South Side Sox Top Prospect No. 43: Lane Ramsey
Get healthy, regain command, and the South Side is on the horizon
Lane Ramsey
Right-Handed Relief Pitcher
6´9´´
245 pounds
Age: 26
2020 SSHP Top Prospect Ranking 85
2021 SSS Top Prospect Ranking 72
2022 SSS Top Prospect Ranking 68
2022 High Level Charlotte (AAA)
Age relative to high level -2.0 years
SSS rank among all right-handed relief pitchers in the system 7
Overall 2022 season stats 1-2 ⚾️ 24 games (10 finished) ⚾️ 4 SV ⚾️ 25 1⁄3 IP ⚾️ 6.39 ERA ⚾️ 1.855 WHIP ⚾️ 28 K ⚾️ 21 BB
After transferring from Division II Newman University, Lane Ramsey spent the final two years of his college career with the University of Oklahoma.
Yes, that’s correct. He transferred from Newman to Norman.
While Ramsey’s final season with the Sooners wasn’t anything to write home about, it was still his best at the college level (even including his year with Newman). In 2018 for the Sooners in 14 outings (three starts), Ramsey compiled a 5.24 ERA and 1.61 WHIP in 22 innings by allowing 22 hits (.253 OBA) and 14 walks (13.2%) while striking out 18 (17.0%). The White Sox, liking his fastball and size, selected him in the 23rd round of that year’s MLB draft.
Despite throwing more strikes, Ramsey got roughed up a bit in the higher air of Great Falls (5.77 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, .316 OBA, 5.3 BB% and 16.9 K%) during his pro debut in 2018. In 2019 in Kannapolis, Ramsey fared far better, everywhere but the walk department. In 31 relief appearances totaling 52 ⅓ innings, he posted a 2.75 ERA and 1.18 WHIP by surrendering 42 hits (.215 OBA) and 20 walks (8.8%) while fanning 44 (19.3%). Ramsey was especially tough against righties (.153 OBA), but lefties hit him at a .298 clip — with his size and delivery, he may simply be more difficult to pick up by righties.
After missing the 2020 season due to the pandemic shutdown, Ramsey made up for lost time in 2021 by working his way up from Winston-Salem to Charlotte. He spent the first month of 2021 with the Dash, and excelled to the tune of a 1.64 ERA and 0.91 WHIP in 11 innings. The next seven weeks were spent with Birmingham, and he performed well for the Barons by posting a 3.21 ERA and 1.36 WHIP in 14 innings. Things got a bit dicey with Charlotte during his final two months, however, as opponents tagged Ramsey with a 6.35 ERA and a 1.68 WHIP. He did keep the ball down for the Knights, as evidenced by a sturdy 45.5% ground ball rate, but his walk rate rose while his strikeout rate declined. It simply appears that Ramsey lost his command, as Double-A hitters pulled his offerings 43.2% of the time and Triple-A hitters pulled him 16% more often.
Combined with all three teams in 2021, Ramsey compiled a 4.34 ERA and 1.41 WHIP in 44 appearances (three starts). In his 47 2⁄3 innings, he relinquished 46 hits (.249 OBA) and 21 walks (10.0%) while striking out 56 (26.8%).
Battling injury in the latter half of 2022, Ramsey took a step back overall. He spent the end of what started as a promising season on the cusp of the majors instead down in Arizona and at Low-A Kannapolis, in rehab. Healthy by season’s end, Ramsey got the call to the Arizona Fall League and proved he was worthy of a do-over season at Triple-A in 2023, with two saves in nine games (4.50 ERA).
Ramsey’s Baseball Cube player ratings
Durability 74 (hmm)
Strikeouts 48
vs. Power 43
Hittable 43
K/BB 39
Walks 39
Team Winning Percentage .471
No, the Cube doesn’t much like Ramsey — but the White Sox still do. Ramsey has had a pretty injured career so far, but he throws hard and is 6´9´´, so he is a fun pitcher to watch. He needs to hone his command again, given his 17.3% BB-rate in 20 2⁄3 Triple-A innings last year, but he just hasn’t pitched a lot in general. Ramsey is a guy to watch for in 2023, but if the command struggles do not subside, that will be an early tell whether he’s on track for the majors.
2023 South Side Sox Top 101 White Sox Prospects
43. Lane Ramsey, RHRP
44. Caleb Freeman, RHRP
45. Hunter Dollander, RHSP
46. Chase Solesky, RHSP
47. Godwin Bennett, RF
48. Wilber Sánchez, SS
49. Tyler Neslony, LF
50. Mario Camilletti, 2B
51. Sammy Peralta, LHRP
52. Jacob Burke, CF
53. Moisés Castillo, SS
54. Victor Quezada, 3B
55. Edgar Navarro, RHRP
56. Craig Dedelow, RF
57. Darío Borrero, 1B
58. Michael Turner, C
59. Tyler Osik, 1B
60. Haylen Green, LHRP
61. Mark McLaughlin, RHRP
62. Terrell Tatum, LF
63. Shawn Goosenberg, 2B
64. Randel Mondesí, LF
65. Emerson Talavera, RHRP
66. Declan Cronin, RHRP
67. Fraser Ellard, LHRP
68. Colby Smelley, C
69. Ethan Hammerberg, RHRP
70. Lincoln Henzman, RHRP
71. Vince Vannelle, RHRP
72. Brooks Baldwin, 3B-2B
73. James Beard, CF
74. Gabriel Rodríguez, RHSP
75. Ronny Hernandez, C
76. Troy Claunch, C
77. Brooks Gosswein, LHSP
78. Tim Elko, 1B
79. Yoelvín Silven, RHRP
80. Trey Jeans, LHRP
81. Jerry Burke, RHSP
82. Carlos Jiménez, 1B
83. Mason Adams, RHSP
84. Frankeli Arias, LHSP
85. Ernesto Jaquez, RHSP
86. Laz Rivera, 3B
87. Xavier Fernández, C
88. Álvaro Agüero, CF
89. Ben Norman, RF
90. Erick Bello, RHRP
91. Adisyn Coffey, RHRP
92. Arnold Prado, RF
93. Alsander Womack, 2B
94. Johan Domínguez, RHSP
95. Evan Skoug, C
96. Noah Owen, RHSP
97. Javier Mora, 2B
98. Will Kincanon, RHRP
99. Yohemy Nolasco, RHSP
100. Billy Seidl, RHRP
101. José Rodulfo, RHRP