2022 South Side Sox Prospect Vote: Round 6

If you’re unsure of what this is, read our Top Prospect Vote primer.

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The battle was very close between Colson Montgomery and Yoelqui Céspedes, but the 2021 first-rounder prevailed and left Céspedes a surprise bridesmaid for the second straight time. Montgomery’s win was with 41% (63 of 154 votes). However, it would appear that Céspedes is in very strong shape to take the No. 6 spot.

This is Montgomery’s first year in our prospect poll. Last year, Jared Kelley was voted the No. 5 prospect by SSS readers.

New addition Yolbert Sánchez fared well in his first vote, finishing fourth at 5%.

Romy González joins the ballot. A year ago, he wasn’t in our vote at all, and — get this — was our No. 90 overall prospect.

SSS Top-Voted Shortstop Prospects

South Side Sox Top White Sox Prospects for 2022

1. Norge Vera — 29% (Burger 18%, Rodríguez 14%, Céspedes 13%, Colás 12%, Montgomery 8%, Kath/Kelley 2.1%, Ramos 1.7%, Hernández 0.8%)
2. Jake Burger — 43% (Rodríguez 21%, Colás 12%, Céspedes 11%, Montgomery 9%, Kelley 1.3%, Ramos/Thompson/Kath/Hernández 0.6%)
3. José Rodríguez — 38% (Céspedes 21%, Colás/Montgomery 18%, Kath 2%, Thompson 1.2%, Kelley/Ramos/Dalquist/Hernández 0.6%)
4. Oscar Colás — 31% (Montgomery 28%, Céspedes 24%, Adolfo 8%, Kelley/Hernández 2.4%, Kath 1.8%, Thompson 1.2%, Ramos/Dalquist/0.6%)
5. Colson Montgomery — 41% (Céspedes 33%, Adolfo 8%, Sánchez 5%, Kelley 4%, Kath 3%, Ramos/Hernández 2%, Dalquist 1.3%, Thompson 0.6%)

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Micker Adolfo

Right Fielder
Age 25
2018 SSS poll ranking 10
2019 SSS poll ranking 7
2020 SSS poll ranking 9
2021 SSS poll ranking 11
2021 High Level Charlotte (AAA)
Overall 2021 stats 101 games ▪️ 25 HR ▪️ 69 RBI ▪️ .245/.311/.520 ▪️ 4-of-4 SB ▪️ 31 BB ▪️ 138 K

The 2021 season was Adolfo’s best as a pro, but may have come too late, as he will be exposed to waivers if he doesn’t break camp with the White Sox in 2022.

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Yoelqui Céspedes

Center Fielder
Age 24
2021 SSS poll ranking 7
2021 High Level Birmingham (AA)
Overall 2021 stats 72 games ▪️ 8 HR ▪️ 27 RBI ▪️ .285/.350/.463 ▪️ 16 BB ▪️ 83 BB ▪️ 18-of-24 SB
Céspedes saw his season delayed by visa issues, and his first two weeks or so were spend at DH. He also had an underwhelming showing in the Arizona Fall League (22 strikeouts in 19 games, .466 OPS).

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Andrew (Drew) Dalquist

Right-Handed Starting Pitcher
Age 21
2021 SSS poll ranking 10
2021 High Level Kannapolis (Low-A)
Overall 2021 stats 3-9 ▪️ 23 starts ▪️ 83 IP ▪️ 4.99 ERA ▪️ 79 K ▪️ 56 BB ▪️ 1.723 WHIP

Dalquist managed to stay healthy in 2021, unlike his rotation counterparts Matthew Thompson and Jared Kelley. While solid but unspectacular, Dalquist may have positioned himself as the first of the trio to see Winston-Salem.

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Romy González
Shortstop

Age 25
2021 High Level White Sox (MLB)
Overall 2021 MiLB stats 93 games ▪️ 24 HR ▪️ 61 RBI ▪️ .283/.364/.532 ▪️ 43 BB ▪️ 122 K ▪️ 24-of-30 SB

Last season was González’s first-ever at shortstop as a pro, and ended up with a .942 fielding percentage, with 15 errors.

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Erick Hernández

Left Fielder
Age 17
2021 High Level N/A

While not officially a member of the White Sox organization until January 2022, it is widely assumed that Hernández will join the White Sox organization. He bats left, and has been comped — for what comping is worth — to Juan Soto. He is still just 16 years old, not turning 17 until January.

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Wes Kath

Third Baseman
Age 19
2021 High Level ACL White Sox (Rookie)
Overall 2021 stats 28 games ▪️ 3 HR ▪️ 15 RBI ▪️ .212/.287/.337 ▪️ 8 BB ▪️ 42 BB

Kath was the second round draft choice of the White Sox in 2021, out of Desert Mountain High School in Scottsdale, Ariz.

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Jared Kelley

Right-Handed Starting Pitcher
Age 20
2021 SSS poll ranking 5
2021 High Level Kannapolis (Low-A)
Overall 2021 stats 0-7 ▪️ 12 starts ▪️ 23 ²⁄₃ IP ▪️ 7.61 ERA ▪️ 26 BB ▪️ 27 K ▪️ 2.113 WHIP

Kelley sat with shoulder issues for almost two months in the middle of the season.

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Bryan Ramos

Third Baseman
Age 20
2020 SSS poll ranking 33
2021 SSS poll ranking 21
2021 High Level Kannapolis (Low-A)
Overall 2021 stats 115 games ▪️ 13 HR ▪️ 57 RBI ▪️ .244/.345/.415 ▪️ 13-of-17 SB ▪️ 51 BB ▪️ 110 K

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Yolbert Sánchez

Second Baseman
Age 25
2021 High Level Birmingham (AA)
Age vs. High Level -0.5
Overall 2021 stats 99 games ▪️ 9 HR ▪️ 42 RBI ▪️ .308/.352/.419 ▪️ 5-of-6 SB ▪️ 23 BB ▪️ 49 BB

Sánchez’s promotion to Double-A marked the first time he played younger than the average age of his level, and it was notable and extremely encouraging that he had his best stretch as a pro while with the Barons. Also notable was Sánchez killing it — albeit with sparse playing time (12 games) — in the Arizona Fall League at season’s end: .400/.533/.514. The middle infielder will move to Charlotte to begin 2022 and will have a chance to make an impact on the South Side, as well.

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Matthew Thompson

Right-Handed Starting Pitcher
Age 21
2020 SSS poll ranking 12
2021 SSS poll ranking 10
2021 High Level Kannapolis (Low-A)
Overall 2021 stats 2-9 ▪️ 20 starts ▪️ 73 ⅔ IP ▪️ 5.99 ERA ▪️ 78 K ▪️ 38 BB ▪️ 1.683 WHIP

Thompson battled some injury issues in his first full pro season, sitting out for a month in June-July.

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