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Chicago White Sox: Prospects to make an impact in 2019

By Vincent Parise

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - AUGUST 20: (L-R) Tim Anderson #7, Kevan Smith #36, Matt Davidson #24 and Jose Abreu #79 of the Chicago White Sox celebrate defeating the Minnesota Twins after the game on August 20, 2018 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This is a make up game from the weather postponed game on April 15, 2018. The White Sox defeated the Twins 8-5. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - AUGUST 20: (L-R) Tim Anderson #7, Kevan Smith #36, Matt Davidson #24 and Jose Abreu #79 of the Chicago White Sox celebrate defeating the Minnesota Twins after the game on August 20, 2018 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This is a make up game from the weather postponed game on April 15, 2018. The White Sox defeated the Twins 8-5. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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Chicago White Sox Dylan Cease
Chicago White Sox (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

2. Dylan Cease, P

The White Sox made the aforementioned trade with the Cubs in 2017. At that point in time, Jimenez was the main piece returning to the White Sox. Here in 2019 that is still the case but the only difference is that we see much more potential in Dylan Cease now than we did back then. He was projected to be a middle of the rotation guy someday when he was acquired but now there is no reason to think he can’t be more than that.

Cease will probably get the Michael Kopech treatment in 2018. He will likely not be with the club to begin the season but will probably get a call up at some point during the regular season depending on how he does in AAA. Management likely cares less about term control for pitchers because they have a finite number of pitches in their arm so when they are ready they get called up.

Kopech had Tommy John surgery at the end of last season that cost him the last month of 2018 and all of 2019. That leads to Cease being the pitcher with all the hype going into this year. Then in 2020 and beyond we can only hope that the White Sox have a rotation led by two aces and are then supported by Carlos Rodon, Reynaldo Lopez and Lucas Giolito among others.

If a Kopech/Cease duo can be something like the Jacob deGrom/Noah Syndergaard has been for the New York Mets and the White Sox are actually able to give them a good supporting cast then there is no reason this team won’t make deep playoff runs.

If every pitcher in their plans reached their full potential then the White Sox very well could have the best staff in the American League Central within two to three years. That would be a sight for sore eyes for the fans of this franchise who haven’t watched their team play a postseason game since 2008.

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The White Sox will not be expected to do much this season, but if these guys hit the ground running and whether or not any other pieces are added to the group between now and opening day then they could really surprise some people by being in the race at the end of the year.

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