His consistent climb through the system continues
D.J. Gladney
Right Fielder
6´2´´
195 pounds
Age: 22
2020 South Side Hit Pen Top Prospect Ranking 29
2021 South Side Sox Top Prospect Ranking 24
2022 South Side Sox Top Prospect Ranking 36
2023 South Side Sox Top Prospect Ranking 32
2024 South Side Sox Top Prospect Ranking 47
2024 High Level Birmingham (AA)
Age relative to high level -1.7 years
SSS rank among all right fielders in the system 6
Overall 2024 stats 91 games ⚾️ 16 HR ⚾️ 50 RBI ⚾️ .247/.303/.450 ⚾️ 8-of-8 (100%) SB ⚾️ 27 BB ⚾️ 110 K ⚾️ .987 FLD%
DJ Gladney, a native of Matteson, Ill. and product of the White Sox’s ACE program, played varsity ball with Illiana Christian Academy (Lansing, Ill.). And the club gladly selected Gladney in the 16th round in 2019, and after eschewing his verbal commitment to Eastern Kentucky University by accepting an over-slot $225,000 bonus, Gladney immediately began paying dividends.
Though the third-sacker struggled making contact in 2019 with the AZL White Sox, he still slashed a solid .264/.309/.428 in 50 games with five doubles, two triples, eight homers, 25 RBIs, one stolen base, 10 walks (4.5%) and 82 strikeouts (37.2%). Unfortunately, Gladney missed an important year of development time in 2020 due to the pandemic.
Perhaps better suited to play the 2021 season with Great Falls, that option was sadly removed due to minor league contraction. Thus, Gladney spent his 2021 season with Kannapolis, and against stiffer competition more than two years older he seemed to take a step back at the dish. In 71 games with the Cannon Ballers totaling 294 at-bats, Gladney slashed .191/.293/.324 with 11 doubles, seven homers, 28 RBIs, 31 walks (10.5%) and 124 strikeouts (42.2%).
The 2022 season was a step forward overall, although some of Gladney’s persistent issues remained. With a lot of swing-and-miss, the young hitter solidified his slugger status with impressive run production (19 homers, 70 RBI with an all-or-nothing .418 SLG). While Gladney has a promising power profile somewhat undermined by a high strikeout rate and poor fielding, his .219 ISO is tantalizing.
In 2023, Gladney returned to Winston-Salem after the late-2022 Project Birmingham experiment, and mostly excelled. He clocked 19 homers for the second straight season, saw his slugging numbers grow into something (.475) making him seem less a three true outcomes hitter, and continued with some sneaky-quicks on the basepaths (12 steals, twice caught, now a career 25-of-28). Perhaps most significantly, Gladney cut down his Ks significantly; while 114 in 96 games is still rough, it’s more than a nine-point drop, to a workable 28.29%.
Gladney continued his slow climb toward the majors with a season split between High-A and Birmingham; despite competition still stiff and nearly two years older, the now-right fielder continues to produce solid power and remarkably consistent (though, not good) walk and strikeout rates. He also stole another eight bags, pushing his career numbers to 33 steals in 36 attempts, a bonkers 91.7% success rate.
And the young star saved his best for very last, as he capped off a very strong final month in Double-A (28 games, six homers, .505 slugging, .820 OPS) with the game-winning single to clinch the Southern League title for the Barons in walk-off fashion.
Gladney’s Baseball Cube player ratings
Power 84 (+1 from last season)
Durability 76 (-2)
XBH 74 (+3)
RBIs 64 (+2)
Runs 53 (+2)
Speed 46 (+1)
Hitting 46 (+3)
Contact 17 (+3)
Average 57.50 (+1.62)
Let’s give this still-young player credit for a steady climb up the system after five years as a pro. He ended up his 2024 playing as well as ever at his highest level, Double-A. Gladney mostly failed in his season-end AFL stint, but that assignment also indicated the promise the White Sox still see in the local product. The club will want to see DJ hit the ground running at Birmingham in 2025, but an assignment at Triple-A and the delicious hitting environment at Charlotte is in the offing.
2025 South Side Sox Top 100 White Sox Prospects
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 (since designated for assignment and lost to Kansas City)
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