His future as a starter hanging in the balance, 2025 becomes a must year
Tanner McDougal
Right-Handed Starting Pitcher
6´5´´
185 pounds
Age: 22
2022 South Side Sox Top Prospect Ranking 21
2023 South Side Sox Top Prospect Ranking 22
2024 South Side Sox Top Prospect Ranking 26
2023 High Level Winston-Salem (High-A)
Age relative to high level -2.0 years
SSS rank among all right-handed starters in the system 14
Overall 2024 stats 0-11 ⚾️ 22 starts ⚾️ 92 1⁄3 IP ⚾️ 6.04 ERA ⚾️ 1.592 WHIP ⚾️ 116 K ⚾️ 58 BB
On Aug. 14, 2021, Tanner McDougal got off to a whiz-bang start in his pro career, striking out the side in the second inning and earning an ACL White Sox win in a 2-0 decision over the Dodgers.
Since then — over 16 decisions and 48 games — McDougal has gone winless.
Back in 2021, pre-Tommy John, and pre-16 straight losses, prep fireballer McDougal slid to the fifth round due to his lack of experience and a strong commitment with the University of Oregon, where the White Sox gladly snatched him up. McDougal, the son of former minor leaguer Mike McDougal who reached as high as Triple-A Rochester in 2000, signed an over-slot bonus with the Sox for $850,000.
The White Sox took it easy on him, and McDougal thrived in his first three outings, where he produced a combined 3.60 ERA and 0.80 WHIP in a combined five innings with one walk and 10 strikeouts. He was roughed up in his fourth start, as he surrendered six runs via three hits and three walks in 1 1⁄3 innings. McDougal allowed four hits and two earned runs in three innings in his penultimate start, and sadly faced only one batter in his final September start to close the year. That last outing proved ominous, as it turned out he needed TJS that knocked him out until the 2023 season.
After sitting out 2022, McDougal returned to the mound for Kannapolis in 2023, throwing 21 starts and acquitting himself quite well for a pitcher so long idle (4.15 ERA and 1.399 WHIP over 69 1⁄3 innings).
However, 2024 was not so kind. While the righthander did move up to High-A to start the season, he ended it wearing the familiar K of the Cannon Ballers, demoted at the end of July. The season was a disaster: Brief injury in April, continued inability to command pitches, a home run rate doubling, and 11 losses added to the ledger. McDougal pumped up his Ks by a bit, and logged the most innings of his career (and average four-plus per outing), so it wasn’t all horrible. But Tanner’s 2025 has now become a crucial juncture, if not for his career in the White Sox org, at least his future as a starting pitcher.
McDougal’s Baseball Cube player ratings
Strikeouts 73 (+8 from last season)
Durability 65 (+6)
Hittable 57 (-20)
vsPower 57 (-20)
K/BB 41 (+2)
Walks 29 (-2)
Average 53.67 (-4.33)
Flip a coin as to whether McDougal starts in Low- or High-A (likely back to Winston-Salem for him), but Birmingham is looking like a 2026 dream at this point.
2025 South Side Sox Top 100 White Sox Prospects
100. Cole McConnell, CF
99. Drake Logan, LF
98. Marcelo Alcala, RF
97. Lyle Miller-Green, 1B
96. Jared Kelley, RHRP
95. Adrian Gil, 1B
94. Adam Hackenberg, C
93. Loidel Chapelli, 2B
92. Eddie Park, CF
91. Chase Plymell, RHRP
90. Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa, RHRP
89. Tristan Stivors, RHRP
88. Pierce George, RHRP
87. Wes Kath, 3B
86. Daniel González, LHRP
85. Mikey Kane, 1B
84. Shane Murphy, LHSP
83. Connor McCullough, RHSP
82. Braden Shewmake, SS
81. Caleb Freeman, RHRP
80. Michael Turner, C
79. Drew McDaniel, RHSP
78. Jurdrick Profar, SS
77. Reudis Diaz, RHSP
76. Phil Fox, RHRP
75. Terrell Tatum, CF
74. Calvin Harris, C
73. Jacob Burke, CF
72. Alec Makarewicz, 1B
71. Carson Jacobs, RHRP
70. Nick Altermatt, RHRP
69. Drew Dalquist, RHRP
68. Zach Franklin, RHRP
67. Fraser Ellard, LHRP
66. Gil Luna, LHRP
65. T.J. McCants, CF
64. Stiven Flores, C
63. Tanner McDougal, RHSP