While this is not an enviable position for any team (just ask the New York Mets), for the White Sox and former No. 3 overall pick Carlos Rodon, it’s the reality each they find themselves in.

It was not long ago that young southpaw John Danks was in line to take over for an aging Mark Buehrle.

The Sox even chose to give Danks a five-year extension and let Buehrle leave in free agency, following then-manager Ozzie Guillen to the Miami Marlins in 2011.

Up to that point, Danks’ biggest accomplishment was his performance in the storied “Blackout Game,” he had positioned himself as one of the more talented young starters in the game, posting two consecutive 200-inning seasons and three straight sub-4.00 ERA seasons before age 26.

The White Sox trade of perennial Cy Young candidate Chris Sale in the winter of 2016 and subsequent trade of Jose Quintana the following summer left the team without a frontline starting pitcher for the first time since 2012. Although the Sale trade was a signal that the White Sox had chosen a new direction after years of mediocrity, it did, however, leave them without an ace. 

While losing a perennial Cy Young candidate is a tough blow, the White Sox had to feel good about knowing they not only received a potential replacement in return, in the form of Michael Kopech, but they had also groomed their own — Rodon — who was waiting in the wings and ready to take that next step.

Now, more than a year removed from Sale’s departure, the Sox are still without an ace on their staff of young, unproven starters and old journeyman innings eaters, and the up-and-coming starter who the White Sox had hoped would take the next step hasn’t.

The 25-year-old left-hander has shown flashes of his potential but has been unable to take the “next step” due to nagging injuries, including the most recent injury, and underwent shoulder surgery at the end of the season.

Sound familiar?

Thankfully in Rodon’s case, the arthroscopic shoulder surgery he had last fall isn’t nearly as serious as the torn shoulder capsule that ultimately brought Danks’ days as an effective starter to an end. But even still, shoulder injuries to pitchers are scary, and the fact that the last 12 months have been riddled with setbacks for a pitcher as talented as Rodon has to be frustrating for the White Sox, who obviously have big plans for him.

Rodon is throwing now, and Rick Hahn has thrown out June 1 as a potential return date for him. Is there room for concern? Absolutely. Like with Danks then, Rodon’s health is an important part of the White Sox future contention plans. But pitchers are notoriously fickle, and while there’s still a long road ahead and the White Sox remain one of the more prospect-laden organizations in baseball, it’s hard not to think about Rodon going down as another first-round pick whose career was never able to fully take off.

Lead Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Brew Crew traded for uber-talented outfielder Christian Yelich and then signed all-star outfielder Lorenzo Cain about 30 minutes later, re-positioning themselves just weeks away from the start of spring training.

Despite winning 86 games last season, the Brewers narrowly missed the playoffs and were still seen by many to be ahead of schedule. The Brewers decision to cash in a lot of their chips and make these “big boy” acquisitions last week, signaled that the team feels ready to compete and accelerate the rebuild, timeline be damned.

The moves the Brewers made don’t directly affect the Chicago White Sox, but Sox fans should still take note.

While the White Sox aren’t as far along in their rebuild as the Brewers, it isn’t hard to think that they could be in a similar position in a year or two. The team is technically in Phase 2 of its rebuild as the team continues to bring up and develop young talent at the Major League level. Milwaukee took the jump from Phase 2 of its rebuild to Phase 3, shifting the focus of the club from development to competing and had the NL Central reeling before ultimately being chased down by the Cubs in July.

It will be interesting to see how quickly the White Sox can move from Phase 2 to Phase 3 with Eloy Jimenez and Michael Kopech both on the verge of getting to Chicago. They still have pieces they could move if they wanted in Jose Abreu and Avisail Garcia, although both could be around when the team makes the turn toward contention.

Milwaukee’s acquisitions also show what stockpiling talent via trades and the international free agent market can give a club the flexibility to do. When the opportunity came to acquire a talent like Yelich, having a plethora of young players to package made the difference.

Both Lewis Brinson and Isan Diaz (2018 #27 and #86 on MLB Pipeline Top 100 prospects) were acquired in deals the Brewers made at the beginning of their rebuild. Brinson came over from the Rangers for catcher Jonathan Lucroy and Diaz from the Diamondbacks in a deal for shortstop Jean Segura.  While Brinson was believed to be the center fielder of the future for the Brew Crew, being able to add Yelich and Cain to their current outfield–both under control for five years–was too good pass up.  The additions give them the opportunity to consolidate their assets and accelerate their rebuild to try to compete not only for a Wild Card spot, but potentially a division title.

