Any fans trying to find Oscar Colas during Spring Training workouts for the White Sox or upcoming Cactus League games should set their sights on jersey No. 76.
But if the 24-year-old breaks camp as the White Sox starting right fielder, he would prefer No. 44.
“That’s the number I was using last year, and you know from Double-A all the way up,” Colas said through interpreter Billy Russo. “And I got good results with that number.”
Don’t think Colas has jumped to March 30 and Opening Day in Houston by talking about a potential big league jersey number. Colas understands the challenge ahead and he has been working tirelessly to earn this opportunity.
Colas, ranked as the club's No. 2 prospect by MLB Pipeline, took little time off after posting an impressive .314/.371/.524 slash line with 23 home runs, 24 doubles, 79 RBIs and 81 runs scored across 2022 stops at High-A Winston-Salem, Double-A Birmingham and 31 at-bats for Triple-A Charlotte. His personal workouts were supplemented by hitting sessions in Miami with teammate Luis Robert, as well as working with White Sox Major League field coordinator Mike Tosar and hitting coach José Castro in sessions including teammate Romy Gonzalez.
“They all had the reports of how the season went for you and the areas you need to improve upon,” Colas said. “They identified -- and I knew it -- that I needed to be more selective with pitches that I wanted to swing at. We focused on that during this offseason. They have a very good team of staff there, and that helped me, put me in a better position now.
“It was very important to start getting to know each other. They know me as an athlete. But now they kind of know me as a person, too. That’s good. I think the relationship is good and the way that we communicate in Spanish made things way easier. That’s important because the communication is direct.”
That hitting process for Colas evolved throughout his White Sox Minor League debut. He went from thinking “just hit homers” to hitting the ball throughout the field.
Justin Jirschele, who was Colas’ manager with Birmingham and has moved to Triple-A Charlotte this season, said Colas can do a lot of things and impact the game in a lot of different ways in a positive manner.
“Everything he does is next level. He can carry a team both offensively and defensively,” Jirschele said. “He brings a ton of energy. He’s a competitor. He wants to win. He shows up every day wanting to win. His teammates love him.
“I know when he’s going good, he’s constantly smiling and having fun, and things come a little bit more naturally for him. He’s a spectacular talent and I’m excited to see what’s in store for him coming up.”
As baseball's No. 85 prospect overall, there are inherent expectations built into Colas’ arrival. He’s ready for whatever the challenge might bring, buoyed by a strong veteran lineup where he can fit in instead of needing to stand out.
Robert and Colas have been friends well beyond their offseason workouts, with Colas stating they are “like brothers, like family.” And Colas has the right demeanor to mesh with this group, not to mention the left-handed power bat.
“I’ve thought about it. That’s part of my dream,” Colas said of reaching the Majors. “Sometimes you think that it’s not real. But I’m here working for that and that’s going to be a big accomplishment for me and my family, and all the people who have been supporting me.”
Catcher Seby Zavala currently sports No. 44, so Colas might have to pick another number or do a little negotiating to get that one. But he’s currently No. 76, assuming nothing in the midst of a roster competition.
“There's no BS about him. He comes here to work,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “This is what he loves to do. He takes pride in it. He asks a lot of good questions. He's extremely detailed for a young kid. Obviously, he's got ability. I'm looking forward to watching him progress this spring.”
“I really put in a lot of work to get to this point,” Colas said. “It was not a surprise. I knew this time would come.”
https://www.mlb.com/news/oscar-colas-ey ... -white-sox
2023 White Sox Prospect Notes
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Re: 2023 White Sox Prospect Notes
Royals Prospect Gavin Cross Talks Hitting
by David Laurila
February 27, 2023
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Gavin Cross loves to hit, and he does so, figuratively speaking, with his feet planted firmly on the ground. The son of a former minor leaguer who went on to become a scout and a coach, the sweet-swinging 22-year-old outfielder was drafted ninth overall last year out of Virginia Tech and is now one of the top prospects in the Kansas City Royals organization. His smooth left-handed stroke is a big reason why. Cross logged a 1.071 OPS in his final collegiate season, and he essentially matched that number in his first taste of pro ball. Playing all but three of his games with Low-A Columbia, he put up a 1.070 OPS over 135 plate appearances.
Cross talked about his development as a hitter, and his ability to stay in the moment, last week.
———
David Laurila: How would you define yourself as a hitter, and how have you evolved?
Gavin Cross: “My dad played, and from a young age I was taught to be a hitter first. I was really conventional with my setup all the way until college, and was always trying to hit line drives to left-center. My freshman year — that was the COVID year — I had 24 hits, and 23 were singles. But I was second on our team in exit velo, so I was hitting the ball hard. I just wasn’t really hitting it in the air [and] splitting the gaps.
“I started trying to shift my sights from left-center to center. Nothing with my swing… I mean, I made a minor swing adjustment, but not specifically to try to get the ball in the air. I was just trying to hit the ball out front a little bit more. At the same time, it’s physics: if you hit the ball out front, it will go in the air more. I made that simple adjustment in my sophomore year and had one of my best years. I took that into the summer with Team USA and kind of just ran with it from there.”
Laurila: What was the minor adjustment?
Cross: “It was the way I was holding my weight in my back leg. Again, I was pretty conventional in high school, and couldn’t necessarily adjust to breaking balls. I was always a good fastball hitter, but couldn’t adjust that well to different pitches, different guys. That was something coach [Kurt] Elbin at VT… I mean, they did a great job with me. It was definitely a big change. It took me four or five months to kind of get used to it, then COVID happened and I had six, seven months to go back home and work on it. No live [at-bats] — a controlled setting — and it became really comfortable. Now my swing is just natural.”
Laurila: The change wasn’t to your swing, yet it impacted your swing…
Cross: “I mean, I’ve never tried to alter my path to have more loft. It was all in the load phase. I’m trying to hold it in my back leg more — keep it in my back leg — while still being balanced and not getting stuck on my back side. It’s all about being athletic, being adjustable, and getting the most out of your body. My freshman year, I wasn’t getting the most out of my body; I was kind of just trusting my natural hand-eye, and just hitting.”
Laurila: What about adjustments after you got into pro ball? I assume you went to instructs?
Cross: “I went to instructs after the draft, but kind of just played, really. They prepare us very well as far as scouting reports, but they also trust us. We’re grown up and can make adjustments on our own. I mean, there’s a reason they drafted us. They just want our bodies to move the right way, so they’re not really strict on how you stand, how you load. It’s all about getting to a good position where you can swing and be athletic.
“Drew Saylor, our hitting coordinator, is one of the best in the business at doing that. I’ve only been around him since July, but relationship-wise, communication-wise, he does everything extremely well. And he’s obviously very intelligent. You’ve seen it with some of the results from MJ [Melendez] and Vinnie [Pasquantino], and even Bobby [Witt, Jr.] — some of the guys in the big leagues that he’s worked with for a couple years. He’s not trying to [implement] major adjustments, but rather give them some feel. I’m excited to work with him.”
Laurila: Were you happy with your groundball/fly ball rate last year?
Cross: “I don’t really take too much into that, honestly. I want to hit the ball in the air — I want to slug — but at the end of the day, as long as I’m hitting the ball off the barrel, and hitting it hard, I don’t really care. I’m not chasing numbers. I’m just trying to put good at-bats together and hit the ball off the barrel. If I’m 50/50, and [half] of those groundballs are over 105 [mph] and go for hits… I mean, I’m not going complain if I’m hitting .500 on groundballs, if you know what I mean.
“I obviously don’t want to hit the ball on the ground. My goal is to hit the ball hard, and at the same time, hitting is hard. I’m just trying to train my body to see the pitch, recognize the pitch, and… I mean, the more you try to hit it in the air, the more you’re going to try to be out front, and that causes some more swings and misses. So, there’s a fine line between the whole fly ball/groundball ratio. I’m trying to hit for both average and power, and that will come from putting good at-bats together.”
Laurila: I’ve read that you “have an ability to slow the game down at the plate.” Does that come naturally, or is it something that’s developed over time?
Cross: “I think a lot of it has to do with my background, how I was raised. I was born into kind of a baseball family, and my dad has coached me since I was probably six years old. He’s helped me with the mental game since a young age. He’s always told me, ‘Hey, this is a game of failure, and the more you move up, the more you’re going to fail.’ I think I’ve always kind of understood that.
“Then, at VT, we had a mental skills coach who helped us kind of breathe and battle through those times of struggle. And it’s not easy. But on the outside, I’m always trying to relay a message to my teammates, and to my coaches, that ‘Hey, I’m here, I’m locked in the moment.’ I also try not to make it about me; I want to be there for the team. That’s just kind of how I’ve grown up and played the game.”
Laurila: Changing direction, what was your draft day experience like? Did you have a pretty good idea that it would be the Royals?
Cross: “I actually played golf with my buddies that day. We had a group of like 20-30 guys, parents and friends, and I was basically trying to get my mind off of it. I mean, I knew that night was going to change my life, and that I was super blessed for everyone that helped me get to where I was. As for where I thought I’d go, I didn’t have any idea. I thought it was going to be anywhere from eighth [overall] to 13th or 14th, but you never know with the draft. It shakes out in different ways. And I was really nervous. I don’t think I talked to anyone for like an hour during the draft. I was kind of shaking, to be honest. Even when I got drafted, I was still kind of… I mean, I didn’t even have a reaction, because it was as though I didn’t even know what happened.”
Laurila: What about on the golf course? How many balls did you slice into the trees because your mind was drifting off to the night ahead?
Cross: “I actually played really well that day. I golfed in high school with my buddies, and a bunch of them play D-I golf, so the course is kind of my getaway. You need one, especially in the season. I’m not saying that you should golf three times a week, but I think I’ve seen where Mike Trout has said he tries to golf on off days. You need something to get your mind off baseball and kind of reset, and refocus, for the week ahead.”
Laurila: As nervous as you were on draft night, golfing really well earlier in the day is pretty impressive. I assume that ability to focus translates to the plate?
Cross: “Yeah. That’s a big thing that Alex Gordon talked to us about a couple weeks ago, trying to settle into where your feet are — being in the present moment at the plate, or with whatever it is you’re doing. You need to settle in on the task at hand. You might have a big series coming up on Friday, but today is Tuesday, so just focus on Tuesday. That’s what he told us his approach was, and Alex was obviously very talented and a really hard worker. But yes, that’s what I try to do. I try to always be where my feet are.”
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/royals-pros ... s-hitting/
by David Laurila
February 27, 2023
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Gavin Cross loves to hit, and he does so, figuratively speaking, with his feet planted firmly on the ground. The son of a former minor leaguer who went on to become a scout and a coach, the sweet-swinging 22-year-old outfielder was drafted ninth overall last year out of Virginia Tech and is now one of the top prospects in the Kansas City Royals organization. His smooth left-handed stroke is a big reason why. Cross logged a 1.071 OPS in his final collegiate season, and he essentially matched that number in his first taste of pro ball. Playing all but three of his games with Low-A Columbia, he put up a 1.070 OPS over 135 plate appearances.
Cross talked about his development as a hitter, and his ability to stay in the moment, last week.
———
David Laurila: How would you define yourself as a hitter, and how have you evolved?
Gavin Cross: “My dad played, and from a young age I was taught to be a hitter first. I was really conventional with my setup all the way until college, and was always trying to hit line drives to left-center. My freshman year — that was the COVID year — I had 24 hits, and 23 were singles. But I was second on our team in exit velo, so I was hitting the ball hard. I just wasn’t really hitting it in the air [and] splitting the gaps.
“I started trying to shift my sights from left-center to center. Nothing with my swing… I mean, I made a minor swing adjustment, but not specifically to try to get the ball in the air. I was just trying to hit the ball out front a little bit more. At the same time, it’s physics: if you hit the ball out front, it will go in the air more. I made that simple adjustment in my sophomore year and had one of my best years. I took that into the summer with Team USA and kind of just ran with it from there.”
Laurila: What was the minor adjustment?
Cross: “It was the way I was holding my weight in my back leg. Again, I was pretty conventional in high school, and couldn’t necessarily adjust to breaking balls. I was always a good fastball hitter, but couldn’t adjust that well to different pitches, different guys. That was something coach [Kurt] Elbin at VT… I mean, they did a great job with me. It was definitely a big change. It took me four or five months to kind of get used to it, then COVID happened and I had six, seven months to go back home and work on it. No live [at-bats] — a controlled setting — and it became really comfortable. Now my swing is just natural.”
Laurila: The change wasn’t to your swing, yet it impacted your swing…
Cross: “I mean, I’ve never tried to alter my path to have more loft. It was all in the load phase. I’m trying to hold it in my back leg more — keep it in my back leg — while still being balanced and not getting stuck on my back side. It’s all about being athletic, being adjustable, and getting the most out of your body. My freshman year, I wasn’t getting the most out of my body; I was kind of just trusting my natural hand-eye, and just hitting.”
