White Sox Minor Keys: June 29, 2018

Jim Callis reported on Friday that White Sox second-round pick Steele Walker is in the fold for $2 million, or a fair amount over the slot value of $1,566,100.

That leaves first-round pick Nick Madrigal and 14th-rounder Davis Martin as the only unsigned players.

Madrigal couldn’t sign until after Oregon State’s successful College World Series run came to an end, but now the timing is a little unusual compared to previous years. Usually the White Sox like to bring their first-rounder to Chicago and give him the full treatment — throw out the first pitch, put him on the broadcast for a half-inning, meet some fans and the media, etc.

One problem: The signing deadline is July 6, and the White Sox don’t have a home game until July 10. Perhaps the White Sox will still introduce him that way, and they’ll use the schedule as a way to give him a breather between the longest possible college season and the start of his pro career.

Charlotte 5, Gwinnett 4

  • Jose Rondon went 2-for-5 with two doubles and a strikeout.
  • Eloy Jimenez, 2-for-3 with a walk.
  • Seby Zavala went 1-for-4 with a double.
  • Jordan Guerrero’s Triple-A debut: 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K

Birmingham 8, Jackson 1

  • Joel Booker went 1-for-4 with an HBP and two strikeouts.
  • Luis Alexander Basabe was 1-for-5 with a K.
  • Zack Collins, 1-for-3 with a walk.
  • Alex Call was 1-for-3 with a walk.
  • Jimmy Lambert’s Double-A debut: 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, 1 WP
  • Ryan Burr: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K

Winston-Salem 12, Frederick 10

  • Luis Gonzalez went 2-for-6 with a strikeout.
  • Laz Rivera drew his first walk during a 1-for-5 night.
  • Blake Rutherford, 3-for-6 with a double and a strikeout.
  • Gavin Sheets was 3-for-6 with a double, strikeout and stolen base.
  • Yeyson Yrizarri was the only hitless Dash, going 0-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout.
  • Ti’Quan Forbes went 4-for-5 with a homer and a double.

More:

*Winston-Salem set a season high with 23 hits.

Lexington 1, Kannapolis 0 (11 innings)

  • Luis Curbelo went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts.
  • Justin Yurchak, 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
  • Carlos Perez was 0-for-4.
  • Evan Skoug, 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.

Great Falls 3, Missoula 0

  • Lenyn Sosa went 2-for-4.
  • Corey Zangari appeared his first game since 2016, going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
  • Amado Nunez was 1-for-4 with a double and a strikeout.
  • Jhoandro Alfaro was 0-for-1 with a walk and sac bunt.

AZL White Sox 3, AZL Dodgers 2

  • Camilo Quinteiro wore the collar and silver sombrero.
  • Luis Mieses went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts.
  • Harvin Mendoza, 0-for-4 with a K.
  • Cabera Weaver doubled, walked and struck out twice.
  • Anderson Comas went 2-for-4 with a double nad a strikeout.
  • Anthony Coronado also was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.
  • Brayant Nova went 0-for-3 with a K.
  • Brayan Herrera: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
  • Ramon Pineda: 2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K. 1 HBP

DSL Orioles 6, DSL White Sox 4

  • Jose Rodriguez went 0-for-4.
  • Jefferson Mendoza was 2-for-4 with a strikeout.
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Robert just getting the night off? No ill effects from the HBP the other night?

sgp2204

Rutherford and Sheets must really want to join their buddies at AA. 

Sheets is on a nice little 13 game hit streak with a .943 OPS in that stretch. 

Rutherford has a .967 OPS since those guys got moved up, and it’s up to .880 over the last 28 days. 

Keep forcing the issue like the good ones do. 

WilburWoodWasTheMan

Sheets is certainly not blocked by anyone in Birmingham but doesn’t Rutherford have to wait until someone (or two) gets promoted to Charlotte?

sgp2204

It would certainly make sense, but if he keeps on hitting like this, I think they’d have a hard time keeping him down. Having too many good outfielders certainly didn’t stop them from putting 5 in WS to start the year. If they didn’t have an issue rotating Booker/Basabe/Call/Rutherford in the High-A outfield, I don’t think they’d have an issue doing it in the Birmingham outfield. Heck, they even have the DH spot open without having to worry about Adolfo, so that’s a plus too. 

As far as Polo and Fisher go, I’m 100% fine with the above 4 taking the majority of the at-bats. They can either bump Polo down, up, or use him as a 5th outfielder for all I care – I’m not overly concerned about his long term development (I don’t expect him to turn into anything special). If they want to get Fisher everyday at-bats, send him back to WS where he belongs. He hasn’t done anything in AA this year, and he didn’t do anything in High-A last year to “deserve” a promotion to AA.  

For Sheets, if he keeps hitting like he has over the last 2 weeks (hopefully), I think he’ll be making a move within the next few weeks. 

lil jimmy

“the longest possible college season”( with a small 8 weeks off in the middle.

Davis Martin still unsigned. Get him signed.
From MLB “. Scouts aren’t sure exactly what to make of a guy they projected as a second- or third-rounder coming into 2018.”