The White Sox rebuild is in full swing. While it might still be a year or two before the big league team is expected to start competing for championships, the minor leagues are stocked with highly touted talent fans will be eagerly following in 2018. With that in mind, it's time to Meet the Prospects and get to know the future of the South Side.
Charlie Tilson
Tilson, the 25-year-old outfielder, has been associated with only one word since joining the White Sox organization: injuries.
A Chicagoland native, Tilson came over in the July 31, 2016, trade that sent Zach Duke to the St. Louis Cardinals. An intriguing return for Duke, Tilson made his major league debut two days later, picking up a hit in his first at-bat but tearing his hamstring in the same game. That ended his 2016 season just as it was getting started, and the same fate struck in 2017, as well, with a pair of injuries that wiped out last year for Tilson.
Tilson finally returned to action last fall, playing in nine Arizona Fall League games. He picked up six hits in his 40 plate appearances and walked seven times. Two of his hits were doubles.
There's still reason to be excited for Tilson potentially making an impact in center field for the White Sox. In 100 games with Triple-A Memphis, a Cardinals affiliate, in 2016, Tilson slashed .282/.345.407 with 16 doubles, eight triples and four home runs. He walked 33 times compared to 51 strikeouts and stole 15 bases. He scored 53 runs and drove in 34 more.
Tilson's numbers were even better — including 46 stolen bases — with Double-A Springfield in 2015. Who knows if he can rediscover that base-stealing ability after a series of leg and foot injuries, but it's something to look for as the White Sox rebuild moves along.
MLB
As of their most recent rankings, MLB Pipeline had Tilson rated as the No. 19 prospect in the White Sox organization.
Get to know Tilson in the video above.