The White Sox kept mining value in the 2026 MLB draft, and this time the payoff came in the 11th round with right-handed pitcher Kyle Casteel, taken No. 315 overall.
Casteel, the No. 162 MLB prospect out of Butler (Pa.)
H.S., arrived after the White Sox had already spent an hour break in the draft and then made three straight college value picks. That timing didn’t stop them from landing a player they clearly believe is worth more than the $150,000 slot value attached to Picks 11-20.
The 18-year-old is a 6-foot-4 arm with real life on his fastball, which gets up to 95 mph and sits in the low 90s. He is committed to the University of West Virginia for next year, but Chicago clearly saw enough upside to make its move now.
Casteel’s senior season changed the conversation around him. His stock jumped even beyond that of his Butler teammate, right-handed pitcher Nolan Stefaniak, and the White Sox were able to get him after he had been viewed as a player worthy of going in the first five rounds.
There’s more room for the fastball to climb if he adds strength and growth, and the raw ingredients are already there. His slider is considered a strong pitch, and he also has the changeup he needs to round out the arsenal.
What pushed Casteel even further was the command. His breakout in 2026 came with much better control of his pitches, a sign that he’s already showing the kind of maturity teams want in a young pitcher. The White Sox stayed patient, stayed thorough, and came away with a talent they were able to land much later than his profile suggested.
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