In the last 12-plus months or so, general manager Rick Hahn has turned over the White Sox farm system and  parlayed 10 players from their big league roster into 19 prospects. Add that along with what looks like a solid draft class in ’17 and the splashy signing of Luis Robert and you have the makings of one of the elite farm systems in baseball.

Granted, the last time Hahn traded a prospect it was back in 2016 when the Sox acquired James Shields from the Padres in exchange for Erik Johnson and 17-year-old shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr.. Tatis Jr., has since gone on to elevate his game and is currently ranked as the #8 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline.

The next time Hahn trades a prospect it likely won’t be a relatively unknown commodity like Tatis Jr. was at the time, but one or more of their talented studs like Jake Burger, Dylan Cease, Dane Dunning, Alec Hansen or even Luis Robert. But unlike the last time, the White Sox shouldn’t be getting a star past his prime, but a player who may very well be one of the last pieces of the puzzle like the Brewers hope Yelich and Cain will be.

The White Sox may not win 80 games next season, but the time is fast approaching where they will, and not only be able to compete for AL Central division titles, but marquee players in both the trade and free agent markets.  After all, developing talent from within frees up a lot of money to spend on free agents.  Hahn and the White Sox have been patient in Phase 2 of their rebuild, as they should be. When the time does come, don’t be surprised to see them step on the gas.

Maybe that’s a bit dramatic.

The Winter Meetings are over and the rumors are swirling, which means we are getting close to Christmas time. While it’s been a rather quiet offseason, that doesn’t mean the folks in Bridgeport aren’t wishing to make some noise this holiday season. In fact, some of their wishes could be coming true very soon.

Here what they might be asking for on the South Side this year.

Rick Hahn

Hahn’s Christmas Wish: An open Jerry Reinsdorf checkbook in 2018

Rick Hahn has done a lot with the White Sox in last 12 months. Committing to a rebuild and moving players has put the White Sox in a position to have not only top-tier blue chip prospects, but quality depth in their farm system as well.

While the Sox rebuild is still in progress, Hahn mentioned at the Winter Meetings that the team would look to add via trades and free agency if it fits in the long-term plans of the organization and an opportunity presented itself.

Manny Machado could be that opportunity. However, not necessarily this season. While I understand the thought of bringing him in for a year and hopefully getting him to sign an extension, there’s more risk than reward.

There’s reason to be skeptical about the White Sox chances to get Machado.  His market is already heating up with the Orioles putting the 24-year-old third baseman/shortstop on the trading block, and there will no shortage of suitors on the free agent market. It’s possible for Machado’s deal in 2018 to eclipse $300 million, which doesn’t fit the White Sox DNA. For one, the largest contract in Sox history was the 6 year, $68 million contract the team signed Jose Abreu to in 2014. Would Jerry Reinsdorf almost quadruple the largest contract they’ve given to any player, ever?  It’s hard to imagine.

Hahn and co. were able to get Reinsdorf to approve this rebuild, so whose to say they can’t convince the Sox chairman to write the check? Especially if it ignites the rebuild that gets him closer to winning World Series.

Rick Renteria

Renteria’s Christmas Wish: Be a more exciting version of the 2015 Minnesota Twins

The 2015 Minnesota Twins were very similar to the upcoming Chicago White Sox team. Like the Sox, the Twins were in the middle of their rebuild.  They had young players on the horizon, most notably Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton, the latter being the consensus No. 1 prospect in baseball, and had very low expectations.

They had no position player hit more than 28 home runs and just one player had a batting average that eclipsed the .280 mark.  Their pitching staff was just as mediocre with a 4.07 team ERA and their best player by WARP was starter Kyle Gibson (11-11, 3.84 ERA, 4.1 WARP).

Yet despite all those different factors, they found a way to win games. 83 of them to be exact, and found themselves in the middle of the AL Wild Card race in late August and September.

Renteria’s squad can have a similar season in ’18 and his club is already more exciting than the team the Twins ran out there in 2018.

The White Sox will trot out one of the youngest rosters in baseball this Spring with four of its five starters and seven of its nine position players under the age of 26. That number will only continue to drop with the expected arrival of prospects such as Eloy Jimenez and Michael Kopech (we’ll talk about them later).

