Top White Sox Prospects Who Could Make An Impact in 2026

Coming off another 100-plus loss season in 2025, the Chicago White Sox reached that mark for the third straight season. Things look a bit different coming into 2026, though.

After recently signing Japanese phenom Munetaka Murakami, inking LHP Anthony Kay to a two-year deal, signing RHP Seranthony Domínguez to a two-year deal, adding OF Austin Hays on a reported deal, and acquiring CF Luisangel Acuña via trade, the club looks toward turning a new leaf. The team’s additions haven’t only come externally, though.

Amid the lengthy rebuild, the White Sox have also been able to secure some of the league’s strongest prospects. We already saw Colson Montgomery, Chase Meidroth, and Kyle Teel make meaningful contributions in 2025, and there are plenty of other prospects in the White Sox system looking to make a splash in 2026.

Without further ado, here are three White Sox top prospects who could make an impact in 2026.

LHP Noah Schultz — Just Baseball No. 58

The White Sox’s top prospect, Noah Schultz, is a monster on the mound, standing at a menacing six-foot-ten. The 22-year-old lefty comes at opponents with a five-pitch mix, highlighted by heavy sinker and slider usage that is supplemented with a curveball, changeup, and four-seamer (He also threw a cutter 1.3% of the time in Triple-A).

Since being drafted in 2022, Schultz has looked lights out for most of his time in the minors, although 2025 did provide a challenge for the top prospect.

Across Double-A and Triple-A, Schultz owned a 4.68 ERA and a 4.30 FIP. Those numbers are skewed from a poor 16.1 innings in Triple-A, and likely exacerbated by injury. He was shut down in July after a Triple-A outing due to right patellar tendinitis and returned for just five innings pitched in September. However, he’s been progressing well so far this offseason, according to team reports.

Across both levels in 2025, Schultz struck out 23.2% of opposing hitters. However, he struggled with command, walking opponents 13.8% of the time, which led to a below-average 9.5% K-BB%. The number was by far the worst of his career, with Schultz’s walk rate in 2025 being double his previous high of 6.9%.

There is room for optimism, with Schultz himself saying that the knee issue plagued him during the entirety of the season. If his recovery is truly going as well as the White Sox claim, there’s no reason to believe Schultz can’t return to his pre-2025 form.

It’s likely that he spends some time re-tuning down in the minors, but a call-up by June is by no means out of the question. Schultz will almost definitely see MLB playing time in 2026.

OF Braden Montgomery — Just Baseball No. 73

After headlining the return for Garret Crochet last offseason, Braden Montgomery didn’t disappoint in 2025. Just 22 years old, the switch-hitting outfielder found himself in Double-A by the conclusion of his first professional season.

Across 121 minor-league games, Montgomery slashed .270/.360/.444 while blasting 12 homers. There was no dip in performance, either, with Montgomery’s wRC+ remaining above 133 at each stop in the minors in 2025.

Part of that sustained production can be attributed to line drive rates, which increased at each level for the highly touted prospect as the year progressed (Low-A: 13.2%; High-A: 21.1%; Double-A: 32.1%).

Although his production was optimal, Montgomery’s strikeout rate in Double-A does raise just an ounce of concern. At Double-A, Montgomery struck out about 28.7% of the time, with the majority of the issues coming against southpaws. In 37 plate appearances against left-handed pitching, he struck out 40.5% of the time, all while going down on strikes 24.3% of the time in 107 plate appearances against righties.

The sample size is small enough that this data likely means nothing, but Montgomery’s development as a switch hitter will be something to monitor.

With Montgomery not currently on the 40-man roster, it’s unlikely we see him with the major-league squad by Opening Day. However, if his performance keeps trending the way it did in 2025, an early-May or June call-up wouldn’t be all that surprising.

RHP Tanner McDougal

Coming off his fourth professional season, Tanner McDougal looks like one of the biggest risers in the White Sox’s farm system. The 22-year-old righty found tons of success in 2025 and looks to be knocking on the door of a promotion to the majors this season.

After struggling in the minors in his first few seasons, McDougal took a massive step forward in 2025, where he split time between High-A and Double-A. Across the two levels, the White Sox’s No. 5 prospect owned a 3.26 ERA and 3.15 FIP in 113.1 innings pitched, while also sporting a 3.20 xFIP and a strong 28.3% strikeout rate.

Not only does McDougal strike out hitters at a high clip, but his walk rate is acceptable with his high strikeout profile, as he walked around 10.2% of opposing hitters this past season. The former fifth-round pick also excels at keeping the ball on the ground, forcing ground balls 45.3% of the time in 2025, a number in line with his career norms.

With a strong spring training, McDougal has a real shot of cracking the Opening Day roster. Scouts have ranked his fastball and slider as 60 on the 20-80 scale, with an average curveball (50) and below average changeup (30). Nothing points to his success last year being a fluke, and it seems as though he’s MLB-ready.

One thing’s for sure, though: Whenever McDougal is called up, he’ll provide some much-needed support to the White Sox’s rotation.