White Sox minor league rosters have a reputation for being released roughly 17 minutes prior to the first pitch of the season opener. But with the Triple-A Charlotte Knights having departed Camelback Ranch for North Carolina on Tuesday, Sox farm director Paul Janish was kind enough to discuss the broad strokes of minor league assignments.
The supergroups
The long-hinted at Double-A Birmingham rotation of Noah Schultz, Grant Taylor, Wikelman González and Hagen Smith is indeed happening, with the slight buzz of doubt about the last member of the foursome resolved. Janish raved about the growth of Schultz and Smith's friendship, and doesn't think anyone should be surprised to see Taylor as part of this group that will be adjusting to a five-day schedule.
"Ultimately looking forward to being able to tell the story about how those guys were all in the same Double A rotation in a couple of years when hopefully they're major-league All-Stars," Janish said. "We had a pretty good idea what Grant had in the tank. I think that what was super encouraging was him taking advantage of a relatively small opportunity of going to major-league camp for the first time. And I mean, look, he exceeded expectations, I guess. But it wasn't a surprise. He's got that in him."
As expected, Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero will form a catching timeshare at Triple-A Charlotte, with each expected to work behind the plate three games per week and DH-ing when they're off from defense. As Janish told us earlier in spring, the Sox don't want to task either with learning first base or any other position at this stage in their development.
"The catching position is very demanding at the major league level, but they're both really close to being ready to perform, hopefully," Janish said.
Low-A Kannapolis is usually too far away for casual prospect followers, but if the dearth of future outfield regulars is one of your critiques about the White Sox system, they will have George Wolkow, Braden Montgomery and last year's third round pick Nick McLain patrolling the grass for the Cannon Ballers.
Wolkow was a productive player for Kannapolis (126 wRC+) last season but struck out at a 40 percent clip. Montgomery and McLain are both accomplished college hitters, but since both are making their pro debuts after a longer layoff, the Sox settled on a softer landing to put them in a position to succeed out of the gate.
"What I told those guys and continue to impress upon [them] is go play good and we are not going to hold you back," Janish said. "All of those guys will have the opportunity, assuming health and performance, to move up as quickly as they push the envelope. I really appreciate what we are trying to create in terms of earning the promotion. Play good and I promise you, we are going to move you along."
Double play pairings
Perhaps many of our readers did not need an article to deduce that Colson Montgomery will be getting the majority of time at shortstop rather than Chase Meidroth, despite how much run the latter received in big league camp at the end of spring.
"Chase is so versatile, he's going to be able to be a little bit of everything and he'll play some short as well," Janish said.
But the bulk of the Sox position player prospect depth is arranged up the middle, so the Sox have a version of this choice at pretty much every level. Last year's second round pick Caleb Bonemer is expected to play the bulk of shortstop over Javier Mogollón at Low-A Kannapolis, who was shifting over to second on the backfields. Jeral Pérez, from last July's Erick Fedde trade, will mostly play short at High-A Winston-Salem and be partnered up the middle with fifth round pick and contact maven Sam Antonacci taking most of the reps at second.
An impressive spring with several cameos in big league games earned slick-fielding William Bergolla, the return from the Tanner Banks trade, a promotion to Double-A Birmingham. Bergolla played mostly second base in the Phillies organization and mostly shortstop after the trade, and will have to mix in at both next to former first-round pick Jacob Gonzalez.
"It's beneficial for both of them to be very versatile," Janish said. "It's just the nature of the major league level at this point and the nature of trying to get yourself to the major league level. It benefits those guys if there's a need at the major league level to be able to say with conviction that they're able to do whatever you need them to do on the infield."
Rotation depth
With the slew of depth starters who have become Dr. Keith Meister clients this spring, the Charlotte starting rotation takes on some greater importance, even if the White Sox will be carrying their typical sixth and seventh starter options on the roster.
Jairo Iriarte and Nick Nastrini will be the most noteworthy prospects in the Knights rotation. Non-roster invitee Justin Dunn and waiver claim Owen White also figure to be part of that mix. Janish specified that Jake Eder, famously the return from the Jake Burger trade, will be working out of the bullpen to start the season, albeit in a multi-inning role.
Asked for some relief prospects who could rise up and put themselves on the map similar to Peyton Pallette, Janish mentioned hard-throwing former over-slot pick Tanner McDougal. Having seen McDougal hit 100 mph in person last August, that progression is easy to see, but Janish specified that McDougal will keep starting for now, so maybe he pops up to make himself a rotation candidate by year's end instead.
Former indie ball arm Tyler Davis was noted by Janish for having a good camp, so maybe he cracks the Sox bullpen with health, performance and luck.
Injured players
Janish made note that Bryan Ramos hit three home runs on Tuesday while taking live at-bats on the backfields at Camelback Ranch. But since Ramos is still not playing defense due to elbow soreness, the Charlotte team left Arizona without him, and the plan is for Teel and Quero to soak up DH opportunities, there are plenty of hints that he won't start the season on the Knights' active roster.
"We haven't quite gotten that far to make the determination in terms of what his schedule is going to be," Janish said. "That decision is coming soon. He's just finishing up down here because obviously we still have baseball going on. Relative to his rehab schedule, he's got things that he needs to accomplish, so that's why he's here."
The final piece of the Erick Fedde trade, Alexander Albertus will also remain in Arizona to start the season. The 20-year-old Aruban infielder is taking batting practice and ground balls at Camelback Ranch after a left tibia fracture that has kept him from playing a recorded game for the Sox so far. But the ramp-up period could take him into May before Albertus is assigned to an affiliate. Albertus will primarily play third base, but move around.
Rikuu Nishida
With a skill set so bespoke that he merits his own section, Nishida is absent from the discussion of double play partners despite the majority of his time coming at second base last year. Janish said the Osaka-born slap-hitter will prepare for a super-utility role, which could see him spend an ample amount of time in center field.
"I promised him I wouldn't tell him until the bus is leaving, so I'll withhold that one," Janish said of Nishida's minor league assignment. The Knights have already left and Nishida finished last season in Double-A Birmingham, so the 23-year-old has some context clues to draw from if he cares to. If Nishida does play for the Barons, Wilfred Veras, Jacob Burke and DJ Gladney will be in the outfield mix with him.