Laurila: What about adjustments after you got into pro ball? I assume you went to instructs?
Cross: “I went to instructs after the draft, but kind of just played, really. They prepare us very well as far as scouting reports, but they also trust us. We’re grown up and can make adjustments on our own. I mean, there’s a reason they drafted us. They just want our bodies to move the right way, so they’re not really strict on how you stand, how you load. It’s all about getting to a good position where you can swing and be athletic.
“Drew Saylor, our hitting coordinator, is one of the best in the business at doing that. I’ve only been around him since July, but relationship-wise, communication-wise, he does everything extremely well. And he’s obviously very intelligent. You’ve seen it with some of the results from MJ [Melendez] and Vinnie [Pasquantino], and even Bobby [Witt, Jr.] — some of the guys in the big leagues that he’s worked with for a couple years. He’s not trying to [implement] major adjustments, but rather give them some feel. I’m excited to work with him.”
Laurila: Were you happy with your groundball/fly ball rate last year?
Cross: “I don’t really take too much into that, honestly. I want to hit the ball in the air — I want to slug — but at the end of the day, as long as I’m hitting the ball off the barrel, and hitting it hard, I don’t really care. I’m not chasing numbers. I’m just trying to put good at-bats together and hit the ball off the barrel. If I’m 50/50, and [half] of those groundballs are over 105 [mph] and go for hits… I mean, I’m not going complain if I’m hitting .500 on groundballs, if you know what I mean.
“I obviously don’t want to hit the ball on the ground. My goal is to hit the ball hard, and at the same time, hitting is hard. I’m just trying to train my body to see the pitch, recognize the pitch, and… I mean, the more you try to hit it in the air, the more you’re going to try to be out front, and that causes some more swings and misses. So, there’s a fine line between the whole fly ball/groundball ratio. I’m trying to hit for both average and power, and that will come from putting good at-bats together.”
Laurila: I’ve read that you “have an ability to slow the game down at the plate.” Does that come naturally, or is it something that’s developed over time?
Cross: “I think a lot of it has to do with my background, how I was raised. I was born into kind of a baseball family, and my dad has coached me since I was probably six years old. He’s helped me with the mental game since a young age. He’s always told me, ‘Hey, this is a game of failure, and the more you move up, the more you’re going to fail.’ I think I’ve always kind of understood that.
“Then, at VT, we had a mental skills coach who helped us kind of breathe and battle through those times of struggle. And it’s not easy. But on the outside, I’m always trying to relay a message to my teammates, and to my coaches, that ‘Hey, I’m here, I’m locked in the moment.’ I also try not to make it about me; I want to be there for the team. That’s just kind of how I’ve grown up and played the game.”
Laurila: Changing direction, what was your draft day experience like? Did you have a pretty good idea that it would be the Royals?
Cross: “I actually played golf with my buddies that day. We had a group of like 20-30 guys, parents and friends, and I was basically trying to get my mind off of it. I mean, I knew that night was going to change my life, and that I was super blessed for everyone that helped me get to where I was. As for where I thought I’d go, I didn’t have any idea. I thought it was going to be anywhere from eighth [overall] to 13th or 14th, but you never know with the draft. It shakes out in different ways. And I was really nervous. I don’t think I talked to anyone for like an hour during the draft. I was kind of shaking, to be honest. Even when I got drafted, I was still kind of… I mean, I didn’t even have a reaction, because it was as though I didn’t even know what happened.”
Laurila: What about on the golf course? How many balls did you slice into the trees because your mind was drifting off to the night ahead?
Cross: “I actually played really well that day. I golfed in high school with my buddies, and a bunch of them play D-I golf, so the course is kind of my getaway. You need one, especially in the season. I’m not saying that you should golf three times a week, but I think I’ve seen where Mike Trout has said he tries to golf on off days. You need something to get your mind off baseball and kind of reset, and refocus, for the week ahead.”
Laurila: As nervous as you were on draft night, golfing really well earlier in the day is pretty impressive. I assume that ability to focus translates to the plate?
Cross: “Yeah. That’s a big thing that Alex Gordon talked to us about a couple weeks ago, trying to settle into where your feet are — being in the present moment at the plate, or with whatever it is you’re doing. You need to settle in on the task at hand. You might have a big series coming up on Friday, but today is Tuesday, so just focus on Tuesday. That’s what he told us his approach was, and Alex was obviously very talented and a really hard worker. But yes, that’s what I try to do. I try to always be where my feet are.”
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/royals-pros ... s-hitting/
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Re: 2023 White Sox Prospect Notes
[This sucks for a pitching staff already hammered with TJ:]
Reese Olson (elbow) will undergo an MRI on Tuesday after experiencing abdominal soreness during his last bullpen session.
Olson has been experiencing some right elbow soreness so far this spring, and will undergo some additional testing to determine the extent of his physical issues. It's unclear when he'll be ready to make his Grapefruit League debut. The 23-year-old righty was added to Detroit's 40-man roster over the winter to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft.
https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/baseball/ ... eese-olson
Spencer Horwitz had two of the Blue Jays' six hits Monday in a shutout loss to the Braves.
The Jays have one bench opening that will likely go to Horwitz, Nathan Lukes, Wynton Bernard or perhaps someone currently outside of the organization. Horwitz is much more of a first baseman than an outfielder, which hurts his chances, but given that the Blue Jays have three excellent defensive outfielders and Cavan Biggio also capable of playing out there, they possess flexibility. Horwitz, who hit .275/.391/.452 between Double- and Triple-A last year, will be an obvious fallback if anything happens to Brandon Belt this year.
https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/baseball/ ... er-horwitz
Reese Olson (elbow) will undergo an MRI on Tuesday after experiencing abdominal soreness during his last bullpen session.
Olson has been experiencing some right elbow soreness so far this spring, and will undergo some additional testing to determine the extent of his physical issues. It's unclear when he'll be ready to make his Grapefruit League debut. The 23-year-old righty was added to Detroit's 40-man roster over the winter to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft.
https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/baseball/ ... eese-olson
Spencer Horwitz had two of the Blue Jays' six hits Monday in a shutout loss to the Braves.
The Jays have one bench opening that will likely go to Horwitz, Nathan Lukes, Wynton Bernard or perhaps someone currently outside of the organization. Horwitz is much more of a first baseman than an outfielder, which hurts his chances, but given that the Blue Jays have three excellent defensive outfielders and Cavan Biggio also capable of playing out there, they possess flexibility. Horwitz, who hit .275/.391/.452 between Double- and Triple-A last year, will be an obvious fallback if anything happens to Brandon Belt this year.
https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/baseball/ ... er-horwitz
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Re: 2023 White Sox Prospect Notes
Last July, Noah Schultz was thrilled to be drafted by the White Sox with the 26th overall pick.
"Best night of my life," he said. "It's always been a dream of mine to play in the major leagues. Being drafted by the hometown team, it was surreal."
An Aurora native, Schultz was rated the top draft prospect in Illinois last year even though he sat out most of his senior year at Oswego East High with mononucleosis.
The lefthander was able to stay active pitching in the Prospect League, and he showed his potential while pitching to an 0.93 ERA with 37 strikeouts in 19.1 innings.
Now, Schultz looks to get his professional career rolling.
“I’m just excited to get back to work,” the 19-year-old said. “I’m just looking long-term. Whatever they have planned for me, I’m ready to do. And I imagine they have a great plan set up.”
The White Sox have no intention to push Schultz too fast, considering that he missed most of 2022 to mono and previously lost 2020 to the pandemic.
Schultz spent nearly two months in Arizona before spring training throwing bullpens at instructional league, and he got on the mound for five innings while appearing in four games. He will likely spend this season at Low-A Kannapolis.
“We’ve been pretty impressed with his whole approach to becoming a professional baseball player,” White Sox assistant general manager/director of player development Chris Getz said. “Just a very mature approach. Grounded, very focused on what’s in front of him.”
Standing 6-foot-9 and already armed with a fastball that runs up to 97 mph and an advanced slider, Schultz has the size and skill to quickly climb the organizational ladder.
"I'm very confident in all of my pitches,” said Schultz, who also throws a changeup. “I'm excited to see how they can take off and become the best they can in the future."
CHI-LITES
— In the mix for playing time at second base, Lenyn Sosa will likely open the season at Triple-A Charlotte after Chicago brought back free agent Elvis Andrus and moved him from shortstop to second.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... h-schultz/
"Best night of my life," he said. "It's always been a dream of mine to play in the major leagues. Being drafted by the hometown team, it was surreal."
An Aurora native, Schultz was rated the top draft prospect in Illinois last year even though he sat out most of his senior year at Oswego East High with mononucleosis.
The lefthander was able to stay active pitching in the Prospect League, and he showed his potential while pitching to an 0.93 ERA with 37 strikeouts in 19.1 innings.
Now, Schultz looks to get his professional career rolling.
“I’m just excited to get back to work,” the 19-year-old said. “I’m just looking long-term. Whatever they have planned for me, I’m ready to do. And I imagine they have a great plan set up.”
The White Sox have no intention to push Schultz too fast, considering that he missed most of 2022 to mono and previously lost 2020 to the pandemic.
Schultz spent nearly two months in Arizona before spring training throwing bullpens at instructional league, and he got on the mound for five innings while appearing in four games. He will likely spend this season at Low-A Kannapolis.
“We’ve been pretty impressed with his whole approach to becoming a professional baseball player,” White Sox assistant general manager/director of player development Chris Getz said. “Just a very mature approach. Grounded, very focused on what’s in front of him.”
Standing 6-foot-9 and already armed with a fastball that runs up to 97 mph and an advanced slider, Schultz has the size and skill to quickly climb the organizational ladder.
"I'm very confident in all of my pitches,” said Schultz, who also throws a changeup. “I'm excited to see how they can take off and become the best they can in the future."
CHI-LITES
— In the mix for playing time at second base, Lenyn Sosa will likely open the season at Triple-A Charlotte after Chicago brought back free agent Elvis Andrus and moved him from shortstop to second.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... h-schultz/
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Re: 2023 White Sox Prospect Notes
Oscar Colas and Pedro Leon
It’s a tale of two White Sox organizational stories. First, the White Sox have a strong foothold in the Cuban international signing market. Second, the White Sox are quietly as tight on the purse strings as any organization when it comes to signing key free agents, opting to sign many below-average players instead of a single marquee acquisition (see Machado, Manny and Harper, Bryce). Both stories bode well for Oscar Colas. Upon A.J. Pollock‘s departure, General Manager Rick Hahn has stated his resistance to making a splash in a flushed outfield free agent market, opting instead to explore options inside the organization. There is no better option than Colas, who was promoted across three levels, including a breakout during a throttling of Double-A competition where he hit 16 home runs in 58 games. Colas has a better opportunity than most on this list to outgain his project value this season. The AX is pretty harsh on his ability to make contact with a meager .225 average. However, his aggressive approach and hard contact provide a path to OF3 level status where 15+ HR and a .240+ average is definitely within reach.
There is a world wherein Pedro Leon becomes the best fantasy asset on this list, and we all look back at the end of the year wondering why it wasn’t more obvious to us at the time. Ancient artifact Michael Brantley is scheduled for 350 plate appearances more than he should be in left field while a grown man named Chas will split time with MLB The Show 23 generated name Jake Meyers–a career 74 DRC+ hitter–in center field. Meanwhile, Yordan Alvarez can’t even swing a bat despite it being early March, and he’s expected to play 210 plate appearances in left field. Despite the naysayers, I’m not sure there is a more apparent opportunity for Leon to get his shot to display the upside. (Although this may be blunted by a sports hernia eating a portion of his spring training.)
Regarding the upside, Leon features plus power and plus speed despite some obvious holes within his swing. He can take a walk to make the strikeout rate palatable, but those in average leagues might need to endure a bit more pain when accruing the upside in home runs and steals. Still, it’s fantasy-friendly and one that should be exploited if he gets the call.
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/fant ... prospects/
It’s a tale of two White Sox organizational stories. First, the White Sox have a strong foothold in the Cuban international signing market. Second, the White Sox are quietly as tight on the purse strings as any organization when it comes to signing key free agents, opting to sign many below-average players instead of a single marquee acquisition (see Machado, Manny and Harper, Bryce). Both stories bode well for Oscar Colas. Upon A.J. Pollock‘s departure, General Manager Rick Hahn has stated his resistance to making a splash in a flushed outfield free agent market, opting instead to explore options inside the organization. There is no better option than Colas, who was promoted across three levels, including a breakout during a throttling of Double-A competition where he hit 16 home runs in 58 games. Colas has a better opportunity than most on this list to outgain his project value this season. The AX is pretty harsh on his ability to make contact with a meager .225 average. However, his aggressive approach and hard contact provide a path to OF3 level status where 15+ HR and a .240+ average is definitely within reach.