Because of the young players that will be playing, there is a level of variance as to how the White Sox will perform and likely have an affect on the team’s overall performance.

The White Sox will take a step forward this season. Like last year, they’ll be competitive, win some games and even surprise some people. An AL Wild Card run shouldn’t be something they expect, but if things go right and the Sox young players play well, they can definitely make August and September interesting.

Jose Abreu

Abreu’s Christmas Wish: Stay on White Sox long enough to see the turnaround

Abreu has been worth every penny of the $68 million the White Sox signed him to back in 2014. He’s been a leader both on and off the field and his presence has benefited several players including Reynaldo Lopez and his fellow countryman Yoan Moncada, who referred to Abreu as his “big brother.”

On a baseball level, Abreu has been just as great. He’s hit at least 25 homers in each of his first four seasons and slugged north of .500 in three of while four. There’s no doubt he’s become one of the most feared hitters in MLB during that time.

Can the White Sox get a nice return for the future if they shipped Abreu to a potential contender? It’s likely, even with the abundance of first base-types on the market. And for a team still in a rebuild, it would be crazy for the front office not to think about maximizing his trade value. But could Abreu’s continued presence in the White Sox’ clubhouse prove to be too valuable for a young team that will still need a leader as they start to win in the next two or three years? You bet they do. Look at what Carlos Beltran’s presence did not only the Houston Astros, but the Yankees two seasons ago. Same can be said for Chase Utley in Los Angeles. While Abreu has more baseball left in him than those two did when they were in their mentoring stages of their careers, it’s hard to put a price tag on a solid culture.

If I were a betting man, I’d put my money on Abreu getting his wish.

Yoan Moncada

Moncada’s Christmas Wish: Become a 3.0 or better WAR player in 2018

When I wrote about Yoan Moncada last offseason, no one really knew what to expect from him. He had the tools, he had the physique, but with all the expectation, how would he fare?

Speed? Check.

Power? Check.

Ability to hit? Check.

Strong arm? Check.

Solid glove? Check.

While it took him some time to find that rhythm once he got to the big leagues, he found a nice groove the last month of the season, slashing .276/.349/.469 with eight extra-base hits.

Unlike 2017, Moncada will begin the season as the starting second baseman in 2018 and be penciled into the top of Rick Renteria’s lineup every day. Despite it being his first full season, there’s no reason to believe he can’t take a huge step forward and become a 3.0-WAR type of catalyst for the Sox.

Andrew Benintendi was a 2.6 WAR in his first full season in the big leagues for the Boston Red Sox last year as a main focal point of their lineup. Moncada will be one of the anchors for the White Sox and while there isn’t as big of a supporting cast as Benintendi has in Boston, he’ll have that same level of expectation in his first full season in 2018.

The Cuban phenom managed to have a 1.7 WAR in his brief 54 games with the Sox so looking for him to double that in 2018 isn’t unreasonable. He could even surpass that number if his defense, which is his weakest tool, continues to improve. Moncada actually graded well defensively in 2017.

Moncada is the cornerstone of the White Sox rebuild and may be the future face of the franchise. Everyone saw flashes of the tools that made him the No. 1 overall prospect in baseball and if can tap into all five of those tools, the sky is the limit for what this guy can do in 2018 and beyond.

Eloy Jimenez and Michael Kopech 

Jimenez/Kopech’s Christmas Wish: Force the team’s hand and break camp with the big-league club

Sure, this is every minor leaguer’s dream, especially when they are on the brink of making it anyway, but when it comes to the White Sox top hitting and pitching prospects, the idea is not too far-fetched.

After being acquired in the Jose Quintana trade, Eloy Jimenez, who was already rated as the eighth best prospect in baseball by Baseball Prospectus and fourth-best by MLB Pipeline, seemed to get even better following the trade. He hit .345 with Winston-Salem before earning a promotion to Double-A Birmingham where he hit .353 in his small sample size there. Jimenez didn’t cool off when the season ended either as he tore up winter ball in the Dominican.

Michael Kopech, like Jimenez, exceeded the Sox expectation during his first season in the organization. The flamethrower had never topped 100 IP prior to 2017 and not only did he surpass that mark (134) he also remained healthy. Kopech showed that he could handle Double-A, and dominated in the process. He earned himself a promotion to Triple-A Charlotte where he more than held his own in his three starts there.

