High Five: The top 25-and-under Cubs and White Sox players
While the White Sox enjoy a full-fledged youth movement, the Cubs are peppering in a handful of youngsters to guide them into the future.
But who are the best up-and-comers on each side of town? The White Sox had three 26-year-old All-Stars in last week’s midseason classic: Munetaka Murakami, Tristan Peters and Miguel Vargas.
But the talent in Chicago runs much younger than that. This edition of the High Five looks at the top 25-and-under players from both sides of town.
5. Noah Schultz, White Sox
It’s been a up-and-down start for Schultz, a 6-foot-10 lefty who some have compared to Hall-of-Famer Randy Johnson. Only 22, Schultz was the Sox’s first-round pick in 2022 out of Oswego East High School.
Schultz made his MLB debut with the Sox in April, showing a mix of promise and growing pains before landing on the injured list after eight starts. He returned July 1 and is gradually being built up again.
4. Sam Antonacci, White Sox
It took only 11 Triple-A games for Antonacci, 23, to earn a call-up to the bigs in April. Part of the reason might have been his strong play while competing for Italy in the World Baseball Classic.
The fifth-round pick from Sacred Heart-Griffin in Springfield was selected out of Coastal Carolina in 2024.
Antonacci, a lifelong infielder, played second base in his MLB debut but the bulk of his time on the South Side has been spent in left field. In 78 games through Sunday, he has a .281 batting average with 7 homers and 29 RBI.
3. Cade Horton, Cubs
If Horton eventually comes back healthy and stay that way (a big if), the Cubs could have the long-term ace they’ve sought for years.
Horton, 24, in April underwent his second Tommy John surgery after making just two starts with the Cubs this season. The Cubs were counting on him to lead the rotation after finishing second in last year’s National League Rookie of the Year voting.
Horton went 11-4 with a 2.67 ERA last season but closed with an 8-1 record and a 1.03 ERA. Unfortunately for the Cubs, he missed the end of the regular season and the playoffs with a broken rib.
Now it looks like he’ll be out until deep into the 2027 season.
2. Colson Montgomery, White Sox
Montgomery, called up by the White Sox for his MLB debut last July, finished fifth in the American League Rookie of the Year voting after blasting 21 homers in 71 games.
Still only 24, the shortstop/third baseman quickly has developed into a team leader as the White Sox chase a Central Division title. He’s only batting .224 but he’s already belted 24 homers and driven in 57 runs.
1. Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs
Post this ranking a couple months ago, and the top choice might look different. But after blistering opposing pitching through June and July, PCA is looking like an MVP candidate and Gold Glove center fielder again.
Crow-Armstrong, a steal from the Mets for Javier Baez in 2021, joined the rare company of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig while batting .381 in June with a .781 slugging percentage, 11 home runs and 20 RBI. It was an impressive bounce-back after a rough slump in May that included a heated verbal exchange with a White Sox fan.
If the 24-year-old can avoid a second-half slumber like last year, PCA will stay in the MVP conversation.