Early next month, White Sox outfield prospect Christian González will celebrate his 19th birthday in the third country of residence in his young life. But his transient existence of late is all a credit to his progress.
"I literally never thought I would have a season like this," González said via interpreter.
Signed out of Venezuela for $550,000 as part of the 2024 international class, the last crop brought into the White Sox organization under Marco Paddy's leadership, González opened the year repeating the level at the Dominican Summer League. But in 22 games' time, González quite literally hit his way off the island.
He posted a .424/.553/.606 slash line in the DSL despite not collecting a home run, walking 15 times compared to 10 strikeouts, and only slightly calmed down upon arriving to the complex in Arizona. In 12 games in the ACL, González collected his first round-tripper of his pro career, and hit .381/.435/.500. Since the close of the complex league season, he's still playing in games alongside recent White Sox draft picks in bridge league -- and by all accounts, still hitting a lot of singles -- just without the numbers being recorded.
He's also, in multiple respects, just getting started.
"When I first started, I made zero contact," González said via interpreter. "I just kept working and my swing now -- what I was told as I was working -- I have a swing that's not completely learned but there's a lot of natural ability."
González's father's side of the family is full of baseball players, including an uncle who once was in talks to sign with an MLB team, and he was placed in a baseball academy in Venezuela at the age of 10. First embracing the game at the age of five, González aspired to be a pitcher, but the assessment that trainers at his academy put him through concluded that he had a higher ceiling as a hitter.
That history helps foster the current dynamic where González speaks like someone still convincing himself of his offensive ability -- it was also probably his first English-language interview ever -- even as the positive results have been pouring in for him. Initially sold as a speedster, González has been successful on just 15 of 34 stolen-base attempts in his pro career. Having seen him and Billy Carlson collaborate for their first of ideally few strike 'em out, throw 'em outs of their respective White Sox tenures on Thursday, it seems like González's plan to keep filling out his stout, compact five-foot-11 frame is the way to go.
"I'm content with where my swing is at," González said via interpreter. "My big thing that I want to work on next is physical strength, getting stronger and then also bat speed. I want to get stronger in my legs because I feel like it will give me better stability and movement at the plate, and upper body work, too, so I can swing faster and harder."
Norfolk 4, Charlotte 1
- Will Robertson doubled, singled and struck out twice.
- Tim Elko was 0-for-4.
- Bryan Ramos, 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout. He was also caught stealing.
- Jacob Gonzalez went 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Sean Burke: 5 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 1 HR, 56 of 89 pitches for strikes.
- Dan Altavilla began rehabbing: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 11 of 17 pitches for strikes.
Birmingham 1, Rocket City 0 (Game 1, 7 innings)
- Rikuu Nishida returned to the lineup, going 0-for-2 with a walk and the walk-off sac fly.
- Sam Antonacci was 1-for-2 with a walk.
- Wilfred Veras went 0-for-3 with a strikeout.
- Braden Montgomery, 1-for-3 with his 10th double.
- DJ Gladney was 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout
- Riley Gowens: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K, 50 of 87 pitches for strikes.
Birmingham 4, Rocket City 3 (Game 2, 7 innings)
- Sam Antonacci was 1-for-2 with a double, a walk, an HBP and three stolen bases.
- Braden Montgomery went 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Wilfred Veras, 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts.
- DJ Gladney went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.
- Shane Murphy: 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 50 of 76 pitches for strikes.
Notes:
*The Barons now lead their division by nine games.
Winston-Salem 9, Wilmington 0
- Samuel Zavala was 3-for-5.
- Jeral Perez, 1-for-5 with a strikeout.
- Lyle Miller-Green took Tom Glavine's son deep during a 1-for-4 night.
- Ryan Burrowes singled thrice and struck out once.
Delmarva 6, Kannapolis 2
- Caleb Bonemer and Ely Brown wore matching collars and silver sombreros.
- Anthony DePino singled, walked twice and struck out once.
- George Wolkow was 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Kaleb Freeman went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
- Adrian Gíl walked once and struck out thrice.
- Ryan Galvan walked once and struck out twice.
- Grant Umberger: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K, 57 of 77 pitches for strikes.
Notes:
*The Cannon Ballers struck out 17 times.