When discussing ETA of timelines for young players, Hahn always talks about how the “good ones” will force the team’s hand. There’s no reason to rush either of these guys to the majors as both are still just 21 years old. While I believe both will start the year in the minors, it won’t be long before they get the call. Jimenez and Kopech knocked on the door last season, expect them to kick it down in ’18.

Lead Photo Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

1. Learn about the Farm System

While the team in Chicago may leave a little to be desired over the next few month, the team is hoping the young players they’ve acquired and developed make their way to Guaranteed Rate Field very soon. With some trade assets still on the roster, the Sox will likely acquire more young talent to help stockpile one of the more talented farm systems in baseball.

There will be some development and time before we know whether these guys are the real deal or not, but take time to learn about the farm system Rick Hahn and co. are building. Big name prospects like Zack Collins, Alec Hansen, Michael Kopech, Yoan Moncada, Luis Robert, and newly acquired Eloy Jimenez will get much of the attention for obvious reasons, but the White Sox have started to build depth within their system and have a few talented youngsters flying under the radar such as Spencer Adams, Micker Adolfo, Aaron Bummer, and Jordan Stephens; several of whom are already garnering their own attention. Let’s use Adolfo as an example.

Adolfo was the No. 2 international prospect in according to MLB Pipeline back in 2013 behind coincidentally Jimenez, who signed with the Cubs, but several injuries including a fractured fibula in 2015 stunted his development and been forgotten by many. This season, Adolfo has put the injuries behind him and tapped into some of his potential the White Sox saw when they signed him. He’s currently hitting .274 with 12 homers for Class A Kannapolis Intimidators and is still just 20 years old.

2. Notice Culture Change

Rebuilds affect not only the on-field product of a team, but the culture within an organization. Culture change comes from the top down. While the direction of the organization isn’t the and the White Sox

When you can’t sell on-field success in the short term, you have to sell your vision in the long-term. Included in this long-term vision is how the organization will get better in terms of on-field success and laying out the process and that’s what the White Sox have done.

Even before the White Sox made their plans for a rebuild public, the wheels were already being put in place for a new direction. Nick Hostetler was hired as the Sox amateur scouting director which laid the foundation for the White Sox influx of talent. In the past, the White Sox were known to scout and draft athletes who had big upside despite some flaws. After several years of failing, the White Sox have adopted a new philosophy in their scouting of talent. For the last two seasons, especially in the draft, the White Sox have done their best to move away from big swing and miss players and target players who can not only hit, but get on base at a higher clip. Collins, as well as 2017 draft picks Jake Burger and Gavin Sheets all fit this new philosophy.

The on-field product has been what you’d expect from a rebuilding team. Despite their place in the standings, Rick Renteria has done an adequate job so far trying to impart the importance of playing good, sound, clean baseball. Yes, there are things the White Sox don’t do very well, but by all accounts, Renteria’s calm, yet vocal demeanor has been beneficial to a team that is full of impressionable young players and a handful of veterans as well.

3. Watch Player Development

Throughout this rebuild, the White Sox will have a lot of young players who will be getting at-bats, innings pitched and see a lot of playing time. It’s important for the Sox to find out what guys will remain when they return to baseball relevancy and who will be a future trivia answer. Avisail Garcia’s All-Star breakout in the first half was a complete shock after seasons of disappointment, but potentially gives the Sox another piece to build around that they may not have thought they had when the season began. The same could be said for third baseman Matt Davidson, whose 18 home runs  leads the team and Yolmer Sanchez who has played well in place of the injured Tyler Saladino.

On the other hand, Tim Anderson’s sophomore season has had a lot of ups and downs.  After a promising start to his big league career in 2016, he’s had his fair share of struggles both offensively and defensively. His 19 fielding errors leads the majors, but he’s still shown the range that gives you confidence he can handle the position long term. While Anderson’s standing in the Sox future won’t be defined by a sophomore slump, it’s clear that the league has adjusted to him.  Seeing if Anderson can make adjustments in the second half of ’17 and into 2018 will be something to watch.

Finally, there will be players who catch the White Sox attention, who may not have been in their original plans. My colleague Ryan Schultz wrote a piece a few months back on how Leury Garcia was the first find of the White Sox rebuild, which you can find here. Garcia was having a very nice year both offensively and defensively before a hand injury shelved him back on June 15. There are a handful of other players who could open some eyes as the rebuild continues and veterans are moved. Speedster Adam Engel has played well in limited action especially with the glove as well as catcher Kevan Smith, who has taken over as the Sox full-time catcher after a strong showing in May and June. Waiver-pickup/former top prospect Alan Hanson has been given several opportunities to show what he can do.

