White Sox Minor Keys: Aug. 18, 2026

As you'll see below, Tanner McDougal has now posted three ugly lines in a row -- one in Chicago, two in Charlotte -- that serves as the latest reminder that the White Sox are having a hard time notching any kind of pitching development victory this year, no matter how much they try to whittle down the workload.

In this context, the vision Brian Bannister expressed to James Fegan strikes me as rather bold.

“We’re not where I want us to be,” senior pitching adviser Brian Bannister said. “I truly believe in the next couple years we’re going to be a top-five pitching development organization. But we’re not there yet.”

He says the White Sox are still in the process of integrating the data from their biomechanical investments and efforts to install Hawk-Eye systems at all four minor league affiliates. That provides a concrete to-do item that is can be followed up on, but it's still pretty stunning that there don't seem to be any development wins of note at any level. Noah Schultz is probably the best they can offer, and even there, James slips in a pretty big caveat:

Schultz’s struggles with another bout of tendinitis in his right knee have fueled an internal theory that the delivery mechanics that make him most effective and the ones that take stress off his lead leg are two different things.

Charlotte 9, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 8 (10 innings)

• Rikuu Nishida was 0-for-4 with two walks.
• Ryan Galanie, 1-for-4 with a sac fly, HBP and a strikeout.
• Edgar Quero doubled, singled, struck out, and was ejected afterward.
• Junior Pérez homered, singled twice and struck out twice.
• Shane Smith: 2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 1 HBP, 25 of 46 pitches for strikes.
• Tanner McDougal: 1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 22 of 37 pitches for strikes.
• Jaden Woods: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 14 of 23 pitches for strikes.

Birmingham 4, Chattanooga 3 (11 innings)

• Caleb Bonemer went 0-for-5 with a strikeout.
• Anthony DePino was 3-for-4.
• Colby Shelton, 1-for-5.
• Ryan Burrowes went 0-for-3 with a walk, sac fly and strikeout. He was also caught stealing.
• James Taussig wore the golden sombrero during an 0-for-5 night.
• Samuel Zavala homered, walked and struck out twice.
• Lucas Gordon returned from the IL: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 27 of 49 pitches for strikes.

Winston-Salem 7, Greenville 4

• Javier Mogollón went 0-for-4 with a walk, a strikeout and two stolen bases.
• Kyle Lodise, 1-for-4 with a walk, two strikeouts and a stolen base.
• George Wolkow hit his 20th and 21st homers of the year to maximize his 2-for-4 night.
• Jeral Perez, 1-for-4.
• Grant Umberger: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K, 1 HBP, 46 of 82 pitches for strikes.
• Seth Keener: 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 15 of 24 pitches for strikes.

Highlights:

*The acoustics in Greenville are superb:

Kannapolis 4, Fredericksburg 1

• Jaden Fauske went 0-for-4 with a walk and two strikeouts. He was caught stealing.
• Matthew Boughton, 0-for-3 with a walk, HBP and a strikeout.
• Grayson Fitzwater went 2-for-4 with a double, walk and strikeout.
• Blaine Wynk is back to three scoreless innings without a walk: 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 25 of 32 pitches for strikes.

DSL Arizona Black 9, DSL White Sox 3 (7 innings)

• Fernando Graterol went 2-for-3 with a triple and a walk.
• Ronald Cardozo was 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
• Felix Lebron, 0-for-2 with a walk, HBP and a strikeout.
• Samuel Luis, 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.

Notes:

*The DSL White Sox finish the season 19-36.