White Sox Minor Keys: May 5, 2022

Regions Field in Birmingham

As he climbed the ladder from his origin as a 14th-round pick out of Texas Tech in the 2018 draft, Davis Martin posted impressive strikeout totals, but also concerning batting averages against.

As a 22-year-old, he struck out 156 batters against just 38 walks over 144â…” innings … but he also gave up 152 hits and 17 homers in Low-A despite being more advanced than the competition.

Two years and a pandemic later, he ran into the same issue at Winston-Salem: 78 strikeouts over 67â…” innings, but 80 hits and nine homers allowed. The numbers painted a picture of a guy who had great control but subpar command, a flat fastball, or something of the sort.

Yet it’s been a different story since advancing to Birmingham. He got a call-up late last year, partially necessitated by trades and promotions at Double-A, and responded by throwing 16 consecutive scoreless innings over the middle four of his six starts. When he returned to the Barons to open the season, he responded with more of the same, racking up 33 strikeouts against seven walks over 24 innings, this time only allowing 23 hits (even if four were homers).

It’s hard to tell whether a promotion to Charlotte for a guy with his fly-ball tendencies is a reward or a punishment, but he’s joining the Knights nevertheless.

James Fegan says Martin is sitting mid-90s, which is the simplest explanation for why he’s getting more out of his fastball than ever before.

Gwinnett 3, Charlotte 2

  • Adam Haseley went 1-for-4 with a homer and a strikeout.
  • Yolbert Sánchez was 0-for-4 with a K.
  • Yermín Mercedes made his first rehab start recovering from his hamate injury and went 0-for-3 with a walk.
  • Micker Adolfo was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.
  • Kade McClure took over as the second pitcher after Brandon Finnegan opened: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

Birmingham 15, Tennessee 6

  • Lenyn Sosa came up a triple short of the cycle during a 3-for-4 night, and he got plunked.

Highlights:

*Sosa’s blast:

Hickory 7, Winston-Salem 4

  • Bryan Ramos went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
  • Luis Mieses and Harvin Mendoza both were 1-for-4.
  • Andrew Dalquist: 2.2 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 2 K

Kannapolis 5, Down East 2

  • James Beard went 1-for-4 with his second homer of the season.
  • Wes Kath went 1-for-4 with a stolen base.
  • DJ Gladney went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
  • Chase Krogman, 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout.
  • Cristian Mena: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 9 K, 1 HR

Highlights:

*Wilber Sánchez’s first homer was an inside-the-parker. The camera angles make it look spliced together from different games.

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ForsterFTOG

Did Colson Montgomery retire already?

a-t

the thinking around these parts is probably that he and colas got covid

tbsoxfan

Looks like the may finally be some breathing room between Matthew Thompson and Dalquist on midseason prospect lists, though for unfortunate reason

ParisSox

Holy hell Christian Mena! I’m enjoying watching his stat lines.

I know you only cover the prospects but honorable mention: Neslony was a double short of the cycle in the same game.

knoxfire30

definitely has caught some eyes, not the hardest thrower but huge “pitchability” at a young age you have to wonder if he gains a couple ticks could the sox really have something here…

a-t

yup he’s exciting so far. he’s clearly got a very good breaking ball and very good command at quite a young age. not sure about other secondaries but if velo is the only issue… well, velo can be taught these days.

jhomeslice

Who is Tyler Neslony at Birmingham? In his last 200 AB’s at Birmingham since 2021, he is hitting .354 with 12 homers and an OPS over 1.1. 200 AB’s isn’t that tiny a sample size, he’s been killing it for a while. Left handed hitter. OPS this year is 1.4 vs RHP.

He is not on any prospect list, did he come out of nowhere? Only player who hit that well coming out of nowhere that I can recall is Roy Hobbs. Ok he is a fictional character, but still. This dude has to start getting attention if he keeps hitting like that.

Last edited 1 year ago by jhomeslice
evenyoudorn

Classic 2.5A guy? Steadily building OPS the last couple years, but old.

jhomeslice

He may be a bit older, but those are the best numbers any hitter in their organization is putting up, by a lot. Anyway either he will fade or we will almost have to start hearing about him at some point.

ParisSox

I think he’s 28, so definitely old for the level

Torpedo Jones

Old for the minors, for sure. But seems to have been steadily progressing in the minors and lost his rhythm over the cancelled 2020 minor league season. He hit .292 and had an .827 OPS with the Braves AA squad in 2019. He got off to a brutal start in 2021, which is how the Sox got a hold of him.

Despite his age, it’s hard to ignore that he posted a 1.122 OPS in 38 games with Bham last year and is off to an even better start this year (1.154 through his first 20 games). Most notably, his BABIP is down to a more reasonable .383 versus his .429 with us last year, but he’s overcoming it because he’s slugging better than ever.

FishSox
  • Lenyn Sosa came up a triple short of the cycle during a 3-for-4 night, and he got plunked.

If he charged the mound, would that have been a Gordie Howe cycle?

dwjm3

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