Since the dawn of...spring training, the White Sox have been opposed to tasking their pair of prospect catchers with the extra work of new positions. Technically, Edgar Quero passed the 130 at-bat threshold to shed his prospect status last week, and Kyle Teel says the embargo on additional work for him ended around the same time.
"I've been getting reps at first base in some of our defensive ground ball sessions," Teel said on Monday. "But that's all that I've been doing. It's been two days and I've been getting work there. I do have versatility in the past. I've played first base in high school, travel ball. I played shortstop in high school and I was a right fielder in college. I do have versatility still and I feel like I'm an athlete so I could play anywhere."
It's particularly relevant since Tim Elko and Andrew Vaughn are both in Charlotte with Teel and it's the catcher who is out-hitting both of them. Teel's .333/.444/.613 line for May earned him White Sox minor league player of the month honors and the pleasure of a Zoom call with local media, where he once more attributed his production to a specific focus on pulling and lifting the ball. Teel also thinks the walks started piling up after the power production became something for opposing pitchers to avoid.
While weaving in between countless prompts to proclaim that he should be promoted to the majors ASAP or criticize the Red Sox for trading him away, Teel reiterated that his long-term home is behind the plate.
"I think that I'm a catcher at the end of the day," Teel said. "I think my numbers prove it and I'm really solid defensively. At the same time, any way I can get to the big leagues and help that team win, it doesn't matter where I'm playing."
"Past couple of weeks, I would say defensively, receiving at the bottom of the zone, I feel like my numbers have skyrocketed. I've been good at the top, left--I've been good at both sides, but I've been really trying to hone in on the bottom of the zone receiving. And I feel like my numbers have really gotten better down there. And that's really important, especially when catching pitchers that can locate well."
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The supposedly pitching-deep White Sox didn't have any name-brand arms worthy of monthly honors. But Grant Taylor's sojourn to the bullpen opened the door for the best month of undrafted 26-year-old lefty Jake Palisch's professional life to date. Starting for the first time since his college days in 2019, Palisch allowed two runs in 24 innings in May, allowing just 13 base runners.
"I got the spot-start and I think it just gave me a little bit of the ability to kind of work into some of my pitches, having a four-pitch mix, giving me time to find it," Palisch said. "As opposed to coming out of the pen and having immediately to throw what I have working that day."
It'll take a stiff supporting breeze for Palisch to hit 93 mph, but he pours in strikes from a short, funky arm action that lends some extra deception and repeatability to his operation. He's credited his cutter as a reliable weak contact generating option in the strike zone, which has allowed Palisch to hold right-handers to a .184/.250/.263 batting line.
It's not the easiest profile to project to a major league role, but one attribute that can be a separator for pitchers with underwhelming stuff is health and versatility. For as long as Palisch keeps thriving in a new role thrust upon him, he boosts his standing on both accounts.
"Going into it as an undrafted free agent, you might not think as much about [the majors]," Palisch said. "You realize there are a lot of other guys competing with who also have the benefit of being four or five years younger, and having a lot more money invested in them. But if you have a uniform, you have a chance."
ACL Guardians 9, ACL White Sox 4
- Sam Antonacci went 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Adrian Gíl was 0-for-5 with a strikeout.
- T.J. McCants, 1-for-5 with a K.
- Jurdrick Profar hit his first stateside homer, singled, walked and struck out twice.
DSL Giants Orange 7, DSL White Sox 0
- Alejandro Cruz singled and struck out twice.
- Orlando Patiño and Eduardo Herrera both were 0-for-3 with a strikeout.
- Alan Escobar struck out all three times up.
- Yordani Soto was 0-for-2.
