The 2024 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, led by skipper Pat Leyland (son of Hall of Fame manager Jim), ended with a 70-61 overall record and completed their best season by winning percentage (.534) since 2018 — when they still were known as the Intimidators (.540).

The Ballers’ impressive first-half, first-place record of 41-25 secured them a playoff spot in the Carolina League South Division Championship in which they beat the Charleston RiverDogs (Tampa Bay Rays) in a three-game series. It was their first postseason appearance since 2017 when they lost to the Greenville Drive (Boston Red Sox). Their second-half, fourth-place record of 29-36 was not due to a drop off in offensive production but primarily due to a struggling pitching staff (and an expected 33-22 W/L record that indicates they also ran into a bit of bad luck).

Kannapolis has had many positive takeaways this season despite losing two of three games in the Carolina League Championship to the Fredericksburg Nationals (Washington Nationals). With a +147 run differential, their offense was an absolute powerhouse, tallying the most runs (692) of any team in the Carolina League, outscoring their closest competitor, the Lynchburg Hillcats (Cleveland Guardians), by 44 runs. The CBs team slash line of .253/.350/.368 and .718 OPS also led the league.

For all the weary White Sox fans, hearing that there are some hitters in the minors is likely some refreshing news until I remind you that most of these guys are very young and still several years away from being able to contribute in Chicago anytime soon. So, speaking of the players, Kanny fielded 64 different ones throughout the year, and six of the White Sox’s Top 30 prospects spent some time with the Ballers.

Hitters

Chicago selected infielder Sam Antonacci in the fifth round (No. 140) of the 2024 MLB Draft. The Springfield native was the 20th-ranked shortstop in the state upon graduating from Sacred Heart-Griffin High School in 2021. The lefty played two seasons at Heartland Community College in Normal, where he led his team to the program’s first national championship. In 2024, he transferred to Coastal Carolina University as a junior and hit .367/.504/.523 in 61 games. Antonacci debuted with Kannapolis on August 8 and slashed an impressive .333/.471/.432 with 14 RBIs and seven stolen bases in 81 at-bats. The 21-year-old primarily hit in the leadoff spot for the Ballers and accumulated 17 walks in 23 contests. His defense was equally impressive, splitting time between second and third base while only occasionally slotting in at designated hitter. In 61 total chances to make the play, he was perfect. With patience at the plate, solid bat-to-ball skills, and defensive finesse, this guy is someone South Side fans need to keep an eye on.

Soon-to-be 20-year-old Ronny Hernandez spent the entire 2024 season at Kannapolis. The Venezuelan native signed with the Pale Hose when he was just 17 and showed offensive promise out of the gate in the DSL in 2022 and ACL in 2023. After demonstrating that initial success, the Sox promoted the catcher to the Cannon Ballers for 2024. Rather than hit for power, the lefthander is more of an on-base threat, slashing .272/.387/.328 with a .715 OPS, including 62 walks over 96 games. One of the early weaknesses cited in his game was his work behind the dish, but he’s come a long way this year, committing only one error in 457 innings. While it’s clear that Edgar Quero and Korey Lee are likely the future catching tandem for Chicago, it never hurts to have a backup plan for a backstop in your back pocket.

Rikuu Nishida, the 2023 White Sox Round 11 (No. 329) pick, spent one year attending the University of Oregon before entering the draft. The native of Osaka, Japan is a firecracker and a game-changer. He spent about 70% of the season with Kannapolis, where he dominated before being promoted to the Winston-Salem Dash on July 30. Unsurprisingly, being 2 1/2 years older than the average Low-A player, Nishida did well with Kanny, hitting .290/.414/.367 with a .781 OPS. Defensively, he’s solid and versatile as he can play both the infield and outfield, splitting time between second base and left field, and he made only two errors over 1,043 2/3 innings. Oh, and the speedster can steal bases, swiping 35 bags for the Ballers. As a result of his impressive performance with Kannapolis, he was honored with a selection as an outfielder for the MiLB Single-A All-Star Team in the Carolina League. The promotions didn’t stop for Nishida with the Dash, as the Sox called him up to the Barons on September 3. It was indeed a successful season all around for the 23-year-old.

RIKUU NISHIDA‼️ pic.twitter.com/SbPmqpZrg8

— Birmingham Barons (@BhamBarons) September 25, 2024

Jeral Perez, Chicago’s No. 13 prospect, came over to the White Sox from the Los Angeles Dodgers in that bizarre three-way trade on July 29. With Michael Kopech now dominating in his high-leverage position out of the pen for the Blue Crew, many fans, including myself, have expressed frustration that we got the short end of the stick in the swap. While it’s still very early, I’m here to encourage fans to put a pin in that dissatisfaction. Between the L.A. and Chicago Low-A affiliates, the 19-year-old combined to slash .262/.370/.423 with a .793 OPS, 62 walks, and 12 home runs in his first full pro season. He also played in the Futures Game, representing the Dodgers, where he manned second base for three innings and went 1-for-2 with a single and a run scored. He’s a strong young player with fast hands who could produce 20+ round-trippers as he strengthens and advances. The Dominican Republic native also has flexibility on defense as he can play second, third, and short, although he spent most of the season at the keystone. Areas of improvement include his K/9, which is currently pretty awful, sitting at 27.2%. It’s not uncommon for young players to need to work on plate discipline. He has solid bat speed and doesn’t often swing and miss in the zone, but clearly, he needs to work on laying off pitches he has no chance of hitting.

