4. Luis Robert, OF
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 8/3/1997 (20)
2017 teams/levels played for: Dominican Summer League White Sox
2017 Stats: .310/.491/.536, 114 PA, 3 HR, 12 SB, 22/23 BB/K
Info: One of the most dynamic players to come out of Cuba (many evaluators compared Robert very favorably to Yoan Moncada when both came over from Cuba), Robert was signed with a significant $26 million signing bonus this past May. Robert was able to put up impressive performances in multiple international competitions that got him on the radar of big league teams.
Due to some tax reasons, Robert did not come state side this season, which makes evaluating him a bit more difficult. He was older than most of the players he faced in the DSL, though he certainly showed an advanced approach at the plate, which is what led to his .491 on base.
Robert has tremendous talent, and could legitimately be argued to have the most upside of any player in the White Sox system
Robert in scouting terms has plus raw power with plus raw speed that he’s learned how to utilize better on the bases and in the field. His arm is above-average and his contact ability is also viewed as above-average as well, giving him a true five-tool talent base.
One of the questions that was not addressed during his DSL stint this year was how Robert will handle premium velocity and premium breaking stuff. While he’s shown good zone judgement on all pitches, he’s struggled in contact with premium velocity and hard breakers in international competition. He did not see enough of either in the DSL to truly get a view on how that could translate.
Robert has tremendous talent, and could legitimately be argued to have the most upside of any player in the White Sox system. Certainly, within the system, he’s part of a definite top 4 of the system that could be ordered in multiple ways. He’ll likely be pushed all the way to full-season ball, and possibly even to high-A Winston-Salem, which would be a comfortable hitting environment for him to make a pro debut.
I’d wager that if he opens with Winston-Salem, he’ll spend most, if not all, of the season there in 2018. He could have a midseason move if he opens the year with low-A Kannapolis.
3. Alec Hansen, RHP
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 10/10/1994 (23)
2017 teams/levels played for: low-A Kannapolis Intimidators, high-A Winston-Salem Dash, AA Birmingham Barons
2017 Stats: 26 GS, 141 1/3 IP, 2.80 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 8.6% BB, 32.4% K
Info: At 6’7″ and 240ish pounds, Hansen cut an imposing figure on the mound as a collegian. There was no question why he was one of the top 2-3 arms considered for the 2016 draft before the 2016 collegiate season kicked off. Then he simply lost the ability to locate any of his pitches.
Hansen got hold of things by the end of the college season, but the damage had been done already, and he fell to the 2nd round where the White Sox took a chance on him. Hansen then simply blew away everyone last season, striking out nearly 40% of hitters across three levels and keeping his walk rate under 10%.
He built on that success in 2017 with a full season of performance. He flashed excellent command on the season, even when he did tally up some walks this season.
Hansen works with an impressive mix of a fastball that can reach the upper 90s in velocity and gets excellent plane and late movement low in the zone. He works with a hard curve that is absolutely brutal to both sides of the plate, and his change has really come a long way, with excellent sink on the pitch as well. He’s worked with some grips of a cutter or slider this year as well, which would really give him four velocity points that hitters would have to be ready for.
While Kopech is viewed as the elite arm in the system, the distance between Kopech and Hansen is really not as much as many would think based on national hype. Hansen will likely spend at least the first half of the season with Birmingham, but he could be a big factor in the 2019 rotation.
Next: #1 and #2