There is a world wherein Pedro Leon becomes the best fantasy asset on this list, and we all look back at the end of the year wondering why it wasn’t more obvious to us at the time. Ancient artifact Michael Brantley is scheduled for 350 plate appearances more than he should be in left field while a grown man named Chas will split time with MLB The Show 23 generated name Jake Meyers–a career 74 DRC+ hitter–in center field. Meanwhile, Yordan Alvarez can’t even swing a bat despite it being early March, and he’s expected to play 210 plate appearances in left field. Despite the naysayers, I’m not sure there is a more apparent opportunity for Leon to get his shot to display the upside. (Although this may be blunted by a sports hernia eating a portion of his spring training.)
Regarding the upside, Leon features plus power and plus speed despite some obvious holes within his swing. He can take a walk to make the strikeout rate palatable, but those in average leagues might need to endure a bit more pain when accruing the upside in home runs and steals. Still, it’s fantasy-friendly and one that should be exploited if he gets the call.
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/fant ... prospects/
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Re: 2023 White Sox Prospect Notes
White Sox prospect Bryan Ramos smiles broadly, easily and frequently over the course of a 15-minute interview. For another few days, he is still a 20-year-old third baseman at major-league camp, born in 2002 and younger even than organizational top prospect Colson Montgomery. You could assume the young Cuban infielder is just surprised and in awe to be at this level. This would be a misconception.
“Kinda, yeah, but no, I knew it was the five-year rule,” Ramos said, referring to the fact he needed to be placed on the 40-man roster to be protected from the Rule 5 draft. “I finished the year and thought I had a pretty good year and they can probably do something for me.”
Team interpreter Billy Russo stood by and clarified a question or two, but otherwise, Ramos — again, still not 21 — handled an entire interview in his second language. Last season, I listened to a White Sox staffer discuss their efforts to get Ramos to come out of his shell socially before he became a unifying clubhouse presence at High-A Winston-Salem. Ramos would also debate this a little bit. Six years ago, José Quintana was in this same building, saying “The Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon helped him learn English. Now Ramos cites rapper Lil Baby for helping to keep his English sharp, and knowing the language makes him pretty outgoing.
“I like the language and that’s helped me here,” said Ramos, who does give White Sox player development manager Grant Flick more credit for his English than Lil Baby. “I don’t have to wait for someone to translate, so that’s pretty good for me. I learned in my house to put my TV shows on Netflix, I put subtitles on and have the words in English.”
Ahead of his breakout in 2022, where a gangbusters month of April at High A kicked off a mix of power production (22 home runs) and strikeout avoidance (16.6 percent) that placed him on multiple top-100 prospect lists and on the periphery of others, a White Sox evaluator forecast Ramos’ offense would soon gain notice. But they countered that optimism with uncertainty about whether Ramos could stick at third base, while allowing he has enough athleticism to play a corner outfield spot. Over the past year, this notion is what Ramos has most vigorously resisted.
“I’m a strong guy, but I’m a third baseman,” Ramos said, talking about his offseason workouts where he trained at Camelback Ranch. “I don’t want to go to the outfield. I do a lot of reaction movement. Third base is the hot corner. They hit it pretty well so I’ve got to have quick reactions and be athletic. You’ve got to be pretty athletic to stay at that position.”
“It’s not only the swing (with Ramos), it’s defensively,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “The strides he’s made in a couple weeks has been really great to see. This kid has potential to be a really good major-league player. He has run-producing ability, and he’s going to be a pretty damn good fielder, too. He has above-average arm strength, he’s hungry, he’s focused. A lot like Oscar Colas. He doesn’t waste many days here, which is really good to see for a young kid. This kid comes out, puts a uniform on and it’s all business. I admire that, especially at a young age.”
Ramos knows he has easy strength to rely on, but there’s a difference between training all offseason with that in mind and having the trust of that seep into every element of his plate approach. He validated scouting enthusiasm about his compact, powerful stroke by winning South Atlantic League player of the month last April, hitting .403/.449/.653 with a 16-game hitting streak. He validated that he didn’t immediately deserve a promotion out of High-A by slumping to a .180/.260/.326 month of May. The reasoning White Sox coaches identified at the time is still tagged to Ramos’ profile as he develops: He can get overly aggressive and pull-happy.
Pulling the ball in the air with authority is vital, and the innate ability to do that could be what makes Ramos a star eventually, but the critique became especially relevant after he demonstrated to the competition just how easily he could turn on an inside fastball.
“I’m kinda aggressive, I’m not swinging all the time at the first pitch, but sometimes I do,” Ramos said. “(Double-A manager Lorenzo Bundy) is always saying ‘hit it to the other side.’ I’m working on that, because a lot of the time they’re throwing off-speed and I just let the ball come to me and hit it to the other side. Because sometimes they’re doing the shift and I just hit the ball between short and third, and that’s an out. So I’ve got to keep working on that and keep focused on hitting the ball to the other side.”
Offensively, Ramos struggled in his final 21 games at Project Birmingham at the end of last season. He was over four years younger than the average Southern League player for an assignment that was by its nature very aggressive and the young Cuban infielder continued to have a low strikeout rate (17.4 percent). But the lack of initial results (.225/.279/.375) would logically line him up to return to Double A, though he surely knows that being on the 40-man roster starts a clock to be ready for Chicago. This will be the first of three seasons the White Sox can freely option Ramos to the minors for more development.
At some point, that will prompt a tricky conversation for the White Sox. Ramos, as he said, is a third baseman, which is the spot where mainstay Yoán Moncada is under a guaranteed contract through 2024. Back at Birmingham last September, the White Sox bounced Ramos between third base and second. It lines up with an organizational emphasis on positional versatility and leaves the door open at a position where there’s more space for Ramos to quickly rise.
It also seems unlikely, because anti-shifting rules are going to convert the position into something requiring more speed and range. And as established, Ramos is broad and strong, and third base is a more natural fit. It’s just that Ramos has defied expectations a few times before. His bat will ultimately dictate the urgency with which he arrives in Chicago and where, but anything he can do to add to it, Ramos will take on.
“Everything matters in this sport,” Ramos said.
https://theathletic.com/4284794/2023/03 ... ign=601983
“Kinda, yeah, but no, I knew it was the five-year rule,” Ramos said, referring to the fact he needed to be placed on the 40-man roster to be protected from the Rule 5 draft. “I finished the year and thought I had a pretty good year and they can probably do something for me.”
Team interpreter Billy Russo stood by and clarified a question or two, but otherwise, Ramos — again, still not 21 — handled an entire interview in his second language. Last season, I listened to a White Sox staffer discuss their efforts to get Ramos to come out of his shell socially before he became a unifying clubhouse presence at High-A Winston-Salem. Ramos would also debate this a little bit. Six years ago, José Quintana was in this same building, saying “The Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon helped him learn English. Now Ramos cites rapper Lil Baby for helping to keep his English sharp, and knowing the language makes him pretty outgoing.
“I like the language and that’s helped me here,” said Ramos, who does give White Sox player development manager Grant Flick more credit for his English than Lil Baby. “I don’t have to wait for someone to translate, so that’s pretty good for me. I learned in my house to put my TV shows on Netflix, I put subtitles on and have the words in English.”
Ahead of his breakout in 2022, where a gangbusters month of April at High A kicked off a mix of power production (22 home runs) and strikeout avoidance (16.6 percent) that placed him on multiple top-100 prospect lists and on the periphery of others, a White Sox evaluator forecast Ramos’ offense would soon gain notice. But they countered that optimism with uncertainty about whether Ramos could stick at third base, while allowing he has enough athleticism to play a corner outfield spot. Over the past year, this notion is what Ramos has most vigorously resisted.
“I’m a strong guy, but I’m a third baseman,” Ramos said, talking about his offseason workouts where he trained at Camelback Ranch. “I don’t want to go to the outfield. I do a lot of reaction movement. Third base is the hot corner. They hit it pretty well so I’ve got to have quick reactions and be athletic. You’ve got to be pretty athletic to stay at that position.”
“It’s not only the swing (with Ramos), it’s defensively,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “The strides he’s made in a couple weeks has been really great to see. This kid has potential to be a really good major-league player. He has run-producing ability, and he’s going to be a pretty damn good fielder, too. He has above-average arm strength, he’s hungry, he’s focused. A lot like Oscar Colas. He doesn’t waste many days here, which is really good to see for a young kid. This kid comes out, puts a uniform on and it’s all business. I admire that, especially at a young age.”
Ramos knows he has easy strength to rely on, but there’s a difference between training all offseason with that in mind and having the trust of that seep into every element of his plate approach. He validated scouting enthusiasm about his compact, powerful stroke by winning South Atlantic League player of the month last April, hitting .403/.449/.653 with a 16-game hitting streak. He validated that he didn’t immediately deserve a promotion out of High-A by slumping to a .180/.260/.326 month of May. The reasoning White Sox coaches identified at the time is still tagged to Ramos’ profile as he develops: He can get overly aggressive and pull-happy.
Pulling the ball in the air with authority is vital, and the innate ability to do that could be what makes Ramos a star eventually, but the critique became especially relevant after he demonstrated to the competition just how easily he could turn on an inside fastball.
“I’m kinda aggressive, I’m not swinging all the time at the first pitch, but sometimes I do,” Ramos said. “(Double-A manager Lorenzo Bundy) is always saying ‘hit it to the other side.’ I’m working on that, because a lot of the time they’re throwing off-speed and I just let the ball come to me and hit it to the other side. Because sometimes they’re doing the shift and I just hit the ball between short and third, and that’s an out. So I’ve got to keep working on that and keep focused on hitting the ball to the other side.”
Offensively, Ramos struggled in his final 21 games at Project Birmingham at the end of last season. He was over four years younger than the average Southern League player for an assignment that was by its nature very aggressive and the young Cuban infielder continued to have a low strikeout rate (17.4 percent). But the lack of initial results (.225/.279/.375) would logically line him up to return to Double A, though he surely knows that being on the 40-man roster starts a clock to be ready for Chicago. This will be the first of three seasons the White Sox can freely option Ramos to the minors for more development.
At some point, that will prompt a tricky conversation for the White Sox. Ramos, as he said, is a third baseman, which is the spot where mainstay Yoán Moncada is under a guaranteed contract through 2024. Back at Birmingham last September, the White Sox bounced Ramos between third base and second. It lines up with an organizational emphasis on positional versatility and leaves the door open at a position where there’s more space for Ramos to quickly rise.
It also seems unlikely, because anti-shifting rules are going to convert the position into something requiring more speed and range. And as established, Ramos is broad and strong, and third base is a more natural fit. It’s just that Ramos has defied expectations a few times before. His bat will ultimately dictate the urgency with which he arrives in Chicago and where, but anything he can do to add to it, Ramos will take on.
“Everything matters in this sport,” Ramos said.
https://theathletic.com/4284794/2023/03 ... ign=601983
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Re: 2023 White Sox Prospect Notes
Nic Enright (cancer) threw a bullpen session on Wednesday.
Enright was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma a few months ago and was able to progress to throwing a bullpen session for the first time this spring. The 26-year-old right-hander, who was selected by the Marlins from the Guardians in the Rule 5 Draft, will likely open the regular season on the injured list as he continues to build up his pitch count and stamina, but this is certainly a positive update. There isn't an official timetable for his return.
https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/baseball/ ... ic-enright
Oscar Colas, OF, White Sox — The dynamic outfielder put together an excellent American pro debut in 2022, when he vaulted from High-A to Triple-A and hit .314/.371/.524 with 23 home runs. The 24-year-old Colas went 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored on Tuesday against the Brewers. He’s 9-for-21 thus far this spring.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... ing-start/
Enright was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma a few months ago and was able to progress to throwing a bullpen session for the first time this spring. The 26-year-old right-hander, who was selected by the Marlins from the Guardians in the Rule 5 Draft, will likely open the regular season on the injured list as he continues to build up his pitch count and stamina, but this is certainly a positive update. There isn't an official timetable for his return.
https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/baseball/ ... ic-enright
Oscar Colas, OF, White Sox — The dynamic outfielder put together an excellent American pro debut in 2022, when he vaulted from High-A to Triple-A and hit .314/.371/.524 with 23 home runs. The 24-year-old Colas went 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored on Tuesday against the Brewers. He’s 9-for-21 thus far this spring.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... ing-start/
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Re: 2023 White Sox Prospect Notes
27. Tyler Schweitzer, LHP
BA Grade/Risk: 45/Very High
Track Record: The track record at Ball State for developing pitchers has been strong in recent years, and Schweitzer is one of the next in line after an outstanding junior season when he posted an 11-2 record with a 2.65 ERA in 17 games--with a 29.6% strikeout rate and 7.9% walk rate. That performance earned him MAC pitcher of the year honors in what was his first year as a starter. The White Sox drafted the southpaw in the fifth round and signed him for a $325,000 bonus. Because he didn't start a throwing program until reporting to the White Sox complex, Schweitzer didn't pitch in games until the fall instructional league.
