft, especially ones with a solid rotation spot lined up. Kopech returned to the rotation last season and pitched 119 innings with a 4.50 FIP - nothing Earth-shattering, but it's not difficult to see him taking another step forward towards being an above-average starter. He's going to be 27 years old this year and on a one-year contract and I like him as a late round option to solidify my rotation.

Favorite Prospects Outside Top 5

Prospects outside of MLB.com's Top 5 that I want to target in dynasty leagues.

Sean Burke - An athletic pitcher, Burke reached AAA as a 22 year old, which is a great sign that the organization was willing to push him. He spent most of the year in AA with mixed results. The 12.2 K/9 is intriguing for fantasy owners, but the 4.1 BB/9 and 1.4 HR/9 are red flags. He's a guy who could put it together and a really good starter, but also has a fallback option of being a great high-leverage option out of the bullpen. Makes investing him in fantasy a safer option than other deep arms.

Cristian Mena - A 6'2" pitcher who got to AA at 19 years old last year, Mena was dominant in Single-A to start the year. He earned a promotion to Hi-A where his excellent strikeout totals carried forward, but he struggled with walks. Mena is a lottery ticket and could shoot up prospect rankings this year with a good showing in AA. Now is a great time to buy in.

Luis Mieses - Mieses could be a late-blooming prospect that could end up on dynasty radars by the end of the year. He struggled with an aggressive promotion in 2021, but since a demotion, he has hit well at every stop, including hitting .299 with a .777 OPS in 23 games in AA. He turns 23 during the season and should be able to crack AAA at some point in 2023.