This White Sox Prospect Walks Even More Than Munetaka Murakami

This White Sox Prospect Walks Even More Than Munetaka Murakami

Munetaka Murakami has been such a refreshing addition to the White Sox lineup. And it’s not just because his eight home runs provide a power threat this team has been lacking for the last few seasons. His plate discipline is a huge part of the appeal.

Murakami almost never expands his strike zone. So while his batting average sits at just .208 entering Tuesday, he also has a .376 on-base percentage thanks to 20 walks in 22 games.

Nick Kurtz and Mike Trout are the only two players in baseball with more walks than Murakami. But what if I told you the White Sox have a prospect in the minor leagues who is walking even more than he is?

Shortstop Kyle Lodise, who was selected by the White Sox in the third round (76th overall) of the 2025 MLB Draft, hasn’t had a ton of success at the plate this season. The 22-year-old is currently playing for the High-A Winston-Salem Dash, and while he’s batting just .179 in 14 games, Lodise owns an .825 OPS thanks to a staggering .492 on-base percentage.

That’s right — a .179 batting average and a .492 OBP. And it’s because, in just 14 games, Lodise has already drawn 22 walks — two more than Murakami in eight fewer games.

Plate discipline has always been a key part of Lodise’s game, but this is a noticeable jump from anything we’ve seen before. In his one season at Georgia Tech in 2025, Lodise drew 34 walks in 55 games.

After the draft, he played 28 games with Winston-Salem and walked 15 times, which was in line with his college production. Now, it appears his pitch recognition has taken another step forward in his first full professional season.

The rest of Lodise’s profile also aligns with that of a high-floor infield prospect. He has strong instincts and baseball IQ, solid speed, and good bat-to-ball skills that he showed in college, even if they haven’t translated into a high batting average as a pro just yet. The power is still a question mark, but there’s enough here to be intrigued by what Lodise could become in the White Sox organization.

Because of his advanced understanding of the strike zone and disciplined approach at the plate, Lodise has an offensive floor that should allow him to be competitive at any level. For that reason alone, the 22-year-old could move through the minor leagues fairly quickly, especially if the bat begins to look more like it did in college.

Murakami is a prime example of how plate discipline and on-base percentage can raise a player’s floor. And while they are very different players, Kyle Lodise is showing signs of becoming another White Sox walking machine.