Scouting Report: Schweitzer's fastball ticked up a couple of miles per hour in the fall and sat 89-93 and touched 96, with good life up in the zone and plenty of spin. His breaking balls tend to blend, with a slider in the low 80s and a curveball in the mid-to-upper 70s. The focus for him moving forward is to get more separation between the pitches and create two distinct breaking balls--both of which have average potential. He rounds out his arsenal with an average changeup at 82 mph.
The Future: An undersized lefty, Schweitzer will begin his pro career at one of the White Sox Class A teams. His pitchability and feel for throwing strikes may result in Schweitzer's projection exceeding the sum of his mostly average parts.
Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Curveball: 50. Slider: 50. Changeup: 50. Control: 55
https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/1 ... al/#369651
[Tyler] Schweitzer, the team’s 2022 fifth rounder, has been up to 96 but sits 89. His fastball has sneaky in-zone utility, and his curveball has enough depth to give him a second potential finishing pitch. He threw a Koshien-esque 143 pitches in the 2022 MAC Tournament Championship game, a contest that was also delayed by rain.
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/chicago-whi ... ects-2023/
17. Tyler Schweitzer, LHP
Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 40
A reliever in his first two seasons at Ball State, Schweitzer moved to the rotation this spring and won Mid-American Conference pitcher of the year honors while finishing second in NCAA Division I with 11 victories. He gave the Cardinals a hurler taken in the top five rounds for the fourth straight Draft, following D-backs first-rounder Drey Jameson (2019), Marlins second-rounder Kyle Nicolas (2020) and Astros fourth-rounder Chayce McDermott (2021). A fifth-round pick, he signed for $325,000.
Though Schweitzer's fastball sits around 90 mph and only occasionally tickles the mid-90s, it misses bats up in the strike zone with its high spin rates and induced vertical break. He also possesses three average secondary pitches, the most effective of which is an upper-70s slider with two-plane depth. Both his slider and slower, more downward-breaking curveball grade as plus when at their sharpest.
Schweitzer mixes in a low-80s changeup with depth against right-handers. He held up well in his first season as a college starter while significantly upgrading his control and command. His feel for sequencing pitches and locations adds to his high floor as a back-of-the-rotation starter.
https://www.mlb.com/prospects/2022/whitesox/
BA Grade/Risk: 45/Very High
Track Record: The track record at Ball State for developing pitchers has been strong in recent years, and Schweitzer is one of the next in line after an outstanding junior season when he posted an 11-2 record with a 2.65 ERA in 17 games--with a 29.6% strikeout rate and 7.9% walk rate. That performance earned him MAC pitcher of the year honors in what was his first year as a starter. The White Sox drafted the southpaw in the fifth round and signed him for a $325,000 bonus. Because he didn't start a throwing program until reporting to the White Sox complex, Schweitzer didn't pitch in games until the fall instructional league.
Scouting Report: Schweitzer's fastball ticked up a couple of miles per hour in the fall and sat 89-93 and touched 96, with good life up in the zone and plenty of spin. His breaking balls tend to blend, with a slider in the low 80s and a curveball in the mid-to-upper 70s. The focus for him moving forward is to get more separation between the pitches and create two distinct breaking balls--both of which have average potential. He rounds out his arsenal with an average changeup at 82 mph.
The Future: An undersized lefty, Schweitzer will begin his pro career at one of the White Sox Class A teams. His pitchability and feel for throwing strikes may result in Schweitzer's projection exceeding the sum of his mostly average parts.
Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Curveball: 50. Slider: 50. Changeup: 50. Control: 55
https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/1 ... al/#369651
[Tyler] Schweitzer, the team’s 2022 fifth rounder, has been up to 96 but sits 89. His fastball has sneaky in-zone utility, and his curveball has enough depth to give him a second potential finishing pitch. He threw a Koshien-esque 143 pitches in the 2022 MAC Tournament Championship game, a contest that was also delayed by rain.
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/chicago-whi ... ects-2023/
17. Tyler Schweitzer, LHP
Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 40
A reliever in his first two seasons at Ball State, Schweitzer moved to the rotation this spring and won Mid-American Conference pitcher of the year honors while finishing second in NCAA Division I with 11 victories. He gave the Cardinals a hurler taken in the top five rounds for the fourth straight Draft, following D-backs first-rounder Drey Jameson (2019), Marlins second-rounder Kyle Nicolas (2020) and Astros fourth-rounder Chayce McDermott (2021). A fifth-round pick, he signed for $325,000.
Though Schweitzer's fastball sits around 90 mph and only occasionally tickles the mid-90s, it misses bats up in the strike zone with its high spin rates and induced vertical break. He also possesses three average secondary pitches, the most effective of which is an upper-70s slider with two-plane depth. Both his slider and slower, more downward-breaking curveball grade as plus when at their sharpest.
Schweitzer mixes in a low-80s changeup with depth against right-handers. He held up well in his first season as a college starter while significantly upgrading his control and command. His feel for sequencing pitches and locations adds to his high floor as a back-of-the-rotation starter.
https://www.mlb.com/prospects/2022/whitesox/
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Re: 2023 White Sox Prospect Notes
21. Ashton Izzi | RHP
BA Grade/Risk: 45/Extreme
Track Record: Izzi emerged as one of the top high school pitching prospects in the 2022 draft class with a breakout showing at the WWBA World Championships in Jupiter, Fla. He teamed with lefthander Noah Schultz to give Oswego (Ill.) East High one of the top high school pitching duos in the nation in the spring and was drafted by the Mariners in the fourth round, signing for an above-slot $1.1 million to forgo a Wichita State commitment. Izzi did not pitch after signing, but he impressed at the Mariners' postseason fall development camp.
Scouting Report: Izzi has a long, lean build that screams projection and upside. His fastball sits 92-96 mph out of a clean delivery and arm action and should tick up as he adds weight and strength to his frame. His best secondary pitch is an above-average changeup with armside run that sits in the mid-80s. Izzi's breaking balls are targeted areas for growth. His curveball shows good shape and he has added a slider with intriguing spin rates, but both pitches need more power and finish. Izzi is still a gangly, long-limbed teenager and should add the strength and stability to finish pitches as he gets more physical. He throws strikes with average control.
The Future: Izzi has intriguing rotation potential, but he has years of strength gains ahead. He will make his pro debut in 2023.
Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Curveball: 45. Slider: 40. Changeup: 55. Control: 50
https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/1 ... al/#345530
16. Ashton Izzi, RHP
Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45
While Noah Schultz, who went in the first round of the 2022 Draft to the White Sox, was sidelined by mononucleosis after his initial two-inning outing, Izzi gave scouts reason to flock to Oswego East HS (Ill.) this past spring. He showed off early-round stuff at at the World Wood Bat Association World Championship in October and in his first appearance this past spring, and while he was more inconsistent pitching in the cold Midwest weather, he showed enough for the Mariners to take him in the fourth round and give him an over-slot bonus of $1.1 million to sign him away from his Wichita State commitment.
Izzi has an extremely projectable 6-foot-3 frame and already can reach 97 mph with a four-seam fastball that sits in the low 90s and has modest life. His low-80s slider has good depth and can be a solid offering at its best, but devolves into a slurve when he doesn't stay on top of it. He shows feel for a low-80s changeup with fade that should improve as he uses it more often.
Izzi has a loose arm and a clean delivery that enable him to provide strikes with relative ease. He should continue to get better as he gets stronger and it's easy to project him as a starter. His higher arm slot may be more conducive to a curveball than a slider in the long run.
https://www.mlb.com/prospects/2022/mari ... zzi-802416
20. Ashton Izzi, P (DNP)
A fourth-round draft pick in 2022 out of Illinois, Izzi is dripping with projection at 6-foot-3 and 165 pounds. Despite the string bean frame, Izzi can run his fastball into the mid 90s and has the early makings of a competent slider and changeup. Izzi should benefit greatly from the kind of offseason training and lifting program a professional baseball organization can provide and could look like a completely different player, in a good way, once he fills out more.
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... prospects/
BA Grade/Risk: 45/Extreme
Track Record: Izzi emerged as one of the top high school pitching prospects in the 2022 draft class with a breakout showing at the WWBA World Championships in Jupiter, Fla. He teamed with lefthander Noah Schultz to give Oswego (Ill.) East High one of the top high school pitching duos in the nation in the spring and was drafted by the Mariners in the fourth round, signing for an above-slot $1.1 million to forgo a Wichita State commitment. Izzi did not pitch after signing, but he impressed at the Mariners' postseason fall development camp.
Scouting Report: Izzi has a long, lean build that screams projection and upside. His fastball sits 92-96 mph out of a clean delivery and arm action and should tick up as he adds weight and strength to his frame. His best secondary pitch is an above-average changeup with armside run that sits in the mid-80s. Izzi's breaking balls are targeted areas for growth. His curveball shows good shape and he has added a slider with intriguing spin rates, but both pitches need more power and finish. Izzi is still a gangly, long-limbed teenager and should add the strength and stability to finish pitches as he gets more physical. He throws strikes with average control.
The Future: Izzi has intriguing rotation potential, but he has years of strength gains ahead. He will make his pro debut in 2023.
Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Curveball: 45. Slider: 40. Changeup: 55. Control: 50
https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/1 ... al/#345530
16. Ashton Izzi, RHP
Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45
While Noah Schultz, who went in the first round of the 2022 Draft to the White Sox, was sidelined by mononucleosis after his initial two-inning outing, Izzi gave scouts reason to flock to Oswego East HS (Ill.) this past spring. He showed off early-round stuff at at the World Wood Bat Association World Championship in October and in his first appearance this past spring, and while he was more inconsistent pitching in the cold Midwest weather, he showed enough for the Mariners to take him in the fourth round and give him an over-slot bonus of $1.1 million to sign him away from his Wichita State commitment.
Izzi has an extremely projectable 6-foot-3 frame and already can reach 97 mph with a four-seam fastball that sits in the low 90s and has modest life. His low-80s slider has good depth and can be a solid offering at its best, but devolves into a slurve when he doesn't stay on top of it. He shows feel for a low-80s changeup with fade that should improve as he uses it more often.
Izzi has a loose arm and a clean delivery that enable him to provide strikes with relative ease. He should continue to get better as he gets stronger and it's easy to project him as a starter. His higher arm slot may be more conducive to a curveball than a slider in the long run.
https://www.mlb.com/prospects/2022/mari ... zzi-802416
20. Ashton Izzi, P (DNP)
A fourth-round draft pick in 2022 out of Illinois, Izzi is dripping with projection at 6-foot-3 and 165 pounds. Despite the string bean frame, Izzi can run his fastball into the mid 90s and has the early makings of a competent slider and changeup. Izzi should benefit greatly from the kind of offseason training and lifting program a professional baseball organization can provide and could look like a completely different player, in a good way, once he fills out more.
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... prospects/
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Re: 2023 White Sox Prospect Notes
Oscar Colas, OF, White Sox—The White Sox's No. 2 prospect showed off over the weekend in the Cactus League. In three games, Colas went 3-for-7 with two solo home runs. Overall, Colas, who is trending toward a spot on the White Sox's Opening Day lineup, is 12-for-30 with one double, the two home runs and a stolen base.
Miguel Vargas, 2B, Dodgers—After taking time to rest a dinged-up hand, Vargas began swinging the bat again and has immediately gotten the results fans would expect. He went 3-for-6 with a pair of doubles and three runs over the weekend.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... e-weekend/
Miguel Vargas, 2B, Dodgers—After taking time to rest a dinged-up hand, Vargas began swinging the bat again and has immediately gotten the results fans would expect. He went 3-for-6 with a pair of doubles and three runs over the weekend.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... e-weekend/
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Re: 2023 White Sox Prospect Notes
The first 2023 Spring Training complaint White Sox general manager Rick Hahn received came from a concerned Joe Kelly.
It dealt with left-hander Noah Schultz, the team’s top pick in the 2022 Draft and its No. 4 prospect, per MLB Pipeline.
“He asked me why Noah Schultz wasn't in big league camp because he has better stuff than Joe -- which made me worry about Joe a little bit,” Hahn said with a laugh.
Schultz, 19, is in Arizona taking part in Minor League Spring Training. He's been in town since mid-January when arriving for prospect minicamp. The 6-foot-9, 220-pounder, who has already drawn exciting comparisons ranging from Chris Sale to Randy Johnson without throwing in a Minor League game, has been halted this past week due to soreness caused by a left flexor strain.
This issue is “nothing crazy,” per Schultz, who expects to start throwing again soon.
“It’s working in a good direction,” Schultz told MLB.com during a recent interview. “Been working in the training room, getting help from the trainers.