White Sox baseball is hard to watch and will continue to be a struggle in the second half of the season, but then again there’s nothing pretty about any rebuild. The good news is that the different facets of the rebuild, other than watching the Sox lose every night, may help take your focus away from some of the bad baseball that is still to come.

Lead Photo Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

Rick Hahn and the White Sox brass might be asking themselves that same question.

The third baseman has followed in the footsteps of Adam Dunn, Jeff Keppinger, and Adam LaRoche as corner infield acquisitions who have underachieved after joining the White Sox.

Frazier was supposed to be one of the missing pieces to make the White Sox a bonafide contender in the American League in 2016, but just like Frazier’s performance, that flopped.

After an early season power surge last season, Frazier struggled to make any consistent contact, hitting below .200 for much of the year. While Frazier struggled to put the ball in play, when he did it often traveled very far, as he finished with 40 home runs, most by a third baseman in club history.

Unfortunately, his struggles from 2016 have leaked over into this season. Frazier ranks in the bottom third of the league in batting average, slugging percentage and OPS among qualified third basemen.  He is also sporting the fifth lowest wRC+ among any third basemen in MLB (82).

Frazier’s poor 2016 can be somewhat masked because of the power numbers he was still able to produce. This season, the contact struggles remain and the power has yet to come around. One has been his inability to square up pitches that he has historically been able to handle in the past.

Throughout his career, Frazier has hit fairly well against fastballs (.281), but that hasn’t been the case in 2016. According to Brooks Baseball, Frazier has been below average against fastballs, hitting at a .225 clip (18-for-80). While he has also struggled mightily against breaking balls and off speed pitches (.132), the inability for a slugger like Frazier to barrel up mediocre fastballs is concerning. If Frazier was only being blown away by the elite pitchers in the American League, that would be one thing, but teams fourth and fifth starters are giving him trouble. If you watch Frazier’s at-bats, you’ll see the lack of a plan at the plate, which usually leads to a quick 0-2 count. While he will still occasionally run into a pitch and send it out of the ballpark, hitting a few homers won’t fix the Frazier’s issues.

The biggest disappointment as far as the White Sox are concerned this season is that Frazier’s trade value isn’t anywhere near where they’d like it to be. With the team in year one of its rebuild, Frazier could have been one of many assets who could be moved as the team continues to find young, controllable players.

Frazier’s struggles are unfortunate, and there’s no way the White Sox envisioned them being in their current position when they acquired him a year and a half ago. The White Sox gambled on Frazier helping put their offense over the top, and while that didn’t happen, neither of the prospects the Sox shipped out to acquire Frazier have made much noise in the big leagues. Trayce Thompson can’t seem to stay in the big leagues for longer than 60 days and Micah Johnson is now on his second team since being traded by the Sox. Likewise, Frankie Montas was moved to Oakland in a deadline deal last season and looks to destined for a career in the bullpen, just as many experts expected. Following the 2017 season, the White Sox will likely close the book on Frazier’s tenure once he becomes a free agent and continue with their youth movement either handing the keys to the hot corner over to Matt Davidson or look elsewhere.

I’d love to say there are good times ahead for Frazier and that he will snap out this long slump, which if you include his second half from 2015, is going on two years, but he hasn’t showed anything to give anyone confidence that a change is coming. It’s going to be a long summer for the South Side’s Jersey boy.

Lead Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

While Kopech probably won’t compete for a spot on the pitching staff until at least late 2018, Moncada could be in Chicago sooner rather than later and potentially be the White Sox everyday second baseman by the end of the 2017 season.

He flew through the Red Sox system after signing in 2015 at the age of 19, as many believed he had the potential to become the next in a long line of Cuban stars to succeed in the majors. Moncada held his own during his first season in professional baseball, but it was the 2016 season that had scouts, front office executives, and fans drooling. Last season, between the Red Sox High-A and Double-A affiliates, Moncada carried a .294/.407/.511 slash line with 52 extra base hits (15 home runs), 64 RBI and 94 runs scored to go along with 45 stolen bases. His stellar season earned him several accolades including Baseball America’s 2016 Minor League Player of the Year award.

