White Sox Prospect Caleb Bonemer Profiles as a Slugger

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports Caleb Bonemer produced a plethora of power in 2026. Splitting the season between High-A Winston Salem and Double-A Birmingham, the 21-year-old (as of earlier this month) slugger slammed 37 round-trippers while logging a .251/.380/.550 slash line over 595 plate appearances. His home run total was tops in the Chicago White Sox organization, as was his 139 wRC+. Bonemer has continued to punish pitchers in the Arizona Fall League — his desert ledger includes four doubles, a triple, and a pair of dingers among his 11 hits in 39 at-bats — but his right-handed stroke isn’t why he is suiting up for the Glendale Desert Dogs. Positioned almost exclusively on the left side of the infield since being selected in the second round of the 2024 draft out of an Okemos, Michigan high school, Bonemer is being given a look in the outfield. I asked him about the move off of the diamond on AFL Media Day. “I’m getting a lot of questions about that,” replied Bonemer, whose positional tryout has since comprised six games in center field, two in left field, and one in right field, this after playing just nine professional games on the grass previously. “The White Sox told me they want to see what I can do out there. I haven’t really played the outfield, so they want me to get more reps, more games under my belt.” Regardless of where he ultimately ends up playing, his ability to belt baseballs is what has him bound for Chicago’s South Side. Currently ranked 95th on The Board and second in the White Sox system as a 50-FV prospect, Bonemer has been described by James Fegan as a hitter who produces high-end exit velocities, with an affinity for elevating balls to the pull side. Brendan Gawlowski’s recent AFL position player scouting notebook also bears noting. His look largely echoes James’ earlier reports. “Bonemer’s swing doesn’t light me up,” Brendan wrote. “His hands fire from a dead stop, and his swing path is long and stiff. But while it isn’t pretty, he squares the ball up an awful lot, hitting three balls 104 mph or harder across the few games I watched him. He could have plus-plus raw at maturity, and even if he winds up being a flawed hitter, he has enough power and barrel feel to be dangerous.” Aware of previous reports that referred to his swing mechanics as being atypical, I did my due diligence and solicited the promising youngster’s opinion. Does he agree? Moreover, does it really matter? “A lot of people have said that I’m kind of robotic — I guess that would be the term — but I’ve always kind of had what you’d call a stiffer setup,” Bonemer responded. “I’ve always been a stiffer mover. I’ve never had a big rhythmic or loose swing. What I’ve had is a style that is kind of still and simple. At the same time, I’m always looking to get better. I’ve worked with different people, different coaches, to where I’m kind of melding what I’ve learned into the load and swing that I naturally have.” “I’ve definitely made some adjustments from when I initially signed to now,” he went on to say. “But really, I think the biggest thing is that I’m just bigger and stronger. That has helped me a lot with the power numbers this year. Mechanically, the changes have been pretty small. In a lot of ways, I still am who I am.” Based on his ability to propel baseballs over the outfield fences — you don’t go deep 37 times by accident — Bonemer profiles as a power hitter. I asked him for his opinion on that as well. “Am I a power hitter? Going off of this year, yeah,” agreed Bonemer, who is listed at 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds. “Growing up, I was more of… not a contact guy, but more of an all-around type of hitter. But now, I’m more of a power guy. So yes, I would say that I’m a power hitter.” David Laurila grew up in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and now writes about baseball from his home in Cambridge, Mass. He authored the Prospectus Q&A series at Baseball Prospectus from December 2006-May 2011 before being claimed off waivers by FanGraphs. He can be followed on Twitter @DavidLaurilaQA.