Historically speaking, the White Sox haven't generated much value from their second-round picks. Terry Forster massed 20.4 WAR over his playing career, including 12 with the White Sox, and you have to go down to Jake Petricka and his 1.8 WAR to find the next player who can say the same. Jeff Weaver and Johnny Oates didn't sign, while Bob Wickman and Ryan Sweeney were traded. By the time the season is over, Grant Taylor may surpass Petricka for second place, but he's doing it one or two innings at a time.
The good news is that 2024 second-round pick Caleb Bonemer on a trajectory to break that slump, and two years later, Cole Prosek fits a similar mold as a filled-out prep infielder with some pop. There are some differences -- he's 19, not 18; he's from Mississippi, not Michigan; he bats lefty, not righty; his most promising avenue might be catcher if a team set aside the time to develop him there -- but you get the idea of what the White Sox tried to do with this year's second-round selection, taken 41st overall.
"To be able to bring in Landon [Thome], one of the top left-handed high school bats, in addition to Prosek as well, we felt they were the best high school left-handed bats remaining in the draft," said Chris Getz. "Very excited about Prosek, excited about getting him as well. A special young bat with power, he’s caught before, he plays infield. Once again, left-handed. You’ve heard how much we value left-handed bats here."
What's Cole Prosek's game?
Cole Prosek had a massive spring season when he hit .585 with 18 homers and 79 RBIs en route to earning Prep Baseball Report's Mississippi Player of the Year award. This honor follows his MVP award from the All-American Classic last summer. Prosek was committed to Ole Miss.
Just like Landon Thome, who was picked seven spots ahead of him, Prosek is a left-handed hitter with projectable power. He does an excellent job of driving off his back hip and generating loft in his swing. At the MLB Draft Combine, Prosek's 90th percentile exit velocity was 104.9 MPH, and his average was 96.2 MPH.
Prosek's future defensive position remains uncertain. The White Sox announced Prosek as a second baseman, but he's gone through catching and outfield drills during showcases to show off his strong throwing arm.
Where did Cole Prosek rank?
- Sox Machine: 44
- MLB.com: 27
- Baseball America: 39
- ESPN: 30
- Keith Law: 58
- FanGraphs: 48
What does Cole Prosek look like?
2026 MLB Draft Day 1 Draft Coverage
There are still two more rounds and three more White Sox picks after this, so head to the Day 1 DraftChat to keep following along.