“They have been amazing. The weight room, the trainers there, they have been helping with everything, modifying workouts and such. Everybody has just been great and I’ll be back out soon.”
During this brief hiatus, Schultz has watched live batting practice sessions and stayed as connected as possible to his work and his teammates. The injury slowdown is not really a bad thing in the big picture, since it’s minor and Schultz’s innings were already going to be monitored during this first professional season.
After going through instructs, where Schultz made a major impression during a dominant two-inning stint against the Dodgers, nothing has really been unexpected for him during Spring Training.
“I’d say there are more people, but I would say it’s the same structure somewhat,” Schultz said. “Our schedule we have is really nice and thought through well. Everything we do is trainers and people helping -- they do a great job of making sure everything is OK. Asking how we feel every day, which is great to be around these people, especially before a season.”
Fans already have taken to Schultz and the promise of his vast potential. He sees them every day as he’s walking to the back fields at Camelback Ranch, viewing their support as a cool thing to show how hard work has paid off so far and “just to show putting in hard work every day … the sky is the limit.”
A family who watched Schultz when he pitched for the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp in the summer Prospect League made the trip to Arizona and stopped to talk with the southpaw.
“Just to meet up and catch up with the guys,” Schultz said. “I didn’t personally know them, but they said they were at some of my games this summer.”
Those fans enjoyed Schultz’s work, but probably don’t have the same appreciation for his talent as Kelly. The veteran right-handed reliever worked four or five days per week at Camelback Ranch during the offseason and watched Schultz throw multiple times.
“I knew it was good,” Kelly said. “Then I watched him throw when we both got in the lab and the numbers he puts up would be the best on our team. When you take into consideration movement, when you take into consideration spin, when you take into consideration velocity, approach angle, length -- literally, he’s better than me already. There’s nobody who can repeat 6-foot-9 and 22 inches on fastball, 22 inches on slider, 22 inches on three elite, elite, elite pitches.”
“It’s always cool to get praise from guys, and he’s a cool guy, a good person to look up to,” Schultz said. “Still lots of work to do, lots of ways to get better every day.”
Kelly wanted Schultz in big league camp for the valuable learning experience. Even if he didn’t pitch, Schultz would talk with guys who knew what it takes to be at the big league level and watch other starters’ workouts as someone relatively new to the craft.
“When I was young, when I went to big league camp, every first-rounder was in big league camp even if they were in high school,” Kelly said. “Shelby Miller was 18 years old and went to big league camp right away when he was with the Cardinals and I was there.
“He’ll get his chance probably next year. But yeah, he’s going to be something special. It’s pretty cool to see.”
https://www.mlb.com/news/noah-schultz-i ... e-coverage
It dealt with left-hander Noah Schultz, the team’s top pick in the 2022 Draft and its No. 4 prospect, per MLB Pipeline.
“He asked me why Noah Schultz wasn't in big league camp because he has better stuff than Joe -- which made me worry about Joe a little bit,” Hahn said with a laugh.
Schultz, 19, is in Arizona taking part in Minor League Spring Training. He's been in town since mid-January when arriving for prospect minicamp. The 6-foot-9, 220-pounder, who has already drawn exciting comparisons ranging from Chris Sale to Randy Johnson without throwing in a Minor League game, has been halted this past week due to soreness caused by a left flexor strain.
This issue is “nothing crazy,” per Schultz, who expects to start throwing again soon.
“It’s working in a good direction,” Schultz told MLB.com during a recent interview. “Been working in the training room, getting help from the trainers.
“They have been amazing. The weight room, the trainers there, they have been helping with everything, modifying workouts and such. Everybody has just been great and I’ll be back out soon.”
During this brief hiatus, Schultz has watched live batting practice sessions and stayed as connected as possible to his work and his teammates. The injury slowdown is not really a bad thing in the big picture, since it’s minor and Schultz’s innings were already going to be monitored during this first professional season.
After going through instructs, where Schultz made a major impression during a dominant two-inning stint against the Dodgers, nothing has really been unexpected for him during Spring Training.
“I’d say there are more people, but I would say it’s the same structure somewhat,” Schultz said. “Our schedule we have is really nice and thought through well. Everything we do is trainers and people helping -- they do a great job of making sure everything is OK. Asking how we feel every day, which is great to be around these people, especially before a season.”
Fans already have taken to Schultz and the promise of his vast potential. He sees them every day as he’s walking to the back fields at Camelback Ranch, viewing their support as a cool thing to show how hard work has paid off so far and “just to show putting in hard work every day … the sky is the limit.”
A family who watched Schultz when he pitched for the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp in the summer Prospect League made the trip to Arizona and stopped to talk with the southpaw.
“Just to meet up and catch up with the guys,” Schultz said. “I didn’t personally know them, but they said they were at some of my games this summer.”
Those fans enjoyed Schultz’s work, but probably don’t have the same appreciation for his talent as Kelly. The veteran right-handed reliever worked four or five days per week at Camelback Ranch during the offseason and watched Schultz throw multiple times.
“I knew it was good,” Kelly said. “Then I watched him throw when we both got in the lab and the numbers he puts up would be the best on our team. When you take into consideration movement, when you take into consideration spin, when you take into consideration velocity, approach angle, length -- literally, he’s better than me already. There’s nobody who can repeat 6-foot-9 and 22 inches on fastball, 22 inches on slider, 22 inches on three elite, elite, elite pitches.”
“It’s always cool to get praise from guys, and he’s a cool guy, a good person to look up to,” Schultz said. “Still lots of work to do, lots of ways to get better every day.”
Kelly wanted Schultz in big league camp for the valuable learning experience. Even if he didn’t pitch, Schultz would talk with guys who knew what it takes to be at the big league level and watch other starters’ workouts as someone relatively new to the craft.
“When I was young, when I went to big league camp, every first-rounder was in big league camp even if they were in high school,” Kelly said. “Shelby Miller was 18 years old and went to big league camp right away when he was with the Cardinals and I was there.
“He’ll get his chance probably next year. But yeah, he’s going to be something special. It’s pretty cool to see.”
https://www.mlb.com/news/noah-schultz-i ... e-coverage
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Re: 2023 White Sox Prospect Notes
Oscar Colas, OF, White Sox: Another prospect making a compelling case for a spot on the Opening Day roster is Colas, who on Wednesday went 2-for-3 with a double, his fifth extra-base hit in 53 at-bats. Colas is hitting .283/.296/.491 while appearing in 22 games. Blessed with plus-plus raw power and above-average contact skills, Colas’ profile is hindered by his overly aggressive approach. While Colas is likely to hit for power, he’ll rarely walk and that’s likely an area that will be exploited by major league pitching.
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Re: 2023 White Sox Prospect Notes
10. Gavin Cross, OF, Royals
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: .800/.833/1.600 (4-for-5), 2 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBIs, 1 BB, 0 SO
The Scoop: Is it a small sample? Yes, but Cross used his brief Cactus League time this past week to show fans why the Royals made him the first college position player they’d selected in the first round since 2013. The Virginia Tech alum clubbed a pair of extra-base hits—including a home run—in five at-bats and added a walk. He could move quickly if he performs in High-A the same way he did in Low-A in his pro debut.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... eek-32123/
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: .800/.833/1.600 (4-for-5), 2 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBIs, 1 BB, 0 SO
The Scoop: Is it a small sample? Yes, but Cross used his brief Cactus League time this past week to show fans why the Royals made him the first college position player they’d selected in the first round since 2013. The Virginia Tech alum clubbed a pair of extra-base hits—including a home run—in five at-bats and added a walk. He could move quickly if he performs in High-A the same way he did in Low-A in his pro debut.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... eek-32123/
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Re: 2023 White Sox Prospect Notes
Gabriel Moreno , C, D-backs: The jewel in the return for Daulton Varsho has continued to flash increased power this spring. On Thursday Moreno went 2-for-4 with a home run, his third of the spring. He has a strong chance to break camp as the D-Backs everyday catcher with the upside to develop into one of the best all-around players at the position.
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Re: 2023 White Sox Prospect Notes
6. Miguel Vargas
Team: Dodgers Age: 23 Pos: 2B
The son of a former Cuban baseball star, Vargas hit .313 in the minors and reached the majors as a 22-year-old last season. His advanced approach and elite contact skills have him primed to be an offensive threat from Day One as he takes over the Dodgers’ starting second base job. He also plays corner infield and left field.
287: Hits by Vargas in the minor leagues—primarily at Double-A and Triple-A—the past two seasons, the most of any player.
19. Oscar Colas
Team: White Sox Age: 24 Pos: OF
Colas signed with the White Sox for $2.7 million and stormed up to Triple-A in his first season, batting .314/.371/.524 with 23 homers. His ability to hit for average and power from the left side, above-average defense and advanced instincts have him ready to take over in right field and be Chicago’s next big Cuban import.
11: The number of outfield assists by Colas, who also pitched when he was younger, in 104 games last season.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... -for-2023/
Team: Dodgers Age: 23 Pos: 2B
The son of a former Cuban baseball star, Vargas hit .313 in the minors and reached the majors as a 22-year-old last season. His advanced approach and elite contact skills have him primed to be an offensive threat from Day One as he takes over the Dodgers’ starting second base job. He also plays corner infield and left field.
287: Hits by Vargas in the minor leagues—primarily at Double-A and Triple-A—the past two seasons, the most of any player.
19. Oscar Colas
Team: White Sox Age: 24 Pos: OF
Colas signed with the White Sox for $2.7 million and stormed up to Triple-A in his first season, batting .314/.371/.524 with 23 homers. His ability to hit for average and power from the left side, above-average defense and advanced instincts have him ready to take over in right field and be Chicago’s next big Cuban import.
11: The number of outfield assists by Colas, who also pitched when he was younger, in 104 games last season.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... -for-2023/
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Re: 2023 White Sox Prospect Notes
Cristian Mena, RHP, White Sox
Mena was one of the biggest up-arrow prospects in the White Sox’s system in 2022. The righthander was one of just five teenage pitchers to throw more than 100 innings last season, and his 29% strikeout rate among that group was bettered only by Phillies phenom Andrew Painter. Mena finished the year in Double-A and is likely to return to the level to begin 2023.
Fastball: 92 mph, 2,300 rpm
Slider: 84 mph, 2,550 rpm
Curveball: 82 mph, 2,550 rpm
Changeup: 87 mph, 2,000 rpm
Strike Percentage: 63%
Dax Fulton, LHP, Marlins
In the second half of the 2022 season, Fulton turned a corner and began to show the upside the Marlins had been waiting for since they selected him with their second-round pick in the 2020 draft. After getting in better shape, Fulton advanced to Double-A Pensacola and struck out 30 hitters in 21 innings while allowing just nine hits. The cherry on top was a six-inning, 13-strikeout masterpiece that sent the Blue Wahoos to the SL Championship Series.
Fastball: 92 mph, 2,330 rpm
Slider: 80 mph, 2,550 rpm
Cutter: 91 mph, 2,230 rpm
Changeup: 87 mph, 1,770 rpm
Strike Percentage: 64%
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... s-in-2023/
Jacob Burke, OF. The White Sox' 11th-round pick from Miami signed for an over-slot $225,000 bonus. He’s a toolsy outfielder who runs well and has been described as “playing like his hair is on fire.” Sound familiar? He’s been compared to former White Sox outfielder Adam Engel.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... he-top-30/
Mena was one of the biggest up-arrow prospects in the White Sox’s system in 2022. The righthander was one of just five teenage pitchers to throw more than 100 innings last season, and his 29% strikeout rate among that group was bettered only by Phillies phenom Andrew Painter. Mena finished the year in Double-A and is likely to return to the level to begin 2023.
Fastball: 92 mph, 2,300 rpm
Slider: 84 mph, 2,550 rpm
Curveball: 82 mph, 2,550 rpm
Changeup: 87 mph, 2,000 rpm
Strike Percentage: 63%
Dax Fulton, LHP, Marlins
In the second half of the 2022 season, Fulton turned a corner and began to show the upside the Marlins had been waiting for since they selected him with their second-round pick in the 2020 draft. After getting in better shape, Fulton advanced to Double-A Pensacola and struck out 30 hitters in 21 innings while allowing just nine hits. The cherry on top was a six-inning, 13-strikeout masterpiece that sent the Blue Wahoos to the SL Championship Series.
Fastball: 92 mph, 2,330 rpm
Slider: 80 mph, 2,550 rpm
Cutter: 91 mph, 2,230 rpm
Changeup: 87 mph, 1,770 rpm
Strike Percentage: 64%
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... s-in-2023/
Jacob Burke, OF. The White Sox' 11th-round pick from Miami signed for an over-slot $225,000 bonus. He’s a toolsy outfielder who runs well and has been described as “playing like his hair is on fire.” Sound familiar? He’s been compared to former White Sox outfielder Adam Engel.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... he-top-30/
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Re: 2023 White Sox Prospect Notes
The Situation: The White Sox had been seeking 1) A right fielder, 2) more left-handed hitting, and 3) more pop in the middle of their lineup for what was beginning to feel like an eternity. If a hypothetical GM was given the power to edit a player’s abilities, OOTP-style, they could hardly hope to create one more suited to addressing Chicago’s most obvious offensive shortcomings than Oscar Colás.
