Tending to the Farm: Mark Payton still mashing in Charlotte
This series will recap the performances of each White Sox minor league affiliate throughout the previous week. Here is the 23rd installment of the 2022 season.
Charlotte Knights (54-81)
Weekly Record: 4-2
The division leading Nashville Sounds paid the Knights a visit last week. While Charlotte may have faltered in the previous week against a division leader, the fortune of the Knights turned last week as they were able to take four of six games and secured a series win. Charlotte still occupies last place and are 21 games back in the International League East Division.
The offense once again had a successful week at the dish. The Knights were able to knock around the Sounds pitching staff to the tune of a .271/.338/.477 slash line and an .815 OPS. Charlotte also scored 35 runs, had 54 hits in 199 at-bats, 12 doubles, one triple, nine home runs, 18 walks to 43 strikeouts, and went 6-for-8 on stolen bases. Complete season totals for the Knights offense can be found here.
As the last few weeks have progressed, the Knights pitching staff is slowly but surely having less stinky but still subpar performances. Charlotte’s staff left the series with a team ERA of 5.17, a 1.59 WHIP, and a .288 Batting Average Against. They also allowed 38 runs (31 earned), 63 hits to 54 innings pitched, 23 walks to 46 strikeouts, hit three batters and allowed 10 home runs. Complete season totals for the Knights pitching staff can be found here.
🔥 Hot Player of the Week 🔥
Mark Payton: Mark Payton’s domination of the International League continued as the Sounds’ pitching staff felt the outfielder’s wrath last week. The 30 year-old outfielder slashed .400/.464/.960 for a 1.424 OPS, hit two doubles, four home runs, eight RBI, scored six runs, went 2-for-2 on stolen bases, and had 10 hits in 25 at-bats.
Honorable Mentions: Zach Remillard, Yolbert Sanchez, Carlos Perez, Craig Dedelow, Jason Bilous, and Andrew Perez
Birmingham Barons (59-73)
Weekly Record: 3-3
First Half: 31-38
Second Half: 28-35
Project Birmingham saw its third week of action, hosting the Chattanooga Lookouts in what was the final home series of the season for Birmingham. The Barons had a sluggish start to the series before taking three straight and ultimately working a series split. The Barons are in third place and eight games back in the second half in the Southern League North Division.
The offense struggled. Birmingham slashed .196/.308/.304 for a .612 OPS. Additionally, the Barons scored 20 runs, had 33 hits in 168 at-bats, three doubles, no triples, five home runs, 19 walks to 58 strikeouts, and went 12-for-14 on stolen bases. Complete season totals for the Barons offense can be found here.
Birmingham’s pitching staff was simply outstanding against the Lookouts last week. The Barons had a 2.47 team ERA, a 1.14 WHIP, and a .222 Batting Average Against. Birmingham also allowed 15 runs (14 earned), 40 hits to 51 innings pitched, 18 walks to 49 strikeouts, hit two batters and allowed one home run. Complete season totals for the Barons pitching staff can be found here.
🔥 Hot Player of the Week 🔥
Matthew Thompson: Matthew Thompson was one of the stable of Barons pitchers that excelled last week. Thompson threw four innings allowing two hits, one run, one walk, struck out five, had a .143 Batting Average Against, and a 0.75 WHIP.
Honorable Mentions: Evan Skoug, Yoelqui Cespedes, Sean Burke, Garrett Davila, Edgar Navarro, and Garrett Schoenle
Winston-Salem Dash (58-74)
Weekly Record: 2-4
First Half: 33-33
Second Half: 25-41
To close out the season for the Dash, the Brooklyn Cyclones came to town. The second half struggles were apparent in this series, as Winston-Salem lost four of six game in their final series of the season. The Dash finished in last place and 15 games back in the second half in the South Atlantic League South Division.
“Yikes” would be too polite of a term to describe the Dash offense last week, as their performance was more of deserving of a “woof”. Winston-Salem slashed .188/.275/.210 for a .485 OPS. The Dash scored 13 runs, had 33 hits in 176 at-bats, four doubles, no triples, no home runs, 19 walks to 51 strikeouts, and went 9-for-10 on stolen bases. Final season totals for the Dash offense can be found here.
The Winston-Salem pitching staff finished their season with much less of a dud than the offense. The Dash had a team ERA of 4.59, a 1.53 WHIP, and a .277 Batting Average Against. Winston-Salem also allowed 27 runs (26 earned) on 56 hits over 51 innings, 22 walks to 51 strikeouts, hitting two batters and allowed four home runs. Final season totals for the Dash pitching staff can be found here.
🔥 Hot Player of the Week 🔥
Tommy Sommer: Tommy Sommer was quite impressive in both of his appearances last week against the Cyclones. The 23 year-old threw 10 innings allowing six hits, one run, two walks, struck out nine, had a .182 Batting Average Against, and a 0.80 WHIP.
Honorable Mentions: Luis Moncada, Skylar Arias, and Luis Amaya
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (58-74)
Weekly Record: 2-4
First Half: 26-40
Second Half: 32-34
The Cannon Ballers welcomed the Augusta GreenJackets to Atrium Health Ballpark to close out their 2022 season. The Ballers fell out of their consistent ways last week, dropping four of six and finishing the second half under .500. Kannapolis finished in fourth place and 10 games back in the second half in the Carolina League South Division.
The Kannapolis offense finished their season on a low note against GreenJackets pitchers. The Ballers wrapped up the series with a .166/.266/.219 slash line for a .485 OPS. Kannapolis also scored 14 runs, had 31 hits in 187 at-bats, four doubles, no triples, two home runs, 22 walks to 68 strikeouts, and went 7-for-8 on stolen bases. Final season totals for the Cannon Ballers offense can be found here.
Where the offense ended poorly, the Cannon Ballers pitching staff ended on a high note. Kannapolis had a team ERA of 3.76, a 1.53 WHIP, and a .249 Batting Average Against. The Cannon Ballers also allowed 30 runs (23 earned) on 51 hits over 55 innings, issuing 33 walks against 55 strikeouts, all while hitting five batters and allowing one home run. Final season totals for the Cannon Ballers pitching staff can be found here.
🔥 Hot Player of the Week 🔥
Frander Veras: Frander Veras was solid in his two appearances last week. The 23 year-old threw four innings allowing two hits, no runs, one walk, struck out four, had a .154 Batting Average Against, and a 0.75 WHIP.
Honorable Mentions: Jose Jimenez and Kole Ramage
It’s so Sox to have a guy with a .900 OPS at AAA (and who was over .800 at AAA a year ago, over 1 in 2019) who is a lefty hitter, and an outfielder, and not give him any shot at all.