These three Chicago White Sox prospects are off to dominant starts in 2026, and their production is quickly making a strong case for promotions to the next level.
While the White Sox bats came alive in a weekend series in Sacramento, most of the 2026 season has been a headache for White Sox fans due to the lack of offense.
Even more worrisome is the fact that there isn’t much help on the way. Sam Antonacci, who made his MLB debut for the White Sox last week, was the only highly touted prospect who felt like a lock to reach the big leagues at some point during the 2026 season.
The rest of the intriguing prospects in the organization are still a few levels away from a big league call-up. That said, there are a few position players who have dominated early in 2026 and could be in line for promotions sooner rather than later.
Three prospects, in particular, stand above the rest as being ready for the next level and a new challenge in the minor leagues.
OF Braden Montgomery
You can’t talk about the White Sox future without bringing up Braden Montgomery.
Montgomery was the 12th overall pick by the Boston Red Sox in the 2024 MLB Draft. After making his professional debut in the White Sox organization in 2025, he played at three different levels and produced consistently, from Low-A Kannapolis all the way to Double-A Birmingham.
Fifteen games into the 2026 season, Montgomery already looks far too advanced for Double-A.
Over his last eight games, he’s 15-for-26 with three home runs, 10 RBIs, five doubles, and two triples. He’s now batting .358 on the season with a 1.211 OPS, and he just turned 23 last week.
Montgomery was just named Southern League Player of the Week, and before long, Montgomery will have nothing left to prove at Double-A.
A promotion to Triple-A Charlotte feels like the natural next step, putting him just one level away from the big leagues. I still think we see Montgomery in Chicago before the end of the season, and I’d be surprised if he’s still in Birmingham by the end of May.
SS Colby Shelton
Colby Shelton was one of the more intriguing college bats the White Sox selected in the 2025 draft, taken in the sixth round.
After spending one year at Alabama and two seasons at Florida, Shelton showed drastically different offensive profiles depending on his approach. As a freshman at Alabama, he hit 25 home runs with a 1.148 OPS. He followed that up with another 20-home run season after transferring to Florida, though his batting average dipped to .254. In his final college season, Shelton traded power for contact, hitting just seven home runs but posting a .377 average.
That offensive variability put him on the White Sox radar, and after the draft, he was viewed as a potential fast riser in the system. His pro debut, however, was a disaster.
In 27 games at Low-A Kannapolis, Shelton hit .141 with one home run and a .415 OPS — a performance that dropped him out of the White Sox top 30 prospect rankings.
But in 2026, it’s been a completely different story. Shelton has been one of the most productive hitters in the entire organization.
In 13 games with High-A Winston-Salem, Shelton has five doubles, one triple, three home runs, and 20 RBIs — the most in the South Atlantic League by a wide margin. Fellow White Sox prospect Caleb Bonemer sits second with 15 RBIs.
Shelton also leads the league in OPS (1.264) and batting average (.429). He was just named South Atlantic League Player of the Week, as well.
He’s a left-handed hitting infielder with the versatility to play shortstop, third base, or second base. He’s getting on base at a .509 clip, drawing walks at a steady rate, cutting down on strikeouts, and showing legitimate power. He’s even chipped in three stolen bases.
At 23 years old, Shelton shouldn’t be in Winston-Salem much longer. I’d like to see him challenged at Double-A Birmingham to find out whether this breakout is sustainable in the notoriously pitcher-friendly Southern League.
3B Anthony DePino
Anthony DePino was a college third baseman who has primarily played first base since turning pro. A big part of that comes down to roster construction, as he shares the Winston-Salem infield with Kyle Lodise, Colby Shelton, and Caleb Bonemer.
The White Sox selected DePino in the seventh round of the 2025 MLB Draft out of the University of Rhode Island, where he made a significant impact over four collegiate seasons. He posted an OPS over 1.000 in three of those four years and hit 65 career home runs.
His 2025 season was the highlight, as DePino slashed his way to a 1.235 OPS with 20 home runs and 21 stolen bases, making him the only Division I player to post a 20-20 season that year.
After signing, the White Sox assigned him to Kannapolis, where he posted a .680 OPS with two home runs and 11 stolen bases in 29 games. The walk rate was encouraging — 20 walks in 29 games — but it was critical for his power to translate to the professional level.
That translation has started to show in 2026 at Winston-Salem. In 14 games, DePino is batting .294 with a 1.008 OPS, four home runs, and 10 RBIs.
Like Shelton and Montgomery, DePino is 23 years old, which positions him to move quickly through the system if production continues.
After a couple more weeks in Winston-Salem, I’d like to see DePino in Birmingham. With Ryan Galanie now promoted to Triple-A Charlotte, there should be more opportunities for DePino to get consistent at-bats at either first or third base.