So what are proper expectations for Moncada, who is easily the most highly touted White Sox position player prospect in recent memory, heading into 2017?

After breaking down tape of Moncada from last season, these are the four areas that stand out the most about the White Sox top prospect.

Driving the ball

Physically, you might think Moncada is better suited to play linebacker than second base, but don’t let the chiseled frame fool you. Moncada is built for baseball, standing 6-foot-2, 205 lbs. When Moncada makes contact, which he often does, he hits the ball with authority. He’s a switch hitter with power from both sides of the plate and while he has proven to be a better hitter from the left side, he doesn’t give much up from the right side (career .290 BA vs. RHP; .276 BA vs. LHP). He has loft in his swing from the left side which helped him tap into more power in 2016. His swing from the right side is much flatter, but his strength and bat speed help him generate enough power to compensate. Moncada will grow into more power as his already strong frame matures. He won’t have a problem hitting 25-30 homers at Guaranteed Rate Field in a few years.

He’s an advanced hitter for his age and has terrorized pitching in the lower minor leagues. He’ll have to prove himself against better pitching in Triple-A and the majors before people can start really believing the hype, but if it all clicks, he could produce close to a .300/.400/.500 slash line in the immediate future.

Getting on base

This may be Moncada’s best attribute. While he likes to swing the bat, he is a very patient hitter with good plate discipline. Moncada walked 72 times during the 2016 season and carried a 14.6 percent walk rate to go along with his robust .407 on-base percentage. For comparison, Ben Zobrist, one of the more patient hitters in the league, had a 15.2 percent walk rate in 2016. The best part about Moncada’s knack to get on base is that once he’s on, he can use his plus speed to wreak havoc on the bases. For a White Sox team that hasn’t been better than 20th in team OBP since 2012, Moncada’s ability to get on base will be a welcomed attribute.

Strikeouts

Moncada does have swing and miss to his game. The switch-hitter struck out 124 times between High-A and Double-A, a 24 percent strikeout rate.  This was also the one part of his game that stood out during his cup of coffee with Boston in September. During his brief stint with the Red Sox, he struck out 12 times in 20 plate appearances, including a stretch of nine straight strikeouts. While this is an alarming rate of strikeouts it should be taken with a grain of salt.

While 12 strikeouts in 20 plate appearances isn’t anything to write home about, there is something to be said for Moncada’s eye at the plate. In the 12 strikeouts, Moncada did manage to see an average of 5.2 pitches in those at-bats, showing that he’s not just flailing recklessly.

There is still room for improvement in pitch recognition. 75 percent of Moncada’s strikeouts during his stint in the big leagues came on off-speed pitches. That will certainly be a point of emphasis the White Sox make during Spring Training and when he starts the year, presumably, in Triple-A Charlotte.

Strikeouts will always be a part of Moncada’s game and depending on your philosophy about strikeouts being another out, it might not be a big deal. As he matures as a major league hitter, he may be able to cut his strikeouts down from the 120s to fewer than 100. When Moncada matures into his body and taps into that 25-homer power many expect, the White Sox will be able to live with the 100-plus strikeouts that come with it, especially if he continues to get on base.

Speed

I’m going to keep this short and sweet. He can fly. Moncada has stolen 94 bases in 109 attempts (86 percent) in his first two professional season, which is amazing at his size. His speed also allows him to take the extra base often, turning what are normally singles into doubles. While he is bound to lose a step as his body matures, he will for the immediate future wreak absolute havoc on the base paths. 35-plus stolen bases should be well within his reach.

While the White Sox brass is undoubtedly pleased to have a prospect like Moncada in the fold, a timetable as to when he would arrive in Chicago is not set in stone. Following his acquisition this offseason, Hahn acknowledged that Moncada, while being very close to MLB ready, has development left to do and that he would begin the 2017 season in the minors.

My guess would be that the White Sox follow a similar model that they used with Tim Anderson last season. Moncada would start the season in Triple-A and, depending on how he performs and how the White Sox feel he has adjusted in his development, call him up and let him play every day in the big leagues some point in June.

Moncada is an elite prospect and may be the first of many young, talented players coming to the South Side of Chicago in the upcoming months. While White Sox fans will have a long summer ahead of them in the first year of a rebuild, watching this kid play every day alongside the like of Anderson would definitely make it easier.

Lead Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports