Tim Elko
First Baseman
2024 South Side Sox Top Prospect Ranking: 39
Charlotte Knights

Known as “The Captain” in Oxford, Miss., Elko led Ole Miss to its first-ever Men’s College World Series championship in 2022. As one of the most accomplished players in program history, Elko became a folk hero during the 2021 season after tearing his ACL and playing on one leg 33 days later with a special brace on his injured knee. In his first game back, the senior came in to pinch-hit and blasted a three-run bomb. It conjures up images of Kirk Gibson hobbling around the bases, Curt Shilling pitching with a bloody ankle, and (fictional) Roy Hobbs smashing the lights in one final moment of greatness despite bleeding from his gut.

After confronting hardship head-on, the first baseman decided to rehab his leg and play a fifth COVID year in 2022 with Ole Miss. The rest is history. He was a vital component of the school’s national championship, slashing .300/.407/.642 while crushing 24 bombs and driving in 75. The university even honored Elko by building and dedicating a statue to their hero this past February.

Build the Statue ✅ pic.twitter.com/XcxaE2Sd0k

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 23, 2024

You can see why the White Sox were intrigued by Elko. Power, leadership, and drive in the face of adversity are all characteristics this organization lacks and desperately needs. So, Chicago selected Elko in Round 10 (No. 311) of the 2022 draft with a $35,000 signing bonus, small but common for a senior with no leverage. The first baseman got a few ACL games under his belt and then headed to Kannapolis, where he played in 17 games and hit .271/.292/.414 with a .706 OPS — a nice start to his professional career.

The 2023 season saw Elko hit his way through three different affiliates: Kannapolis, Winston-Salem, and Birmingham. With a combined .295/.347/.527 slash line, 28 round-trippers, and 106 RBIs, it’s safe to say he was proving himself to be a player to watch. Then, 2024 kicked off with a spring training invite and a chance to experience big league camp and get a taste of mingling with and learning from major league players.

After the conclusion of spring training, the Sox assigned Elko to Birmingham, and he picked up right where he left off, hitting .289/.338/.420 with a .758 OPS and nine dingers in 91 games for the Barons. With a promotion to Charlotte on July 30, the dark horse just continued to do his thing for the Knights, slashing .289/.361/.472 with a .833 OPS, nine homers, and 33 RBIs over 48 contests. With a season like that, you can see why we included him on our All-Star team.

And Elko’s labors are not over; he is among nine White Sox prospects playing in the Arizona Fall League for the Glendale Desert Dogs. And to no one’s surprise, he clubbed a two-run bomb in his first game for the DDs.

It’s pretty clear that there’s plenty of potential here, and by all accounts, Tim is a fantastic clubhouse guy who tries to take it all in and find a way to improve in any way he can. And who doesn’t love an underdog story? Congratulations to Tim on a fantastic year! This fangirl would love to see him in Chicago in 2025.

2024 Sox Populi White Sox Minor League All-Star Team
Edgar Quero (C) (Player of the Year)
Caden Connor (1B)
Tim Elko (1B)
Wilmer Difo (2B)
Brooks Baldwin (SS)
Mason Adams (RHSP)
Aldrin Batista (RHSP)
Ky Bush (LHSP)
Noah Schultz (LHSP) (Pitcher of the Year)
Drew Thorpe (RHSP)
Eric Adler (RHRP)
Adisyn Coffey (RHRP)

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Tim Elko Photo: Laura Wolff/Charlotte Knights