The Chicago White Sox recently had six of their prospects named to MLB’s top 100 prospects list.
Some like top prospects Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith will debut quicker than others given their abilities are so advanced.
One prospect such as right-hander Grant Taylor fell just short of the list and is an under-the-radar player that fans should keep their eye on being he could be up with the White Sox very shortly.
The Chicago White Sox under the radar prospect
The 22-year-old Grant Taylor was the White Sox’s second-round draft pick back in the 2023 MLB June Amateur Draft. The LSU product spent last season at rookie ball and with the White Sox Single-A affiliate where he was having a good season before it was derailed due to injury. In five starts between the two levels, Taylor had a 2.33 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 19.1 innings pitched.
The Alabama native in four starts while the Cannon Ballers pitched 16 innings, had a 1.13 ERA, with 25 strikeouts. That was good enough for an insane 14.1 strikeouts per nine rate and a strikeout-to-walk rate of 25.
According to Baseball Savant, the 6-3 right-hander grades are gaudy with having an elite fastball (60/80) and cutter (60/80), with a curveball (55/80), slider (50/80), and a changeup (45/80). Grant Taylor could figure to be top of the rotation piece if he lives up to his grades, or at the very least be a suitable number three which would pair nicely with Schultz and Smith who figure to be a one and two respectively.
Taylor has the confidence of the NL ROTY
Sep 28, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) pitches against the New York Yankees during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
A report published at MLB.com by Scott Merkin said Grant Taylor has the confidence from his former teammate at LSU and the reigning National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes that he will be up in the big leagues soon. Taylor said that he and Paul Skenes have communicated with each other all the time about what the game is like and how he would fare once called up.
“I’ll talk to him, and he’ll tell me different stuff that he notices throughout the league, and he’s like, ‘You can be here very soon, dude,’” Taylor said during a recent Zoom. “He’ll tell me basically from what he saw when we were kind of going after it with each other, he’s super confident in me — and then seeing him do all the stuff and him being super confident believing in himself at the highest of the highest levels …
“He was one of the best in the league this year. It’s pretty cool for one of my good buddies to believe I can be right up there with him, and he’s at the top of the league.”
The 230lbs right-hander having the confidence of one of the league’s best-starting pitchers saying that he’ll be in the league soon bodes well for the White Sox. MLB.com has Taylor’s eta to getting up to the big leagues in 2027 but given the White Sox need in the starting rotation he could be up sooner than that.
What will this season bring for Taylor?
Jul 5, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Helmets and bats to the Chicago White Sox are placed in their cubbies before the game against the Oakland Athletics at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images
The Florence, Alabama native will figure to start this season in Double-A for the White Sox given he dominated in his four starts at Single-A.
If he can show the same level of dominance at Double-A that he did with the Cannon Ballers, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that he could get the call-up before the All-Star break.
Chicago White Sox young outfielder is eager to make the club
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