Last but certainly not least is Chicago’s No. 7 prospect, George Wolkow. The hometown kid, who the Sox drafted after he graduated a year early from high school, started the season with 15 games in the ACL and then spent the remainder of the year with Kannapolis. The 18-year-old hit .241/.342/.428 with a .770 OPS and 13 home runs for the Ballers. While the batting average wasn’t great, the rest is fantastic, considering he is in a league with players who are, on average, 1.8 years older than him. At 6´7´´ and 239 pounds, the left handed-hitting outfielder demonstrates impressive strength and power but needs to improve his pitch selection after striking out 47% of the time. On the defensive side, Wolkow exclusively played right field for Kanny and could also use a little work there, committing nine errors out of 124 total chances. No panicking allowed, however, because there’s still plenty of time for the youngster to make progress, and he’s got all the tools and raw talent needed to do it.

Pitchers

The Dodgers signed Aldrín Batista as an international free agent when he was 19. The righthander came over to the White Sox with RHP Máximo Martinez last August in exchange for future considerations and international signing bonus slot money. The hurler started 17 games for the Ballers before being called up to Winston-Salem on August 6. The No. 21 Sox prospect went 8-4 with a 3.51 ERA and an outstanding 9.25 K/9. He has a two-seam and four-seam fastball that ranges from 93 to 96 mph with a change and slider to compliment. However, like many pitchers in the Chicago system, his 3.51 BB/9 could benefit from further development, and at 21, there’s ample opportunity for him to improve upon it.

Another 2024 pick (No. 228), Aaron Combs, was perfect in eight games out of the pen with Kannapolis, including two postseason appearances. Chicago selected the 6´3´´ 190-pound righthander in Round 8 of the draft out of the University of Tennessee. As a dependable relief arm for the Volunteers, he went 7-1 with a 3.24 ERA during his two seasons there. In 2024, he was a pivotal piece to their national championship squad and recorded his team-leading sixth save in Game 3 of the College World Series Finals. He features three primary pitches: fastball, changeup, and above-average curveball. With big-time Division I experience, the 22-year-old could end up being a nice pickup for Chicago.

Lucas Gordon entered the 2023 draft as a junior, forgoing his senior year at the University of Texas. Chicago selected him in Round 6 (No. 179), and he appeared in seven games between the ACL and Kannapolis. 2024 was the first full professional season for the former Longhorn. The southpaw began the year with the Ballers and started 14 games for them before being promoted to Winston-Salem on July 9. He utilizes a three-pitch arsenal, including a fastball, changeup, and slider that he mixes well and contributed to an above-average K/9 of 8.33. With a record of 7-2, a 1.89 ERA, and 1.08 WHIP, the lefty was one of Kanny’s most dominant arms in the first half and a significant part of their first-place success.

Selected by the White Sox in Round 5 (No. 155) of the 2021 MLB Draft, Tanner McDougal bypassed his commitment to the University of Oregon and signed with Chicago for an over-slot bonus of $850,000. The righthander missed all of 2022 due to Tommy John’s surgery, and in 2023, he experienced a bit of an up-and-down season, hitting the injury and developmental list several times while trying to bounce back from the TJS. With an aggressive assignment to begin the 2024 season in High-A with the Dash, the then 20-year-old quickly found himself overmatched. In 16 starts, he was 0-8 with a 6.85 ERA and a 1.68 WHIP. On July 30, the hurler returned to Kannapolis to regain some confidence and work on his control. He made six starts for the Ballers, and despite an 0-3 record and 4.05 ERA, he threw the ball well enough to keep the team in most of the games he pitched. After the rough start, the season ended on a high note for McDougal as he earned the win in Game 2 of the Carolina Championship Series for tossing five innings of no-hit baseball.

This guy’s MiLB profile picture just makes me smile every time I see it, so I had to include it. Another University of Tennessee alum, Chicago, drafted Mark McLaughlin in Round 7 (No. 221) of the 2022 MLB Draft. Since his selection, the righthander has bounced back and forth between the ACL and Kannapolis, finally finding his groove and settling in with the Ballers for the bulk of 2024. During college, the Volunteers utilized him primarily as a high-leverage bullpen arm, and he has made all of his appearances with Kanny out of the arm barn as well. This season, he was extremely reliable, and in 31 contests, he was 2-4 with a 3.79 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. McLaughlin was also fantastic during the Ballers postseason run, earning both a hold and a win. In three appearances, he surrendered no earned runs on four hits with one walk and eight strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings.

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