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2026 South Side Sox Prospect Vote: Round 14
Alright folks, buckle up, because Round 14 of the South Side Sox Prospect Vote just wrapped, and it delivered the kind of drama we live for, even if the main event was a bit of a landslide. In a move that felt as inevitable as a LeBron chase-down block, left-handed pitcher Grant Umberger absolutely coasted to victory, snagging 28% of the vote in his second appearance on the ballot.This isn't just some random win; it’s a statement. The kid, signed as an undrafted free agent just last summer, is the fifth southpaw starter to advance in this whole process, which is by far the most from any single position.Let that sink in for a second. The White Sox aren't just collecting left-handed arms; they're building an entire ecosystem of them, a pitching pipeline that’s both deeply entrenched and refreshingly new, with the last three advancing lefties all being first-timers in this very vote.It’s like watching a team draft nothing but three-point shooters—they’ve identified their type and they are all in. The whole process hit a minor snag this round as we were testing a new polling app, The Poll Studio, because the old one decided to ghost us, so a big shoutout to everyone for their patience while we worked out the kinks.For a minute, it felt like we were running a scouting combine with a broken stopwatch, but the results came through. Looking back at the history of our No.13 picks is like a trip down memory lane, from Jake Burger’s 30% win back in 2019 to last year’s George Wolkow. It sets a stage that Umberger has now confidently stepped onto.Meanwhile, newcomer Blake Larson, another lefty from the famed IMG Academy, debuted with a whisper, tying for ninth with just a single vote, a quiet entrance for a guy the Sox took a big $1 million-plus bonus swing on in the second round. The spotlight now shifts to the new guy on the block, French pitcher Mathias LaCombe, a 23-year-old right-hander who made a solid pro debut in Kannapolis.It’s a fascinating dynamic—the established lefty depth versus the international wild card. This vote is more than just a popularity contest; it’s a real-time barometer of the farm system's pulse.Looking at the cumulative list of who’s already made it through—from Braden Montgomery’s dominant 59% win to the tight races for guys like Christian Oppor and Jaden Fauske—paints a vivid picture of the organization's future. It’s a mosaic of raw talent, from the 'Chris Getz player' prototype in slick-fielding shortstop William Bergolla to the high-school hype of catcher Landon Hodge.Each name tells a story, each percentage point a battle won in the court of fan opinion. This is the grind of building a contender, played out one poll at a time, and for White Sox fans, it’s must-watch TV.
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#prospects
#farm system
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#MLB
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#Grant Umberger
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