How will the MLB trade deadline impact the Charlotte Knights?

During a Major League Baseball season, there are three pivot points to change a franchise’s composition. Spring training is the period of biggest adjustments as players are dealt to other clubs, waived, or eventually assigned to minor league affiliates. The MLB Draft allows teams to inject new blood into their organizations.

The players acquired through this avenue are always assigned to the low minor leagues and their impact to upper minor league and major league rosters becomes a waiting game as prospects hone their skills. The MLB trade deadline is the last, and sometimes most important, chance for general managers to mold their rosters into championship contenders. For teams on the cusp of contention, the championship window is currently open, and prospects are traded for veterans that are needed to existing plug holes. For losing teams, it is the reverse, with established veterans being traded for prospects with the hope they materialize into a winning team sooner rather than later.

The Chicago White Sox are the definition of the latter. Currently with a record of 27-81, a pace that would break the record for most losses in a season, the Sox harbor no hopes of contending in the foreseeable future. The best course of action is to move any veteran with any value whatsoever. The organization needs two things to regain respectability, let alone competitiveness, talented prospects, and minimal financial obligations. Bidding farewell to veterans is the only path to accomplishing both goals.

A rebuild of this magnitude impacts more than the parent club. The trades at the big league level set off personnel movement throughout all levels of the minor leagues. As the AAA affiliate of the White Sox, the Charlotte Knights can expect to see plenty of comings and goings. Highly touted prospects that have been blocked by veterans could soon get their chance to be promoted from Charlotte to Chicago. In turn, which would create roster opportunities for players to make the leap from the AA Birmingham Barons to the Knights.

The roster reconstruction has already begun. As part of a three team transaction with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Saint Louis Cardinals, the White Sox traded RHP Michael Kopech and SS Tommy Edman to the Dodgers and RHP Erick Fedde and OF Tommy Pham to the Cardinals. The White Sox received 3B Miguel Vargas, 2B/3B Alexander Albertus, and 2B Jeral Perez. Vargas is expected to join the White Sox major league roster. Albertus was the Dodgers 16th rated prospect according to Baseball America. Perez was the 18th rated Dodgers prospect. Both were playing for Los Angeles’ Low A affiliate Rancho Cucamonga and should join the Low A Kannapolis Cannon Ballers.

With four veterans moving out, there are immediate opportunities for Knights players to be promoted. One of the veteran spots will be filled either by the incoming Vargas or Chicago’s top prospect, SS Colson Montgomery. Montgomery is baseball’s #16 prospect according to MLB Pipeline. He has enjoyed t a solid season in Charlotte and was named to the 2024 MLB Futures Game American League roster. White Sox General Manager Chris Getz can choose from a tantalizing pool of pitching prospects that are ranked in MLB Pipeline’s organizational Top 30 prospects currently on the Knights’ roster. Candidates to fill the void of the departed pitchers include RHP Nick Nastrini (#7), LHP Jake Eder (#9), PHP Prelander Berroa (#14), LHP Ky Bush (#15), RHP Sean Burke (#18), and LHP Fraser Ellard (#28). Any or all could be beneficiaries of the veteran pitching exodus. If any of these prospects are recalled to Chicago, it could be for an audition or to give them a head start on establishing themselves on the major league level in anticipation of the 2025 season.

The natural progression of filling voids in Chicago is that it creates roster openings in Charlotte. The most obvious candidate to make the Birmingham to Charlotte leap is LHP Noah Schultz, the 18th overall ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline and the White Sox second highest regarded prospect. Like Montgomery, Schultz was named to the 2024 Futures Game. He is considered one of the best left handed pitchers not playing in MLB. An aggressive promotion like this one could accelerate the massive reconstruction of the White Sox and provide a sliver of hope that honest to goodness talent is not far away.

If Getz is concerned that moving the 20 year old Schultz could do more harm than good, there are other talented arms with the Barons at his disposal. Birmingham’s pitching staff includes exciting young arms such as RHP Jairo Iriate (#8), RHP Mason Adams (#17), RHP Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa (#26), and LHP Tyler Schweitzer (#27). Whether it is in conjunction with this year’s moves, or next year’s roster, Knights fans will be able to enjoy quality baseball that fans of the White Sox might not be experiencing right now.

The infusion of young talent and player movement might not be over. Getz still has his two most desirable cards in his hand, LHP Garrett Crochet and OF Luis Robert, Jr. Either player will command a considerable haul of elite prospects in return for their services. There are complications to moving either player. Crochet’s management has said they would demand a contract extension for their client to agree to any trade. Louis’ talent is immense, but ongoing injury issues and concerns about his makeup and swing and miss tendencies has general managers wary.

No matter what transpires before the deadline, current moves have changed the look of the roster in Charlotte. Any additional trades will further the evolution of new names and faces Knights’ fans will be cheering for in the future. Life as a fan of a minor league team is difficult given the transitory nature of baseball development. The Chicago White Sox Extreme Makeover Chicago edition will test any fan’s tolerance like no other fanbase.