When you think of White Sox top prospects, left-hander Christian Oppor is a name that often gets overlooked.
The White Sox selected Oppor in the fifth round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Florida Gulf Coast State College. In just three seasons as a pro, he’s already climbed to No. 8 on the team’s prospect list, according to MLB Pipeline.
This comes after a breakout season in the minor leagues that saw him post a 3.08 ERA across two levels in 87.1 innings of work. Oppor began the season with the Kannoplis Cannon Ballers and quickly turned heads in his first five starts, striking out 11.3 batters per nine innings and limiting opponents to a .160 batting average. His 2.42 ERA in low-A earned him a promotion to the team’s High-A affiliate in Winston-Salem, where he continued to impress with a 3.31 ERA and 13.7 strikeouts per nine innings over his final 17 starts.
Oppor had been on the White Sox’s radar since his high school days, but the Athletics beat them to the punch by selecting him in the 2022 Draft. When the A’s failed to sign him, the White Sox got a second chance the following year after Oppor opted to play college ball.
Oppor was viewed as a raw prospect coming out of college, posting a 6.24 ERA over 13 appearances. Still, his electric stuff on the mound quickly caught the attention of White Sox scouts. His fastball sits in the high 90s and touches 98 mph, while his low-80s slider features sweeping movement that generates plenty of whiffs when he commands it for strikes. Adding to his deception is a low three-quarters arm slot, which makes it difficult for hitters to pick up his delivery, given his 6’2 frame.
Best Changeup In Baseball?
The 21-year-old southpaw’s best pitch, though, is his upper-70s changeup, which features late fade and is a pitch he can throw confidently in the zone.
This past season, Oppor’s changeup generated a 47.8% whiff rate and found the strike zone 67.8% of the time. Baseball America took notice, grading it at a remarkable 99 Stuff+ score — the highest among all pitchers. His ability to command his changeup and throw it with confidence also helped produce a 32.2% chase rate.
Oppor saw his walk rate drop from 6.6 batters per nine innings to 4.3 this past season. As he continues to develop, he is quickly emerging as one of the most exciting young arms in the White Sox farm system.
