It’s time for the southpaw to strut his stuff
Jake Eder
Left-Handed Starting Pitcher
6´4´´
215 pounds
Age: 26
2024 South Side Sox Top Prospect Ranking 7
2024 High Level Chicago (MLB)
Age relative to high level -4.0 years
SSS rank among all left-handed starters in the system 6
Overall 2024 MLB/MiLB stats 3-9 ⚾️ 25 games (24 starts) ⚾️ 111 IP ⚾️ 6.61 ERA (MiLB)/4.50 (MLB) ⚾️ 1.68 WHIP (MiLB)/1.5 WHIP (MLB) ⚾️ 123 K ⚾️ 59 BB ⚾️ -1.8 Simple WAR
The Miami Marlins selected Jake Eder in Round 4 (No. 104) of the 2020 MLB Draft. The hurler came over to the South Siders at the 2023 trade deadline in a surprise swap for infielder Jake Burger. At the time Chicago acquired him, Eder was Miami’s No. 5 prospect.
His collegiate background included tossing three seasons of Division I baseball for Vanderbilt University. He made nine starts as a freshman, but then served primarily as a reliever for the next two years. The lefty went 4-5 with a 4.00 ERA and a 1.300 WHIP for the Commodores.
The southpaw started his first pro season with a bang. In 2021, he had 15 fantastic starts in Double-A, where he posted a 1.77 ERA, a 0.981 WHIP, and an impressive 34% strikeout rate. With those numbers, he was on track to be one of MLB’s top pitching prospects. Unfortunately, in August 2021, Eder was diagnosed with a torn UCL and had to undergo Tommy John surgery. He missed the entire 2022 campaign in order to rehabilitate.
It’s been an uphill battle ever since for the lefthander. He suffered a stress fracture in his foot during minor league Spring Training in 2023, which set him back in his overall recovery. When he finally returned to the mound in early June, he pitched well for the Marlins’ Double-A squad, where he amassed a 2-1 record with a 3.94 ERA and 11.4 K/9 over six starts. To the dismay of Burger fans, after being dealt to the White Sox Eder didn’t fare very well, going 0-3 with an 11.42 ERA in five appearances with Double-A Birmingham.
With a fresh start in 2024, things still weren’t going Eder’s way. He struggled with consistency, posting a 2-5 record and a 5.09 ERA across 15 starts with the Barons. Despite this underwhelming performance, the White Sox promoted him to Charlotte in mid-July. Unfortunately, his troubles followed, with his strikeout rate dropping significantly to just 9.3 per nine innings. He ultimately finished his time with the Knights with a dismal 1-4 record and a 9.87 ERA in nine starts. With a desperate need for major league–caliber arms, the Pale Hose called Eder up to the bigs on September 13, and he made his debut out of the bullpen the next day. In the outing, he allowed one run on two hits while recording a strikeout, a walk, and hitting a batter in two innings of work. That was his only appearance for Chicago.
The nagging issues with Eder are his inconsistent command and control. His fastball, while capable of touching 98 mph, typically sits in the low-to-mid 90s and can miss the zone when he finds the plate. His arsenal features a devastating low-80s slider as his primary weapon, complemented by a serviceable changeup. Despite possessing the raw talent to develop into a No. 3 starter, he must figure out how to consistently locate his pitches to fulfill his potential.
Eder’s Baseball Cube player ratings
Strikeouts 77
K/BB 58
Durability 57
Hittable 53
vs. Power 53
Walks 42
Average 56.67
Even a strong performance in Spring Training, the 26-year-old Eder is a longshot at securing a spot in the White Sox’s 2025 starting rotation. Still, the rebuilding club presents a valuable opportunity for young pitchers to showcase their talent, so if he pitches well he’ll revisit the bigs sooner than later. However, Eder is almost certain to return to Triple-A Charlotte, patiently awaiting another chance to contribute on the South Side.
2025 South Side Sox Top 100 White Sox Prospects
30. Jake Eder, LHSP
31. Juan Carela, RHSP
32. Javier Mogollón, SS
33. Nick McLain, RF
34. Ronny Hernandez, C
35. Casey Saucke, RF
36. Eric Adler, RHRP
37. Rikuu Nishida, 2B
38. Shane Smith, RHSP
39. Tim Elko, 1B
40. Zach DeLoach, LF
41. Riley Gowens, RHSP
42. Prelander Berroa, RHRP
43. Sam Antonacci, 2B
44. Adisyn Coffey, RHRP
45. Jarold Rosado, RHRP
46. Ryan Galanie, 1B
47. Trey McGough, LHRP
48. Ricardo Brizuela, RHSP
49. Lucas Gordon, LHSP
50. Aaron Combs, RHRP (traded to Phillies on January 1)
51. DJ Gladney, RF
52. Abraham Núñez, CF
53. Andre Lipcius, 1B
54. Shawn Goosenberg, 1B
55. Caden Connor, 1B
56. Mario Camilletti, 2B
57. Jake Peppers, RHSP
58. Ryan Burrowes, SS
59. Garrett Schoenle, LHRP
60. Jackson Appel, C
61. Tommy Vail, LHSP
62. Bryce Collins, RHRP
63. Tanner McDougal, RHSP
64. Stiven Flores, C
65. T.J. McCants, CF
66. Gil Luna, LHRP
67. Fraser Ellard, LHRP
68. Zach Franklin, RHRP
69. Drew Dalquist, RHRP
70. Nick Altermatt, RHRP
71. Carson Jacobs, RHRP
72. Alec Makarewicz, 1B
73. Jacob Burke, CF
74. Calvin Harris, C
75. Terrell Tatum, CF
76. Phil Fox, RHRP
77. Reudis Diaz, RHSP
78. Jurdrick Profar, SS
79. Drew McDaniel, RHSP
80. Michael Turner, C
81. Caleb Freeman, RHRP
82. Braden Shewmake, SS (designated for assignment on January 1, claimed by Royals)
83. Connor McCullough, RHSP
84. Shane Murphy, LHSP
85. Mikey Kane, 1B
86. Daniel González, LHRP
87. Wes Kath, 3B
88. Pierce George, RHRP
89. Tristan Stivors, RHRP
90. Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa, RHRP
91. Chase Plymell, RHRP
92. Eddie Park, CF
93. Loidel Chapelli, 2B
94. Adam Hackenberg, C
95. Adrian Gil, 1B
96. Jared Kelley, RHRP
97. Lyle Miller-Green, 1B
98. Marcelo Alcala, RF
99. Drake Logan, LF
100. Cole McConnell, CF