Background: Colás affixed his signature to a White Sox contract in late January 2022, securing a $2.7 million signing bonus just late enough in the game that he wasn’t eligible for our preseason team top 10 (where he likely would have placed no worse than second). Beginning the season with High-A Winston-Salem, he did exactly what a 23-year-old with professional experience in both Cuba and Japan would have been expected to do. He dominated. Despite battling through an early-season wrist injury, Colás slashed .312/.369/.375 with seven homers in 268 Carolina League plate appearances. He followed a July promotion to Double-A Birmingham by marching straight through the Southern League, slashing .306/.364/.563 and smashing 14 homers in 225 plate appearances. A brief but torrid finish at Triple-A Charlotte solidified Colás as a favorite for a big-league job in 2023, and here we are.
Scouting Report: Colás is a slightly stout but athletically-built man with lightning-like bat speed and strength visible everywhere. Power is the primary aspect of his game, he seems to know it, and he should be able to provide it in plus or higher quantities in short order. The ball just carries differently off his bat, line drives and fly balls alike, and to all fields. He also hit better than .300 across three upper-minors levels last year. So, what’s the catch? Colás is an extremely aggressive hitter and he doesn’t always make the best swing decisions, especially against good hard breaking stuff located down in and below the zone. This, obviously, is a trait that has the potential to become an issue when one has to face MLB-caliber pitching day in and day out. The extent to which Colás can iron out these flaws in his approach will dictate just how much he can get out of his hit tool, and consequently how much pop and overall offensive value he will be able to produce—there are bat to ball skills present here, and if he can maintain an average hit tool he might be an All-Star. He can handle center and indeed did in the majority of his minor-league action, though his skills at that position would be better described as “able” than “spectacular.” Fortunately, the White Sox already have a center fielder (I can’t believe it was nearly three years ago that I wrote Luis Robert’s call-up), and Colás profiles well for a slide over to right—the range is good for a corner and the arm should play above-average or better there. He is an average runner at present and should add some marginal value on the basepaths.
Immediate Big-League Future: Colás will immediately and—hopefully for White Sox fans, permanently–-be penciled in as the everyday right fielder. He may begin the season near the bottom of the lineup but should make his way towards the middle or the top if all goes to plan. —Ben Spanier
Fantasy Impact: A solid .314/.371/.524 hitter in his first, and only, minor league season in 2022, Colás showed improvements in all aspects from what he had already done in three years playing in the Cuban National Series and a short stint at the NPB. If we do a holistic view of all his pro baseball seasons, he is a 26-and-change homers per every 162 games hitter, and a .296/.354/.500 slasher so, there’s no wonder that after a more than solid spring training, the White Sox were willing to give him the full-time job.
Make no mistake, Colás has his flaws, especially in the strikeout department where he was always closer to 28% than not. Also, he will take a tad fewer walks than the average major-leaguer, so these two things will hurt his contact profile a little. Still, he managed to get a significant reduction in his strikeout rate to 13.6% this spring training which, even against a watered down competition, is nice to see—just don’t expect too many walks and as such, OBP leagues might be out of the question.
PECOTA is expecting him to regress in batting average so a .300 rate is highly unlikely. Still he will be very useful in all counting stats, including homers in the high teens and probably double digits stolen bases and that, as the floor from the 76th taken outfielder in the NFBC Main Event leagues, seems to be a solid bargain to me.
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... sox-debut/
The White Sox expected that Oscar Colás would move quickly after they signed him for $2.7 million in January 2022. Perhaps not this quickly, however.
Colás spent three years splitting time between Cuba's Series Nacional and Japan's minor Western League from 2017-19, getting just a seven-game cup of coffee with Japan's big league Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. But he needed just one season in the U.S. Minors, advancing from High-A to Triple-A last summer, to win Chicago's right-field job.
Colás, No. 2 on the White Sox Top 30 Prospects list, features some of the best power and arm strength in the club's system, and he should provide an offensive and defensive upgrade over Gavin Sheets, who had projected as the club's right fielder at the outset of Spring Training. Colás outplayed him on both sides of the ball in the Cactus League, hitting .262/.273/.431 with three homers in 65 at-bats. He gives Chicago four Cubans in its starting lineup, joining Yasmani Grandal, Yoán Moncada and Luis Robert Jr.
Before he could sign with a big league team, Colás first had to extricate himself from his Hawks contract. He believed he was bound to the club only through the 2019 season, but the deal contained five option years that he said never were explained to him.
Softbank placed him on its restricted list while he sat out the 2020 season, then declined to offer him a contract, which made him a free agent in December 2020. He wanted to join the White Sox, who already had committed most of the money in their 2021 international bonus pool, so he waited 13 months to sign with Chicago as part of its 2022 class.
Despite his two-year layoff, Colás showed little rust in his U.S. debut in 2022. His OPS rose from .845 in High-A to .928 in Double-A to 1.069 in Triple-A, and he batted .314/.371/.524 overall with 23 homers in 117 games at age 23. Ranked No. 85 on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects list, he showed the ability to make adjustments as he rose through the Minors, doing a better job of using the entire field and employing an improved two-strike approach.
Colás still is going to be a power-over-hit guy, because his bat speed, the strength in his 5-foot-11, 220-pound frame and his aggressive mindset combine to create well-above-average raw pop from the left side of the plate. But he's a more advanced hitter than initially expected and shows a willingness to not worry about home runs and just let his hands work when he faces southpaws or falls behind in the count. He hit .362/.417/.533 against lefties in 2022, compared to .301/.358/.521 against righties.
Colás' 23 percent strikeout rate last year is an acceptable tradeoff for his power, but his 7 percent walk rate underscores the need for more patience. He has a tendency to chase breaking balls out of the strike zone that big league pitchers will try to exploit.
Though Colás moves well for his size, he's just a fringy runner who's not much of a factor on the bases, and he'll need to maintain his conditioning to keep what speed he has. After spending the majority of his time in Japan at first base, he saw most of his action in 2022 in center field. He's a better fit in right field, where he projects as an average defender.
While he was once hyped as "The Cuban Ohtani" and could run his fastball up to 95 mph when he pitched sporadically in Cuba and Japan, Colás had no real desire to pitch, and Chicago signed him solely as an outfielder. His well-above-average arm strength is still apparent and helped him record seven assists in 34 games as a right fielder last year.
The White Sox have scored big by signing players such as José Abreu and Robert directly out of Cuba in the past, and Colás could hit in the middle of their lineup once he adapts to the big leagues. He could provide 30 or more homers per season once he gets established.
https://www.mlb.com/news/what-to-expect ... e-coverage
Background: Colás affixed his signature to a White Sox contract in late January 2022, securing a $2.7 million signing bonus just late enough in the game that he wasn’t eligible for our preseason team top 10 (where he likely would have placed no worse than second). Beginning the season with High-A Winston-Salem, he did exactly what a 23-year-old with professional experience in both Cuba and Japan would have been expected to do. He dominated. Despite battling through an early-season wrist injury, Colás slashed .312/.369/.375 with seven homers in 268 Carolina League plate appearances. He followed a July promotion to Double-A Birmingham by marching straight through the Southern League, slashing .306/.364/.563 and smashing 14 homers in 225 plate appearances. A brief but torrid finish at Triple-A Charlotte solidified Colás as a favorite for a big-league job in 2023, and here we are.
Scouting Report: Colás is a slightly stout but athletically-built man with lightning-like bat speed and strength visible everywhere. Power is the primary aspect of his game, he seems to know it, and he should be able to provide it in plus or higher quantities in short order. The ball just carries differently off his bat, line drives and fly balls alike, and to all fields. He also hit better than .300 across three upper-minors levels last year. So, what’s the catch? Colás is an extremely aggressive hitter and he doesn’t always make the best swing decisions, especially against good hard breaking stuff located down in and below the zone. This, obviously, is a trait that has the potential to become an issue when one has to face MLB-caliber pitching day in and day out. The extent to which Colás can iron out these flaws in his approach will dictate just how much he can get out of his hit tool, and consequently how much pop and overall offensive value he will be able to produce—there are bat to ball skills present here, and if he can maintain an average hit tool he might be an All-Star. He can handle center and indeed did in the majority of his minor-league action, though his skills at that position would be better described as “able” than “spectacular.” Fortunately, the White Sox already have a center fielder (I can’t believe it was nearly three years ago that I wrote Luis Robert’s call-up), and Colás profiles well for a slide over to right—the range is good for a corner and the arm should play above-average or better there. He is an average runner at present and should add some marginal value on the basepaths.
Immediate Big-League Future: Colás will immediately and—hopefully for White Sox fans, permanently–-be penciled in as the everyday right fielder. He may begin the season near the bottom of the lineup but should make his way towards the middle or the top if all goes to plan. —Ben Spanier
Fantasy Impact: A solid .314/.371/.524 hitter in his first, and only, minor league season in 2022, Colás showed improvements in all aspects from what he had already done in three years playing in the Cuban National Series and a short stint at the NPB. If we do a holistic view of all his pro baseball seasons, he is a 26-and-change homers per every 162 games hitter, and a .296/.354/.500 slasher so, there’s no wonder that after a more than solid spring training, the White Sox were willing to give him the full-time job.
Make no mistake, Colás has his flaws, especially in the strikeout department where he was always closer to 28% than not. Also, he will take a tad fewer walks than the average major-leaguer, so these two things will hurt his contact profile a little. Still, he managed to get a significant reduction in his strikeout rate to 13.6% this spring training which, even against a watered down competition, is nice to see—just don’t expect too many walks and as such, OBP leagues might be out of the question.
PECOTA is expecting him to regress in batting average so a .300 rate is highly unlikely. Still he will be very useful in all counting stats, including homers in the high teens and probably double digits stolen bases and that, as the floor from the 76th taken outfielder in the NFBC Main Event leagues, seems to be a solid bargain to me.
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... sox-debut/
The White Sox expected that Oscar Colás would move quickly after they signed him for $2.7 million in January 2022. Perhaps not this quickly, however.
Colás spent three years splitting time between Cuba's Series Nacional and Japan's minor Western League from 2017-19, getting just a seven-game cup of coffee with Japan's big league Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. But he needed just one season in the U.S. Minors, advancing from High-A to Triple-A last summer, to win Chicago's right-field job.
Colás, No. 2 on the White Sox Top 30 Prospects list, features some of the best power and arm strength in the club's system, and he should provide an offensive and defensive upgrade over Gavin Sheets, who had projected as the club's right fielder at the outset of Spring Training. Colás outplayed him on both sides of the ball in the Cactus League, hitting .262/.273/.431 with three homers in 65 at-bats. He gives Chicago four Cubans in its starting lineup, joining Yasmani Grandal, Yoán Moncada and Luis Robert Jr.
Before he could sign with a big league team, Colás first had to extricate himself from his Hawks contract. He believed he was bound to the club only through the 2019 season, but the deal contained five option years that he said never were explained to him.
Softbank placed him on its restricted list while he sat out the 2020 season, then declined to offer him a contract, which made him a free agent in December 2020. He wanted to join the White Sox, who already had committed most of the money in their 2021 international bonus pool, so he waited 13 months to sign with Chicago as part of its 2022 class.
Despite his two-year layoff, Colás showed little rust in his U.S. debut in 2022. His OPS rose from .845 in High-A to .928 in Double-A to 1.069 in Triple-A, and he batted .314/.371/.524 overall with 23 homers in 117 games at age 23. Ranked No. 85 on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects list, he showed the ability to make adjustments as he rose through the Minors, doing a better job of using the entire field and employing an improved two-strike approach.
Colás still is going to be a power-over-hit guy, because his bat speed, the strength in his 5-foot-11, 220-pound frame and his aggressive mindset combine to create well-above-average raw pop from the left side of the plate. But he's a more advanced hitter than initially expected and shows a willingness to not worry about home runs and just let his hands work when he faces southpaws or falls behind in the count. He hit .362/.417/.533 against lefties in 2022, compared to .301/.358/.521 against righties.
Colás' 23 percent strikeout rate last year is an acceptable tradeoff for his power, but his 7 percent walk rate underscores the need for more patience. He has a tendency to chase breaking balls out of the strike zone that big league pitchers will try to exploit.
Though Colás moves well for his size, he's just a fringy runner who's not much of a factor on the bases, and he'll need to maintain his conditioning to keep what speed he has. After spending the majority of his time in Japan at first base, he saw most of his action in 2022 in center field. He's a better fit in right field, where he projects as an average defender.
