Turning the Page: White Sox Will Look to Emerging Talent as Trade Deadline Looms

As the 2024 season draws to a merciful end, Chicago White Sox fans will focus on what lies ahead. The highly anticipated trade deadline sell-off , which could see the departure of all of their veteran talent, is a pivotal moment that will shape the team's future. The season's final months will see the first wave of minor league talent emerge, marking the start of the White Sox's third rebuild in a decade. Notably, a few players have recently earned minor league promotions, with the possibility of joining the team at 35th and Shields in 2024.

Starting pitcher Ky Bush earned a promotion to Chicago's Triple-A affiliate, the Charlotte Knights. Infielder Brooks Baldwin and catcher Edgar Quero joined him in Charlotte on Independence Day. The White Sox acquired Quero, a Top-100 prospect , and Bush at the 2023 trade deadline from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in exchange for Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez. Baldwin is a 12th-round draftee of the organization out of The University of North Carolina in 2022.

A Trio Of Situations

Bush's promotion transpired on July 1st, and he has yet to pitch for the Knights. The Double-A competition was no match for the 24-year-old, who bounced back from a rough 2023 campaign at that level. He made 14 starts, pitching to a 2.12 ERA over 80.1 innings while surrendering two runs or less in 11 of his starts. Should Bush continue that performance, he will join former Birmingham farmhands Drew Thorpe and Jonathan Cannon in Chicago sooner than later.

Baldwin had no problem adjusting to the Double-A and accumulated similar numbers to his 2023 performance in Low and High-A, respectively. He went 2-25 in his final six games with the Birmingham Barons, but his promotion may have re-energized him. The soon-to-be 25-year-old made a solid first impression for the Knights, going 2-3 with a home run and a walk.

The Angels aggressively promoted Quero from Low-A to Double-A in 2023, which the 20-year-old handled well, walking at a 15.8% clip. However, his home run total dipped from 17 to six, leaving something to be desired. While his walk rate decreased this season, his power rebounded, with 25 extra-base hits in 73 games. Like Baldwin, the young backstop announced his presence with authority, clubbing a two-run homer in his debut with Charlotte.

What's On Tap Next?

The trio must continue their 2024 performances at the minor league's highest level. Those performances and the state of the major league roster after the trade deadline will determine if their promotions materialize in 2024

The White Sox will likely move starting shortstop Paul DeJong at or before the trade deadline. That could open the door for Baldwin, who has played all over the diamond in the minors.

A significant shakeup will create multiple vacancies on the roster, especially in the starting rotation and bullpen. The White Sox may want to limit Bush's innings, and using him in a relief role is a great way to do that while providing him with big-league experience. Right-handed batters are slashing a mere .158/.244/.232 in 197 plate appearances against the lefty, giving him a unique utility in relief.

As a very young prospect for Triple-A, Quero has a timeline that is different from that of the others. The White Sox carry three catchers on their 40-man roster . Veteran Martin Maldonado has been horrendous at the plate, so removing him from the roster would make sense to make space for Quero. However, allowing the 21-year-old Quero more time to develop with the Knights is more prudent than rushing him into the majors.

Nevertheless, the outcomes of the trade deadline and advancements of promising minor-leaguers are all that presently exist to pique the interest of White Sox fans.

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