Underrated White Sox Prospect Breaks Into Top Rankings For First Time
As we approach the 2026 season, many of the major media outlets are releasing their new top prospect lists. As it currently stands on the MLB Pipeline list, the White Sox have five top-100 players. Braden Montgomery, Noah Schultz, Billy Carlson, Caleb Bonemer, and Hagen Smith are all on the list and all within the top-88.
These five are considered to be the consensus top prospects in the White Sox system among most of the outlets, while the actual numbers of each player may vary depending on whose list you look at. However, a new name may crack the new top-100 list when it’s released later this week, as the White Sox had a new player find their way on a positional top-10 list.
As MLB Pipeline gets ready to unveil their top-100 list, they are releasing a new top-10 per position list each day before the new top-100 list. Yesterday the second base list was released, and a White Sox prospect found his way on to the list.
New Top 10 2B Prospects list dropped!
Here are the 2026 rankings, headlined by several promising bats and a team with three representatives: https://t.co/9fUjrOOMxU pic.twitter.com/chCWXkpdZF
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) January 19, 2026
According to MLB Pipeline and Jim Callis, they ranked Sam Antonacci as the 10th best second base prospect in the minor leagues. This is finally some well deserved recognition for Antonacci, as all he has done is hit since being drafted in 2024.
Antonacci was a 5th round pick in GM Chris Getz’s first draft and he has looked like an absolute steal, as he has quickly risen through the White Sox farm system. After being quickly assigned to the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers after the draft, he went on to hit .333 with a .471 OBP in his first 23 professional games. He walked more than he struck out and added seven stolen bases.
However, 2025 is where Antonacci became more of a household name across the prospect community, as he made his way all the way to AA in his first full professional season. After hitting .279 with a .425 OBP, adding four homeruns and 27 stolen bases with the Winston Salem Dash, he earned a promotion to AA after the all-star break.
With Birmingham, he hit .292 with a .435 OBP, walking 28 times to just 31 strikeouts in 49 games. He added one homer, 25 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases. This was an elite all-around showing in AA and this led to him being added to the Arizona Fall League roster.
In the AFL, Antonacci hit .378 with a .505 OBP over 19 games. He added three homeruns, 14 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases. He also struck out more than he walked, as he had 15 walks to just 11 walks. This insane production would lead to him being selected as an AFL all-star.
Antonacci being considered as one of the top second basemen is a nice accomplishment and he should find himself on many top-100 lists very shortly. If he gets off to a hot start in 2026, don’t be surprised to see a promotion to Chicago at some point later in the year.