While he was once hyped as "The Cuban Ohtani" and could run his fastball up to 95 mph when he pitched sporadically in Cuba and Japan, Colás had no real desire to pitch, and Chicago signed him solely as an outfielder. His well-above-average arm strength is still apparent and helped him record seven assists in 34 games as a right fielder last year.
The White Sox have scored big by signing players such as José Abreu and Robert directly out of Cuba in the past, and Colás could hit in the middle of their lineup once he adapts to the big leagues. He could provide 30 or more homers per season once he gets established.
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Re: 2023 White Sox Prospect Notes
The first time Aaron Boone noticed Jhony Brito, the young right-hander was emptying his four-pitch mix in a Tampa, Fla., bullpen, popping the catcher’s glove with strike after strike.
From his perch behind the mound, the Yankees’ manager nudged a couple of coaches nearby and said: “He can help us.” Injuries to the rotation offered Brito an opportunity sooner than anyone anticipated, and the 23-year-old rose to the occasion.
Backed by three homers -- including Giancarlo Stanton’s staggering blast that cleared Monument Park and the batter’s eye -- Brito spun five scoreless innings to notch the win in his Major League debut, a 6-0 victory over the Giants on Sunday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.
“I always thought about having a good debut,” Brito said through an interpreter. “You have to be confident to do your job. If you start thinking about bad outcomes, that’s usually when things get out of hand. I’m very happy.”
Having secured the nod to fill in for injured veteran Luis Severino by returning from Minor League camp to retire all 16 Blue Jays in his final spring outing, Brito permitted just two hits in a 76-pitch effort, striking out six with one walk.
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“He kept pounding the strike zone,” Boone said. “It was more of what we’ve seen. He was very at ease out there, very comfortable. It’s just a really good performance, and an important performance for us when we needed a little bit of length.”
Brito’s money pitch is an above-average changeup, and it gave the Giants fits. He leaned upon it heavily, using it 38 percent of the time (28 pitches; 22 strikes) and generating 10 swings and misses. All six of his strikeouts were finished by the changeup, including the first batter he faced, LaMonte Wade Jr.
“It just looks really similar to his fastball, probably more than most guys. It’s really hard to tell,” catcher Kyle Higashioka said. “His willingness to attack the zone is probably the most important thing. You have to trust your stuff and attack the zone, because Major League hitters are going to feel you out and see what you have. He did a great job.”
Rated as the Yankees’ No. 27 prospect by MLB Pipeline, Brito signed for $35,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2015, earning a reputation as one of the organization’s best strike-throwers. With Severino, Carlos Rodón and Frankie Montas shelved due to injuries, the steely Brito appears to have earned several more turns in the rotation.
Brito is just the fourth Yankee since the end of World War II to toss at least five scoreless innings in his Major League debut, joining Luis Gil (2021), Jonathan Loáisiga ('18) and Sam Militello (1992).
“I’ve got to thank my teammates,” Brito said. “They prepared me and gave me good pointers to understand that it’s the same kind of baseball that we’re going to play out there. It’s going to be a different stadium and definitely more fans, but I was not nervous.”
Brito identified Severino, Domingo Germán, Jimmy Cordero and Wandy Peralta among the Bombers' hurlers who have helped him to get his feet wet.
“They told me to keep focused on doing the same things I was doing in Spring Training, and everything would be fine,” Brito said.
Aaron Judge belted a solo homer, his second, before Stanton reached the standing-room area 485 feet from home plate with a jaw-dropping third-inning drive. Higashioka also homered for the Yanks, who added two late runs on an Anthony Rizzo sacrifice fly and a wild pitch that allowed Gleyber Torres to scamper home.
Of Brito, Stanton said: “He was fun to watch. He was big-time for us. It was good to get his first start the way he did and continue the success for him.”
Cordero, Ron Marinaccio and Colten Brewer combined to blank the Giants over the final four innings. This marks the first time in franchise history that the club has tossed a shutout in two of its first three games of the season.
Brito was awarded the wrestling-style championship belt after Sunday’s win, and when urged to speak to his teammates, he kept his remarks brief.
“I just gave them a big thank you for all the support and everything they’ve done for me,” Brito said. “They’ve accepted me into this clubhouse. They were happy; I was happy. It’s very exciting.”
https://www.mlb.com/news/jhony-brito-wi ... nst-giants
From his perch behind the mound, the Yankees’ manager nudged a couple of coaches nearby and said: “He can help us.” Injuries to the rotation offered Brito an opportunity sooner than anyone anticipated, and the 23-year-old rose to the occasion.
Backed by three homers -- including Giancarlo Stanton’s staggering blast that cleared Monument Park and the batter’s eye -- Brito spun five scoreless innings to notch the win in his Major League debut, a 6-0 victory over the Giants on Sunday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.
“I always thought about having a good debut,” Brito said through an interpreter. “You have to be confident to do your job. If you start thinking about bad outcomes, that’s usually when things get out of hand. I’m very happy.”
Having secured the nod to fill in for injured veteran Luis Severino by returning from Minor League camp to retire all 16 Blue Jays in his final spring outing, Brito permitted just two hits in a 76-pitch effort, striking out six with one walk.
Your browser does not support HTML5 video tag.
“He kept pounding the strike zone,” Boone said. “It was more of what we’ve seen. He was very at ease out there, very comfortable. It’s just a really good performance, and an important performance for us when we needed a little bit of length.”
Brito’s money pitch is an above-average changeup, and it gave the Giants fits. He leaned upon it heavily, using it 38 percent of the time (28 pitches; 22 strikes) and generating 10 swings and misses. All six of his strikeouts were finished by the changeup, including the first batter he faced, LaMonte Wade Jr.
“It just looks really similar to his fastball, probably more than most guys. It’s really hard to tell,” catcher Kyle Higashioka said. “His willingness to attack the zone is probably the most important thing. You have to trust your stuff and attack the zone, because Major League hitters are going to feel you out and see what you have. He did a great job.”
Rated as the Yankees’ No. 27 prospect by MLB Pipeline, Brito signed for $35,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2015, earning a reputation as one of the organization’s best strike-throwers. With Severino, Carlos Rodón and Frankie Montas shelved due to injuries, the steely Brito appears to have earned several more turns in the rotation.
Brito is just the fourth Yankee since the end of World War II to toss at least five scoreless innings in his Major League debut, joining Luis Gil (2021), Jonathan Loáisiga ('18) and Sam Militello (1992).
“I’ve got to thank my teammates,” Brito said. “They prepared me and gave me good pointers to understand that it’s the same kind of baseball that we’re going to play out there. It’s going to be a different stadium and definitely more fans, but I was not nervous.”
Brito identified Severino, Domingo Germán, Jimmy Cordero and Wandy Peralta among the Bombers' hurlers who have helped him to get his feet wet.
“They told me to keep focused on doing the same things I was doing in Spring Training, and everything would be fine,” Brito said.
Aaron Judge belted a solo homer, his second, before Stanton reached the standing-room area 485 feet from home plate with a jaw-dropping third-inning drive. Higashioka also homered for the Yanks, who added two late runs on an Anthony Rizzo sacrifice fly and a wild pitch that allowed Gleyber Torres to scamper home.
Of Brito, Stanton said: “He was fun to watch. He was big-time for us. It was good to get his first start the way he did and continue the success for him.”
Cordero, Ron Marinaccio and Colten Brewer combined to blank the Giants over the final four innings. This marks the first time in franchise history that the club has tossed a shutout in two of its first three games of the season.
Brito was awarded the wrestling-style championship belt after Sunday’s win, and when urged to speak to his teammates, he kept his remarks brief.
“I just gave them a big thank you for all the support and everything they’ve done for me,” Brito said. “They’ve accepted me into this clubhouse. They were happy; I was happy. It’s very exciting.”
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Re: 2023 White Sox Prospect Notes
Lenyn Sosa, SS, Chicago White Sox (Triple-A Charlotte): 3-5, 2 R, 2 HR, 4 RBI.
Sosa found it difficult to get consistent playing time during his brief major-league debut last year and it affected his offensive performance. He slashed just .114/.139/.229 in 11 mid-summer games on the South Side but rebounded late in the year after being sent back down to Charlotte. Elvis Andrus and Tim Anderson give the White Sox a solid up-the-middle combination but Sosa offers a quality power bat as depth should the need arise.
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... ael-siani/
Miguel Vargas and James Outman will rule fantasy leagues for years to come.
Their collective pedigree as prospects was less sexy coming into the season, but I can’t help think of Corey Seager and Cody Bellinger while watching Outman and Vargas rake for the Dodgers. Each is so comfortable at the plate they could set up a couch in the batter’s box, snuggle up, read a book, and still draw a walk. Certainly, Vargas could; through five games, his nine walks lead the league and his chase rate is miles ahead of his counterparts.
Meanwhile, Outman has continued flashing the ability that helped him make the Opening Day roster. After slashing .283/.391/.566 in 64 spring plate appearances, the outfielder’s line through five games this year is .333/.500/.917. He’s available in 49% of Yahoo leagues and just 14% of ESPN leagues, which is weird!
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/fant ... reactions/
Sosa found it difficult to get consistent playing time during his brief major-league debut last year and it affected his offensive performance. He slashed just .114/.139/.229 in 11 mid-summer games on the South Side but rebounded late in the year after being sent back down to Charlotte. Elvis Andrus and Tim Anderson give the White Sox a solid up-the-middle combination but Sosa offers a quality power bat as depth should the need arise.
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... ael-siani/
Miguel Vargas and James Outman will rule fantasy leagues for years to come.
Their collective pedigree as prospects was less sexy coming into the season, but I can’t help think of Corey Seager and Cody Bellinger while watching Outman and Vargas rake for the Dodgers. Each is so comfortable at the plate they could set up a couch in the batter’s box, snuggle up, read a book, and still draw a walk. Certainly, Vargas could; through five games, his nine walks lead the league and his chase rate is miles ahead of his counterparts.
Meanwhile, Outman has continued flashing the ability that helped him make the Opening Day roster. After slashing .283/.391/.566 in 64 spring plate appearances, the outfielder’s line through five games this year is .333/.500/.917. He’s available in 49% of Yahoo leagues and just 14% of ESPN leagues, which is weird!
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/fant ... reactions/
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Re: 2023 White Sox Prospect Notes
Miguel Vargas couldn’t swing. I don’t mean that in the insulting way that little leaguers sometimes do — “hey batter, you’ve got nothing, you can’t even swing.” I mean that he was medically prohibited from swinging. That didn’t stop the Dodgers from playing him this spring, as Davy Andrews detailed for this very site last month. It did mean, however, that he had to watch every pitch thrown to him, ball or strike, and simply take it. Not exactly the way he expected to enter his first spring training with a big league job nailed down, I’m sure.
The pinky finger fracture that kept Vargas from swinging has healed, but you might not know it from his batting line so far this year, because it seems he took that lesson to heart. Five games into his 2022 season, he’s come to the plate 18 times. In nine of those plate appearances, he’s walked. That 50% walk rate is amazing on its own, and I’ll come back to that, but the way he’s gotten to it is downright stunning.
The key to walking a lot is not swinging at bad pitches, and Vargas is doing that to a fault. Per Statcast, he’s swung at four of the 50 pitches he’s seen outside the strike zone in 2023. That’s the best rate in the majors, which is impressive on its own; 205 batters have seen at least 25 pitches outside the strike zone already this season, and every single one of them has swung at them more frequently than Vargas. We’re talking all the various plate discipline geniuses already enshrined in the pantheon of good eye; they’re all looking up at Vargas’ extreme selectivity.
Some of that is because Vargas doesn’t swing very often overall, but consider this: out of 196 players who have seen 25 pitches in the strike zone, he ranks 166th in swing rate, at 55.9%. In other words, he’s below average, but much closer to the middle than he is on pitches outside the zone. Some of his patience is because he’s just telling himself not to swing, but a lot is because he’s tracking the ball exceedingly well to boot.
You can make a good argument that the zone defined by Statcast isn’t perfectly right, and there are indeed other strike zone metrics available on this website. Per Sports Info Solutions, Vargas has the lowest chase rate in baseball. Per Pitch Info, Vargas has the lowest chase rate in baseball. Hm, I guess I didn’t really need to mention those, did I? The point is that he’s seeing the ball extremely well and is the unquestioned leader, five days into the new season, when it comes to taking pitches outside of the zone.
That 50% walk rate will probably be the best stretch of plate discipline that Vargas ever displays. In fact, there’s a decent chance it’ll be the best stretch of plate discipline that anyone displays this entire year. Since Barry Bonds retired, our database counts more than a million batter games — 1,010,760 to be precise. I took those games and broke them out into five-game stretches. In all that time, 35 batters have managed five-game stretches with at least 15 plate appearances and a 50% walk rate or higher. Many of them overlap: Yasmani Grandal walked 61.9% of the time in the five games ending on May 8, 2021. He also walked 63.6% of the time in the five games ending on May 9, 2021, and 55% of the time in the five games ending on May 5, 2021.
