Which White Sox prospects raised their profile in 2024?

This story was excerpted from Scott Merkin’s White Sox Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CHICAGO -- In the midst of a record-breaking 121-loss big league season for the 2024 White Sox, their gradually improving Minor League system provided a glimmer of hope.

Here’s a look at young White Sox players who made their mark in 2024 and some who could make even greater contributions in the future.

Three players who forced their way onto the radar this year

RHP Sean Burke (White Sox No. 29 prospect)
Consider this season a return to prominence for Burke, who ranked as high as the No. 5 White Sox prospect two offseasons ago. Right rotator cuff tendinitis limited Burke to nine rough starts with Triple-A Charlotte in 2023, and he didn’t exactly conquer the Minors over 19 starts in ’24 (4.77 ERA in 71 2/3 innings across two levels). But the right-hander took off once he got a Major League opportunity.

In four appearances (three starts), Burke posted a 2-0 record with a 1.42 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 19 innings. His overall mound numbers from start to finish weren’t quite as impressive as those for right-hander Mason Adams, the club’s No. 8 prospect who also put his name on the Major League radar. But Burke has gone from being on the cusp of the Majors, to out of the picture, to back in strong consideration for the big league roster in 2025.

“He doesn’t seem fazed by the moment at all. He seems very calm and collected out there,” White Sox interim manager Grady Sizemore said. “He’s done a great job every time he’s been out there for us.”

RHP Peyton Pallette (No. 27 prospect)
The 23-year-old didn’t cut it as a starter, posting a 7.21 ERA over 12 trips to the mound for High-A Winston-Salem. As a reliever, in 12 appearances for the Dash and eight for Double-A Birmingham, he was utterly dominant, with a 1.16 ERA, 51 strikeouts and 10 walks in 38 2/3 innings.

White Sox pitching coordinator Matt Zaleski called Pallette before making the job change, discovering Pallette already was thinking about the move to help the team in any way possible.

“We did some digging with our sports science department and found out that on his jumps after an extended 60, 80 pitches, he just had a tough time repeating the power explosiveness as he did where if it was a shortened start of 35, 40 pitches,” Zaleski said. “His explosive numbers on his jumps were still through the roof.

“So, that also led to part of that conversation where, as a reliever, you could be ready, more available. You are going to recover better. Your power output is better.”

2B/OF Rikuu Nishida (unranked)
If there was an honor for most entertaining White Sox prospect, the 5-foot-6, 150-pound left-handed hitter claims that top prize. Nishida topped White Sox Minor Leaguers with 49 stolen bases and 114 runs scored. And while he doesn’t hit for power, Nishida made things happen, with a .304 average and 86 walks against 64 strikeouts at stops with Single-A Kannapolis, Winston-Salem and Birmingham.

“It is a unique profile, because he’s not knocking the outfield wall down per se, but he is productive,” said White Sox director of player development Paul Janish, of a player he described as “leads the league in personality.” “The name of the game is to score runs and he’s good at that. Just excited about him, everything he’s doing.”

Two possible breakout players to watch in 2025

OF George Wolkow (No. 7 prospect)
Wolkow, 18, is one of the younger prospects in the White Sox system, but he features a maturity beyond his years. He also possesses more raw power than pretty much anyone in the system, knocking out 13 homers in 91 games. Development and gaining experience are the basic keys for Wolkow, who could push the 2027 big-league arrival time projected by MLB Pipeline.

RHP Grant Taylor (No. 6 prospect)
Taylor is pitching for Glendale in the Arizona Fall League after injuries limited him to five starts in Rookie ball and for Kannapolis in 2024. The right-hander struck out 25 and walked one over four starts covering 16 innings for Kannapolis, so the stuff is there for him to be elite.

One big question for next season

When will Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith arrive with the White Sox?
Pardon White Sox fans if they are anxious for the two best left-handed pitching prospects in the game, according to MLB Pipeline, to get to Chicago. Schultz, the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 16 overall, was dominant across 23 starts and was especially unhittable for Birmingham, with a 1.48 ERA over 16 starts

Smith -- the team’s top 2024 Draft pick, the No. 2 White Sox prospect and No. 30 overall -- got going with three starts for Winston-Salem. This duo could anchor a top-notch rotation for years to come, starting as soon as the ’25 season.