2024 South Side Sox Top Prospect No. 27: Brooks Baldwin
Not only versatile, but a bonafide offensive weapon
Brooks Baldwin
Third Baseman
6´2´´
175 pounds
Age: 23
2023 SSS Top Prospect Ranking 75
2023 High Level Winston-Salem (High-A)
Age relative to high level -0.3 years
SSS rank among all third basemen in the system 2
Overall 2023 stats 93 games ⚾️ 15 HR ⚾️ 58 RBI ⚾️ .269/.349/.460 ⚾️ 42 BB ⚾️ 86 K ⚾️ 22-of-27 (81.4%) SB
Brooks Baldwin declared for the 2021 draft, but was selected in the 15th round by the San Francisco Giants. With his senior year looming, he made the choice to return to the University of North Carolina-Wilmington to help increase his draft stock. And with a very strong 2022, Baldwin did just that, moving up to the 12th round last summer, where the White Sox snagged him.
Baldwin came to the White Sox as a 6´2´´, 175-pound corner infielder who fits a bit of the Romy González profile of being able to play anywhere. Baldwin started all four years for the Seahawks, slashing .347/.406/.616 as a senior and .298/.348/.501 for his 180-game career. He also put up an .866 OPS in 2022’s Cape Cod League, playing for the Cotuit Kettleeers.
Incidentally, Baldwin’s father Chuck was a four-year player at Clemson in the 1980s, drafted by Cleveland but never seeing the bigs. Like son, Chuck was as versatile defender who played all over the field.
Baldwin definitely brings versatility beyond that of his pops, as not only a switch-hitter but a player who’s seen action in college at every position but pitcher and catcher. Strangely, despite never playing a game at third base for the Seahawks and just 10 over two seasons in the Cape Cod League, Baldwin is listed as a third baseman in the MLB draft tracker and by the drafting party — usually an indication that’s how the drafting team sees the player.
3B Brooks Baldwin was the CAA Player of the Year after slashing .347/.406/.621 as a switch-hitter. Fun fact: he also caught for MacKenzie Gore in HS at Whiteville (N.C.) HS. #MLBDraft #WhiteSox
— Carlos Collazo (@CarlosACollazo) July 19, 2022
Brooks Baldwin continues to rack up hits (leading the league with 30). He tracked two sliders from Simon well and roped them both for extra bases (triple that was the hardest hit ball of the night and double) pic.twitter.com/e8XKm8Tg8w
— Cape Cod Baseball Scouting | Daniel Garcia (@CapeScouting) July 7, 2022
Brooks Baldwin (2022 Eligible) @UNCWBaseball @CotuitKettleers was a 15th rounder by the Giants last July that didn't sign & returned to school this spring. He hit .347/.406/.616 on his way to winning CAA conference player of the year in 2022. #BACape22 pic.twitter.com/p0zX26ibwQ
— Geoff Pontes (@GeoffPontesBA) June 25, 2022
In his first full pro season, 2023, Baldwin blossomed. His hitting and power took nice jumps, and he saw almost as much time at shortstop as he did third base (also seeing time at second, first, center field and left). His wheels on the bases led to a solid 22 steals and more importantly a 80%+ steal rate. He’s already raised more eyebrows than a 12th-rounder has any right to, and he has solidly shifted into legit prospect territory.
Another way to measure his progress comes in his slight improvement in how he compares to his position — including above-average marks in every phase of his offensive game:
Baldwin’s Baseball Cube player ratings
Durability 80 (-1 from last season)
Speed 78 (+1)
Runs 72 (+2)
Hitting 65 (+2)
Contact 60 (0)
RBIs 59 (0)
Power 59 (+4)
XBH 53 (+1)
Average 65.75
Baldwin’s versatility is now only part of the story, as it is his strong play at age-appropriate levels that will help his climb through the system. He’s almost certain to start 2024 in Birmingham and be knocking on the door of the majors in Charlotte by season’s end.
[Note: The makeup of the White Sox minors changes over the long course of this project, shifting ratings. The February 3 trades with Seattle and Arizona have added three highly-rated prospects to our list, sliding players down. The list below represents our updated rankings, although the stories they link to will retain original rankings (example, No. 56 Troy Claunch originally was our No. 55 prospect).]
2024 South Side Sox Top 100 White Sox Prospects
27. Brooks Baldwin, 3B
28. Matt Thompson, RHSP (traded to Chicago Cubs in February)
29. Adam Hackenberg, C
30. Máximo Martinez, RHSP
31. Braden Shewmake, SS
32. Tyler Schweitzer, LHSP
33. Eric Adler, RHRP
34. Juan Carela, RHSP
35. Mason Adams, RHSP
36. Calvin Harris, C
37. Abraham Núñez, CF
38. Ronny Hernandez, C
39. Tim Elko, 1B
40. Mario Camilletti, 2B
41. Kohl Simas, RHSP
42. Shawn Goosenberg, 1B
43. Norge Vera, RHSP
44. Riley Gowens, RHSP
45. Jared Kelley, RHRP
46. Ryan Galanie, 1B
47. DJ Gladney, LF
48. Eddie Park, CF
49. Yoelqui Céspedes, CF
50. Christian Oppor, LHSP
51. Michael Turner, C
52. Tristan Stivors, RHRP
53. Caleb Freeman, RHRP
54. Jake Peppers, RHSP
55. Shane Murphy, LHRP
56. Troy Claunch, C
57. Edrick Felix, 2B
58. Gabriel Rodríguez, RHSP
59. Edgar Navarro, RHRP
60. Lucas Gordon, LHSP
61. Andrew Pérez, LHRP
62. Javier Mogollon, 2B
63. Aldrin Batista, RHSP
64. Ryan Castillo, 1B
65. Bryce Willits, 3B
66. Colby Smelley, C
67. Wes Kath, 3B
68. Alsander Womack, 2B
69. Jordan Sprinkle, SS
70. Connor McCullough, RHSP
71. Luis Rodriguez, RHRP
72. Jonah Scolaro, LHRP
73. Ben Beutel, LHRP
74. Stiven Flores, C
75. Adrian Gil, 1B
76. Yohemy Nolasco, RHRP
77. Ben Norman, LF
78. Josimar Cousín, RHSP
79. Juan Gonzalez, C
80. Chris Lanzilli, LF
81. Alex Speas, RHRP
82. Fraser Ellard, LHRP
83. Garrett Wright, RHRP
84. Duke Ellis, CF
85. Mathias LaCombe, RHRP
86. Godwin Bennett, RF
87. Rikuu Nishida, LF
88. Caden Connor, LF
89. Zach Franklin, RHRP
90. Jeremy González, LHSP
91. Jerry Burke, RHRP
92. Frankeli Arias, LHSP
93. Mikey Kane, 3B
94. Carlton Perkins, RHSP
95. Tyler Neslony, LF
96. Drew Dalquist, RHSP
97. Jason Matthews, SS
98. Jonathan Stiever, RHSP
99. Tommy Sommer, LHSP
100. Daniel González, LHRP