2024 Charlotte Knights Season Preview
A look at top-prospect shortstop Colson Montgomery and other major league hopefuls who start 2024 at the doorstep of The Show
For a White Sox team that lost 101 games last season, at first glance it may seem like help is not on the way.
The Chicago White Sox’s Triple-A affiliate Charlotte Knights are coming off of a terrible 2023. In the first half, the Knights finished third in the International League East at a respectable 35-40, but went 18-56 in the second half — good for dead-last.
This will be manager Justin Jirschele’s second campaign at Charlotte’s helm. The former Knights player and rising managerial star will joined by returning hitting coach Cameron Seitzer and newly signed pitching coach R.C. Lichtenstein – a Chicago native and former pitching coach for the UIC Flames.
White Sox No. 1 Prospect: Colson Montgomery
Most noteworthy on Charlotte’s roster is White Sox top prospect Colson Montgomery. The organization is looking at Montgomery to eventually fill the shortstop gap left by Tim Anderson and temporarily filled by free agent acquisition Paul DeJong. Montgomery’s 2023 season was delayed as he rehabbed from injuries, but in his second career stint at Double-A Birmingham, the shortstop posted a .827 OPS and .400 OBP in 131 at-bats.
The Indiana native was invited to big league camp this spring but struggled, recording just three singles across 20 at-bats. Still, Montgomery was the centerpiece of the Sox’s inaugural Spring Breakout roster (sadly, canceled due to rain). The 2024 season will mark Montgomery’s first time in Triple-A, and with some success it’s likely the 22-year-old will see time in the big leagues this year.
Newcomers
Righthander Nick Nastrini was acquired at last season’s trade deadline in exchange for Lance Lynn from the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he shouldn’t be with Triple-A Charlotte for long. After a spectacular spring, where Nastrini held a 0.82 ERA over nine innings heading into his final start, the No. 6 South Side Sox prospect and No. 8 prospect at MLB Pipeline is likely starting once and getting called up to the majors once the White Sox need a fifth starter. With the Sox’ 40-man roster currently at capacity and Nastrini not yet occupying a spot, someone will have to get waived or released before the San Jose native can be promoted.
Right-handed reliever Prelander Berroa and right fielder Zach DeLoach, both acquired from the Seattle Mariners for Gregory Santos this offseason, begin 2024 with the Knights. Berroa is ranked as the No. 23 SSS and No. 19 MLB Pipeline prospect. Despite appearing in two games for the Mariners last season, 2024 will be Berroa’s first career Triple-A stint. The Dominican Republic native features a triple-digit fastball and upper-80s slider that helped him to a 13.91 K/9 at Double-A Arkansas last season — but also led to a BB/9 of 5.04 in that span. It’s that lack of command that has him breaking camp in Triple-A rather than the majors.
DeLoach was taken by the Mariners in the second round of the 2020 MLB draft. The left-handed hitter spent all of last season in Triple-A Tacoma and posted a .868 OPS over 528 at-bats. DeLoach boasts a career .377 OBP over nearly 1,400 minor league at-bats, and the Sox could call him up if Dominic Fletcher, Kevin Pillar or Gavin Sheets fail early in right field.
Jared Shuster, a 2020 first round pick, was sent to the White Sox as part of the deal that sent left-handed reliever Aaron Bummer to the Atlanta. Shuster has major league experience — starting 11 games for the Braves last year — but struggled, posting a 5.81 ERA over 52 2⁄3 innings. The lefthander didn’t fare much better with Triple-A Gwinnett — posting a 5.01 ERA across 16 starts and 79 innings. But with how thin the White Sox rotation appears it may only be a matter of time before Shuster sees the South Side.
Other Top Prospects
Jairo Iriarte was acquired in the Dylan Cease trade with the San Diego Padres, and when GM Chris Getz was touting him for the majors in 2024, it sounded odd, having barely sniffed Double-A. But Getz had a surprise tucked in his pocket, as Iriarte now becomes the most intriguing and even shocking member of the Knights roster. MLB Pipeline’s No. 9 White Sox prospect will be getting his first taste of Triple-A after logging just 29 1⁄3 innings in Double-A. While the righthander has started 50 of his 72 appearances, how deep Iriarte can pitch into games remains a question, as he’s logged just 247 career innings pitched as a pro. With Iriarte’s big strikeout numbers and high-90s fastball, the Sox could slide him to the bullpen just to get rush him up to the majors.
José Rodríguez ranks behind only Montogmery in terms of MLB-readiness and ceiling among the Sox’ middle infield prospects. Rodríguez even appeared in a game for the Sox last season. In 382 at-bats, the No. 9 SSS prospect and No. 18 MLB Pipeline held a .747 OPS at Double-A Birmingham before getting called up to Charlotte for 19 games toward the end of the year.
The Prospects of Old
Infielder Lucius Fox was once a consensus top prospect — most recently being ranked as the Washington Nationals’ No. 23 prospect by MLB Pipeline — but after bouncing among the Giants, Rays, Royals, and Nats organizations, Fox lands with the White Sox at the age of 26. The Bahama native has a career .668 OPS across 581 MiLB games with his best tools remaining his versatility (having played shortstop and center field in the minors) and speed (156 career stolen bases).
Outfielder Oscar Colás — who was the MLB Pipeline’s No. 2 Sox prospect heading into 2023 — is coming off of a forgettable year. In 75 games with the Sox, the Cuban native slashed .216/.257/.314 for a 55 OPS+ while playing league-average defense and suffering, at least in manager Pedro Grifol’s eyes, considerable lapses in funadmentals and focus. Colás hit better in his time at Triple-A (.810 OPS) but the Sox are choosing to start him in Charlotte after he went just 3-for-20 in Cactus League play, in addition to the acquisition of Fletcher from the Arizona Diamondbacks.
After posting a .535 OPS over 199 at-bats last season with the Sox, infielder Lenyn Sosa will start 2024 with the Knights after free agent acquisition Nicky Lopez was given the starting job at second base with the big league club. At 24 years old, the onetime MLB Pipeline No. 9 White Sox prospect still posts some upside. Across 288 at-bats at Charlotte, Sosa slugged .507 for a .820 OPS.
Starting pitcher Touki Toussaint — a former first-round pick and Top 10 prospect with the Atlanta Braves — started 15 games for the Sox last season. Toussaint had a 4.97 ERA across 83 1⁄3 innings for Chicago and remains an option should the major league rotation need reinforcements.
Outfielder Yolequi Céspedes, was once a Top Five MLB Pipeline White Sox prospect, is now entering his age-26 season. Across 256 career games with Double-A Birmingham, Céspedes has just a .713 OPS but will make the Charlotte roster to open 2024. Céspedes’ power and speed — which once defined his game — seemingly vanished last season, with Céspedes slugging .350 with 16 stolen bases across 121 MiLB games last season. One plus for the tarnished star is that he positively exploded on offense during his courtesy call-up to Charlotte at the end of 2023.
As is common with rebuilding teams searching for the players that’ll make up their next pennant winner, the Sox and Knights are likely to exchange, promote, and recall a myriad of new and returning faces.