South Side Sox Top Prospect No. 49: Tyler Neslony

Tyler Neslony

Left Fielder
6´1´´
205 pounds
Age: 29
2022 SSS Top Prospect Ranking 43
2022 High Level Charlotte (AAA)
Age relative to high level +1.7 years
SSS rank among all left fielders in the system 2
Overall 2022 season stats 91 games ⚾️ 13 HR ⚾️ 55 RBI ⚾️ .310/.382/.523 ⚾️ 20-of-27 (74.1%) SB ⚾️ 38 BB ⚾️ 72 K

Tyler Neslony, after a solid senior campaign with Texas Tech in 2016 where he slashed .307/.400/.537, was selected in the ninth round by the Atlanta Braves. After receiving a mere $8,000 signing bonus because he lacked leverage as a fourth-year senior, Neslony concluded that year’s minor league season with Single-A Rome.

The 2017 season saw Neslony provide his best full season in the Braves system, as he slashed a combined .263/.342/.363 with 21 doubles and five homers for the High-A Florida Fire Dogs and Double-A Mississippi Braves. He returned to Mississippi for 2018 where he slashed .244/.297/.333 in 125 games; that year, he established career highs in hits (110), doubles (24), and RBIs (48), and was named a Southern League All-Star.

Neslony got off to a great start in 2019 with Mississippi, but his year was hampered due to two long stints on the injured list due to a strained oblique. In 58 games that year, he slashed .292/.369/.458 with five homers, 21 walks (9.7%), 43 strikeouts (19.8%) and 140 wRC+. After the pandemic cancelled the 2020 season, Neslony got off to a terrible start in 2021 on yet another return to Mississippi; he slashed just .164/.250/.255 in 63 plate appearances. Then, on July 11, he was traded to the White Sox for cash considerations.

Being mired in a deep Braves farm system, Neslony seemed stuck in neutral. Freed from those chains, he seemingly turned his career around overnight. In 38 games for the Birmingham Barons spanning 138 at-bats, all Neslony did was slash .355/.444/.678 with 16 doubles, seven homers, 28 RBIs, 19 walks, 31 strikeouts and a whopping 203 wRC+! This while playing half of his games in the cavernous confines of Regions Field.

AD

Skeptics would say that Neslony played against competition 2.5 years younger, and they’d be right. But perhaps a clean slate and a change of uniforms may have been all that was needed to reignite his career.

As an “old” prospect, however, Neslony is always going to be last in line for advancement. This proved true when the White Sox returned him to Birmingham to start 2022. Despite killing Double-A once again (.982 OPS in 64 games, sheesh, Oscar Colás thought he had cause to complain ...) Neslony wasn’t promoted to Triple-A — making it for the first time, at age 28 — until the All-Star break.

Neslony only had one healthy month in Charlotte and got off to an utterly dreadful start with the Knights. However, he bounced back for a relatively-successful .689 OPS over 27 games.

Neslony’s Baseball Cube player ratings
Hitting 78
Power 77
XBH 75
RBIs 69
Contact 65
Durability 61
Speed 46
Runs 45
Team Winning Percentage .511

After years of Charlie Tilsons and Blake Rutherfords, seeing outfielders like Neslony tear up Double-A and Mark Payton Triple-A was cause for hope. That those sluggers were playing older than league average hardly matters; we just want some outfielders with thump.

If Neslony can remain healthy and get his bearings in Charlotte — the hitting atmosphere is as friendly as can be — it is not out of the question he serves a sub role on the South Side this summer. He should be fun to watch, no matter where he is.

2023 South Side Sox Top 101 White Sox Prospects

49. Tyler Neslony, LF
50. Mario Camilletti, 2B
51. Sammy Peralta, LHRP
52. Jacob Burke, CF
53. Moisés Castillo, SS
54. Victor Quezada, 3B
55. Edgar Navarro, RHRP
56. Craig Dedelow, RF
57. Darío Borrero, 1B
58. Michael Turner, C
59. Tyler Osik, 1B
60. Haylen Green, LHRP
61. Mark McLaughlin, RHRP
62. Terrell Tatum, LF
63. Shawn Goosenberg, 2B
64. Randel Mondesí, LF
65. Emerson Talavera, RHRP
66. Declan Cronin, RHRP
67. Fraser Ellard, LHRP
68. Colby Smelley, C
69. Ethan Hammerberg, RHRP
70. Lincoln Henzman, RHRP
71. Vince Vannelle, RHRP
72. Brooks Baldwin, 3B-2B
73. James Beard, CF
74. Gabriel Rodríguez, RHSP
75. Ronny Hernandez, C
76. Troy Claunch, C
77. Brooks Gosswein, LHSP
78. Tim Elko, 1B
79. Yoelvín Silven, RHRP
80. Trey Jeans, LHRP
81. Jerry Burke, RHSP
82. Carlos Jiménez, 1B
83. Mason Adams, RHSP
84. Frankeli Arias, LHSP
85. Ernesto Jaquez, RHSP
86. Laz Rivera, 3B
87. Xavier Fernández, C
88. Álvaro Agüero, CF
89. Ben Norman, RF
90. Erick Bello, RHRP
91. Adisyn Coffey, RHRP
92. Arnold Prado, RF
93. Alsander Womack, 2B
94. Johan Domínguez, RHSP
95. Evan Skoug, C
96. Noah Owen, RHSP
97. Javier Mora, 2B
98. Will Kincanon, RHRP
99. Yohemy Nolasco, RHSP
100. Billy Seidl, RHRP
101. José Rodulfo, RHRP