Chicago White Sox Prospect Previews: #19-21

Continuing our series of previewing the Chicago White Sox Top-30 prospects, we look at three under-the-radar players who made big jumps in 2017.

Now we’ve moved past the depth pieces.

It’s time to take a look at the guys who could be members of the next Chicago White Sox World Series Champion team.

Chicago White Sox prospects 19-21 are three players that had huge 2017 seasons. Big enough to increase their stock to the point where we’re talking about them making a big impact at the major league level.

Ian Hamilton, Aaron Bummer and Luis Gonzalez are three names that could be pivotal in the success of the Chicago White Sox for several years to come.

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#21: Ian Hamilton

Going into 2017, Ian Hamilton wasn’t on anyones radar.

The 2016 11th-round pick out of Washington State had struggled to find success in starting, which promoted a move to the bullpen for 2017.

Hamilton thrived out of the pen, soaring up to Double-A Birmingham before spending most of 2017 in High-A Winston Salem after struggles.

Hamilton went 3-3 with a 1.71 ERA in 30 appearances out of the bullpen. Hamilton struck out 52 batters in 52 innings, while walking just 8.

Hamiltons hard fastball and sharp slider were crucial when it came to Hamilton’s success out of the bullpen. Even more impressive was the fact that Hamilton allowed just one home run all of last season, proving the validity of his stuff.

Ian Hamilton is a serious sleeper to watch in 2018. The righty will likely start 2018 in Double-A, but a goal of reaching the big leagues by September is not too far-fetched, as Hamilton’s advanced and developed pitch repertoire bode well in his progression.

Ian Hamilton almost certainly will see serious innings out of the major league bullpen in 2019, joining a future White Sox bullpen that has the potential to be a serious force in the coming years.

#20: Aaron Bummer

It’s a bummer that we didn’t see more of Aaron Bummer in 2017.

The 2014 19th-round pick out of Nebraska had a huge 2017 in the minor leagues, notching a 3.31 ERA throughout three minor league levels.

Bummer started the season in Triple-A before making his MLB debut in August. The hard-throwing lefty has an upper-90s fastball, in addition to a nasty slider.

Bummer’s pitch repertoire give him serious late-inning potential, but his lack of any third pitch is a major knock against him. The lack of a changeup make Bummer’s outlook bleak against right handers, which could be a major problem in the 7th-8th innings.

Aaron Bummer will see the bulk of his innings this season in the major leagues, especially if he makes the opening day roster.

Bummer’s development of a third pitch will be extremely crucial in his role in the White Sox bullpen. There’s no doubt that his current stuff is major league-quality, but the concern comes in where to put him.

#19: Luis Gonzalez

One of the best pure hitters in his draft class, Luis Gonzalez was picked in the third round of the 2017 draft out of New Mexico.

The sweet-swinging lefty hit .361 in 2017, before struggling to a .236 average in his pro-debut split between rookie-ball and low-level A-ball.

Gonzalez’ plate discipline is among the best in the White Sox farm system, as Gonzalez drew a New Mexico-record 58 walks last season. If Gonzalez can improve his pitch recognition in 2018, the hits will come quicker and Gonzalez’ progression will move at a faster pace.

As for his future role, Gonzalez enters an extremely crowded White Sox farm system when it comes to outfielders. However Gonzalez’ speed and bat make him more versatile and a better defensive option, thus giving the White Sox more options for his use in the future.

Luis Gonzalez needs to show the same qualities at the plate in 2018 that he did in college. A bounce-back first full season would be beneficial for Gonzalez, as he is already viewed at as an advanced bat for his age and experience.

Luis Gonzalez still probably needs until at least September of next season before he’s prepared for the big leagues. As he faces more quality competition and gains more experience, this progression and growth will show up in his production.

Next: Chicago White Sox Prospect Preview: 22-24

As shown in their past production, Luis Gonzalez, Aaron Bummer and Ian Hamilton all have the potential to make major impacts at the major league level.

A big 2018 in progression for all three would bode well for themselves as well as the White Sox, as the farm system continues to improve and inch closer to producing on the South Side.

Be patient White Sox fans, the future is near and it is as bright as ever.