The Chicago White Sox Are Pulling Off an Unprecedented Rebuild
The Chicago White Sox entered last offseason with five players who are considered to be top-tier players in SP Chris Sale, SP Jose Quintana, OF Adam Eaton, 3B Todd Frazier, and RP David Robertson. While Sale is clearly the cream of the crop as one of the game’s best starters, Quintana and Eaton are also All-Star-caliber players when they’re at their best. Frazier and Robertson may not be perennial All-Stars, but they’re still very valuable players.
With a collection of players at this level, one would expect that the White Sox have been World Series contenders in past years, or at least a shoe-in to make the playoffs. But actually, they weren’t ever close to a playoff team with that core. They haven’t won the majority of their games since 2012 when they went 85–77, and it was obvious that the time had come to rebuild.
Last December, GM Rick Han decided that they were going all in on trading their veterans for the best hauls of prospects as they could. Eaton was dealt to the Nationals for Lucas Giolito, the #28 prospect according to MLB.com, Reynaldo Lopez (#36), and Dane Dunning.
Then Sale was traded for a monster package, headlined by Cuban phenom Yoan Moncada (#1) and flamethrower Michael Kopech (#11).

Then last week, Quintana was moved to the north side of Chicago- dealt to the Cubs for Eloy Jimenez (#8), Dylan Cease (#63), Matt Rose and Bryant Flete.
And on Tuesday night, news broke that Frazier and Robertson had been dealt to the Yankees along with Tommy Kahnle in exchange for Blake Rutherford (#30), Ian Clarkin, Tito Polo and Tyler Clippard.
Adding all of these esteemed young players to a farm system that was already a good one gives the White Sox a minor league system that is head and shoulders above anyone else in the league can dream of. They have somehow gotten their hands on 10 of the top 70 prospects at the same time: Moncada (#1), Jimenez (#8), Kopech (#11), Luis Robert (#23), Giolito (#28), Rutherford (#30), Lopez (#36), Carson Fulmer (#59), Cease (#63), and Zack Collins (#68).

Hahn has put on a clinic in how to capitalize on having major pieces ready to be moved. These trades have set the White Sox up for sustained success for a long time in future years. American League teams, watch out- the Chicago White Sox are coming.
