The Arizona Fall League begins on Monday, with the festivities kicking off at 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
This event takes place during the Major League Baseball postseason, and while several teams' seasons are already over, they still get a chance to have a better look at some of their prospects who are taking part in the AFL. Players competing in the AFL may be making up for lost time due to injuries or other issues.
The Chicago White Sox have several top prospects taking part in the AFL this year. Jim Callis recently discussed the prospects the White Sox have on the Glendale Desert Dogs, whose he ranks as the second-best.
"Outfielders Josue De Paula (Dodgers) and Braden Montgomery (White Sox) give the Desert Dogs a formidable pair of sluggers, while second baseman Sam Antonacci (White Sox) and shortstop Josh Kasevich (Blue Jays) are contact hitters who can set the table for them. Left-hander Hagen Smith (White Sox) is one of two Top 100 pitchers in the desert," Callis wrote.
Montgomery is the White Sox top prospect, while Smith is the No. 5 prospect and Atonacci is the No. 11 prospect according to MiLB.com.
Montgomery brings power from both sides of the plate. He was the key piece that went back to the White Sox last winter in the Garrett Crochet deal with the Boston Red Sox.
He hit .272/.364/.416 with a .780 OPS this season and advanced all the way to Double-A Birmingham after starting the year off in Low-A.
Smith put together a strong season for Double-A Birmingham, going 3-3 with a 3.57 ERA in 20 starts over 75 2/3 innings of work. The young left-hander was the White Sox's first-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft.
Antonacci hit .292/.435/.381 with an .816 OPS and also advanced to Double-A
The White Sox struggled again in 2025, but they'll have a chance to get a good look at some of their top prospects beginning on Monday as the AFL starts. Glendale's roster is stacked with talent, much of which has come from the White Sox organization.
It will certainly be interesting to see how their top prospects fare in the AFL. This could set them up well for 2026 and beyond and could lead to them being factors for the White Sox sooner rather than later.
More MiLB: Cardinals Sending High-Upside Hurler To AFL After Injury-Plagued Season
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!