Also on the list multiple times: Bryce Harper, who has the best stretch of the post-Bonds era at 65.2% in the five games ending on May 9, 2016. You might remember that Harper performance, though you’d probably remember it as a Joe Maddon performance; the Cubs simply refused to face Harper in a three-game series, walking him either intentionally or unintentionally whenever they got the chance. In one game, Harper came to the plate seven times without recording an at-bat: he posted three intentional walks, three unintentional walks, and a hit by pitch. Joey Votto appears a few times as well, thanks to a walk binge in August of 2015.
Many of the walk-heaviest performances I could find are like that, keyed by a ludicrous game or two, and you can understand why the Cubs didn’t want to face Harper coming off of his incandescent 2015 season. It’s safe to say that isn’t happening with Vargas, though. He might be the team’s everyday second baseman, but he’s hardly the Dodgers’ best hitter. He’s batted seventh three times and sixth once in his four starts, and while he’s certainly capable of some power, he’s not getting treated with kid gloves.
Some of Vargas’ early on-base hot streak comes down to who he’s faced. The Diamondbacks weren’t walking just Vargas; they walked the Dodgers early and often in their season-opening series, issuing 23 free passes in total. Heck, if I’d looked at four game samples instead of five, Vargas would have peaked at a 61.5% walk rate, with eight of his 13 PAs against Arizona ending in a walk. He only walked one time (pitiful!) in Monday night’s game against Colorado, though he did get hit by a pitch.
Why am I pointing this out? It’s mostly because I love it. He went to spring training to practice not swinging, and then he became the best player in all of baseball at not swinging. That’s some focused practice right there! Watch this sequence against the electric Drey Jameson, and you can see how good Vargas is at waiting for his pitch. Jameson starts him off upstairs, and Vargas lets a borderline pitch go:
Great take, even if it was a strike; that’s a hard pitch to hit, in a tough location and thrown hard. Things got even better for Vargas when Jameson came back with a non-competitive second offering:
With Vargas now in the driver’s seat, he could look for something to do damage; down a run and with two outs in the inning, it was a good time to look for a homer. Naturally, the pitch for that is a fastball. And naturally, Jameson threw him a slider:
That’s just a great pitch. No one is up there looking for a breaking pitch in a 2–0 count, and if you see one, taking is probably the right decision. That one wasn’t hanging; it was thrown to the best place to dot a slider, low and away, and like that opening fastball, Vargas would have a hard time doing much with it unless he was looking for just that pitch.
On 2–1, Vargas still seemed to have the same approach. Again, Jameson executed a perfect pitch:
Even though Vargas hadn’t taken the bat off of his shoulder yet, you can kind of see what he was thinking. He got ahead by being okay letting fastballs go by if they weren’t in good locations to swing at. He used that advantage to force Jameson to hit the corner with some breaking pitches, and Jameson was up to the task. Now it was 2–2, and he couldn’t just tip his cap if another perfect pitch came up next:
Hey, it’s hard to throw three perfect sliders in a row. Vargas surely had the pitch on his mind after Jameson had pulled it off twice in a row, but that one was too low out of his hand, and he easily laid off. That set up the payoff pitch, and unfortunately for my narrative of Vargas making excellent decisions at every turn, he didn’t have a chance to decide much of anything, because Jameson simply overcooked a slider trying to recapture his earlier form:
Why show this plate appearance and its six takes? Because they show a hitter with a good idea of what to do at the plate, and one who seems wise beyond his years. Anyone is capable of walking a lot, but I don’t think it’s easy to take six straight pitches like that, even though every single take was a good decision.
For another display of Vargas’s decision making, let’s watch him work a walk Monday night. First, he fell behind in the count 0–2 after a reasonable take and a marginal swing:
Not a great place to start, and the at-bat could have ended on the very next pitch, because Vargas seemed to be looking up:
Is that a good take? I don’t know. It was a rulebook strike, but just barely, and gets called a strike only about half the time. Regardless, that was a great pitch by Ryan Feltner, and I’m not sure what decision I’d hope for there from Vargas. Probably a defensive swing, because a ball gains him way less than a strike costs, but it was a bad situation regardless.
He was hardly frozen in his stance, though, because when Feltner gave him a more obvious pitch to swing at, he rose to the challenge:
Having seen two fastballs in a row, Vargas might be in swing mode, but he still had the presence of mind to take a slightly overcooked slider and a wild fastball:
Those aren’t automatic takes, but they’re hardly the toughest ones Vargas will make all year. Many hitters are capable of taking those two pitches, even with fastball on the mind on the first one. But you have to make the solid takes to get yourself in position to walk. Pitchers throw roughly a third of their pitches in the chase or waste zones as defined by Baseball Savant; without doing the right thing and taking those, it’s hard to be in position where taking close pitches can give you a walk instead of merely digging you out of a bad count.
In any case, we were up to 3–2 in the Vargas-Feltner duel, and Feltner came back with his best breaking ball, to exactly the location he was trying to throw it:
Look, sometimes you throw the right pitch and the hitter is just good at not swinging. Vargas is absolutely in a swing/take decision zone right now, and he’s forcing pitchers to come to him by ignoring their marginal offerings.
I don’t think it’ll continue forever. I know it won’t continue forever, in fact: his current form is clearly unsustainable. He’s running a 50% walk rate, for goodness sake. I’m writing this Tuesday afternoon, and so that 50% walk rate will almost certainly be lower by the time you read this. But I’m really impressed nonetheless. This isn’t just a random streak that anyone could embark on. It’s tremendously difficult to take so many close pitches without lapsing into complete apathy.
This hadn’t always been one of Vargas’ skills, at least not in a way that was evident in his minor league numbers. He always took his fair share of walks, even if he did play at an advanced level for his age, but last year looked like a step forward in the balls and strikes department. He walked 13.7% of the time at Triple-A and only struck out 14.6% of the time. Those rates are reminiscent of teammate Mookie Betts at his best; double-digit walk rates with strikeout rates that low are only possible if you combine a keen eye with an excellent hit tool.
Now, it looks like Vargas might be applying those skills in the major leagues. He won’t keep walking in half of his plate appearances, but the early returns — small sample and all — suggest that he’s going to be getting on base a lot this year, whether he hits well or not. That kind of production out of the non-stars in the Los Angeles lineup feels unfair — those guys needed more hitters — but what is life if not an exercise in watching the rich get richer?
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/miguel-varg ... ing-still/
The pinky finger fracture that kept Vargas from swinging has healed, but you might not know it from his batting line so far this year, because it seems he took that lesson to heart. Five games into his 2022 season, he’s come to the plate 18 times. In nine of those plate appearances, he’s walked. That 50% walk rate is amazing on its own, and I’ll come back to that, but the way he’s gotten to it is downright stunning.
The key to walking a lot is not swinging at bad pitches, and Vargas is doing that to a fault. Per Statcast, he’s swung at four of the 50 pitches he’s seen outside the strike zone in 2023. That’s the best rate in the majors, which is impressive on its own; 205 batters have seen at least 25 pitches outside the strike zone already this season, and every single one of them has swung at them more frequently than Vargas. We’re talking all the various plate discipline geniuses already enshrined in the pantheon of good eye; they’re all looking up at Vargas’ extreme selectivity.
Some of that is because Vargas doesn’t swing very often overall, but consider this: out of 196 players who have seen 25 pitches in the strike zone, he ranks 166th in swing rate, at 55.9%. In other words, he’s below average, but much closer to the middle than he is on pitches outside the zone. Some of his patience is because he’s just telling himself not to swing, but a lot is because he’s tracking the ball exceedingly well to boot.
You can make a good argument that the zone defined by Statcast isn’t perfectly right, and there are indeed other strike zone metrics available on this website. Per Sports Info Solutions, Vargas has the lowest chase rate in baseball. Per Pitch Info, Vargas has the lowest chase rate in baseball. Hm, I guess I didn’t really need to mention those, did I? The point is that he’s seeing the ball extremely well and is the unquestioned leader, five days into the new season, when it comes to taking pitches outside of the zone.
That 50% walk rate will probably be the best stretch of plate discipline that Vargas ever displays. In fact, there’s a decent chance it’ll be the best stretch of plate discipline that anyone displays this entire year. Since Barry Bonds retired, our database counts more than a million batter games — 1,010,760 to be precise. I took those games and broke them out into five-game stretches. In all that time, 35 batters have managed five-game stretches with at least 15 plate appearances and a 50% walk rate or higher. Many of them overlap: Yasmani Grandal walked 61.9% of the time in the five games ending on May 8, 2021. He also walked 63.6% of the time in the five games ending on May 9, 2021, and 55% of the time in the five games ending on May 5, 2021.
Also on the list multiple times: Bryce Harper, who has the best stretch of the post-Bonds era at 65.2% in the five games ending on May 9, 2016. You might remember that Harper performance, though you’d probably remember it as a Joe Maddon performance; the Cubs simply refused to face Harper in a three-game series, walking him either intentionally or unintentionally whenever they got the chance. In one game, Harper came to the plate seven times without recording an at-bat: he posted three intentional walks, three unintentional walks, and a hit by pitch. Joey Votto appears a few times as well, thanks to a walk binge in August of 2015.
Many of the walk-heaviest performances I could find are like that, keyed by a ludicrous game or two, and you can understand why the Cubs didn’t want to face Harper coming off of his incandescent 2015 season. It’s safe to say that isn’t happening with Vargas, though. He might be the team’s everyday second baseman, but he’s hardly the Dodgers’ best hitter. He’s batted seventh three times and sixth once in his four starts, and while he’s certainly capable of some power, he’s not getting treated with kid gloves.
Some of Vargas’ early on-base hot streak comes down to who he’s faced. The Diamondbacks weren’t walking just Vargas; they walked the Dodgers early and often in their season-opening series, issuing 23 free passes in total. Heck, if I’d looked at four game samples instead of five, Vargas would have peaked at a 61.5% walk rate, with eight of his 13 PAs against Arizona ending in a walk. He only walked one time (pitiful!) in Monday night’s game against Colorado, though he did get hit by a pitch.
Why am I pointing this out? It’s mostly because I love it. He went to spring training to practice not swinging, and then he became the best player in all of baseball at not swinging. That’s some focused practice right there! Watch this sequence against the electric Drey Jameson, and you can see how good Vargas is at waiting for his pitch. Jameson starts him off upstairs, and Vargas lets a borderline pitch go:
Great take, even if it was a strike; that’s a hard pitch to hit, in a tough location and thrown hard. Things got even better for Vargas when Jameson came back with a non-competitive second offering:
With Vargas now in the driver’s seat, he could look for something to do damage; down a run and with two outs in the inning, it was a good time to look for a homer. Naturally, the pitch for that is a fastball. And naturally, Jameson threw him a slider:
That’s just a great pitch. No one is up there looking for a breaking pitch in a 2–0 count, and if you see one, taking is probably the right decision. That one wasn’t hanging; it was thrown to the best place to dot a slider, low and away, and like that opening fastball, Vargas would have a hard time doing much with it unless he was looking for just that pitch.
On 2–1, Vargas still seemed to have the same approach. Again, Jameson executed a perfect pitch:
Even though Vargas hadn’t taken the bat off of his shoulder yet, you can kind of see what he was thinking. He got ahead by being okay letting fastballs go by if they weren’t in good locations to swing at. He used that advantage to force Jameson to hit the corner with some breaking pitches, and Jameson was up to the task. Now it was 2–2, and he couldn’t just tip his cap if another perfect pitch came up next:
Hey, it’s hard to throw three perfect sliders in a row. Vargas surely had the pitch on his mind after Jameson had pulled it off twice in a row, but that one was too low out of his hand, and he easily laid off. That set up the payoff pitch, and unfortunately for my narrative of Vargas making excellent decisions at every turn, he didn’t have a chance to decide much of anything, because Jameson simply overcooked a slider trying to recapture his earlier form:
Why show this plate appearance and its six takes? Because they show a hitter with a good idea of what to do at the plate, and one who seems wise beyond his years. Anyone is capable of walking a lot, but I don’t think it’s easy to take six straight pitches like that, even though every single take was a good decision.
For another display of Vargas’s decision making, let’s watch him work a walk Monday night. First, he fell behind in the count 0–2 after a reasonable take and a marginal swing:
Not a great place to start, and the at-bat could have ended on the very next pitch, because Vargas seemed to be looking up:
Is that a good take? I don’t know. It was a rulebook strike, but just barely, and gets called a strike only about half the time. Regardless, that was a great pitch by Ryan Feltner, and I’m not sure what decision I’d hope for there from Vargas. Probably a defensive swing, because a ball gains him way less than a strike costs, but it was a bad situation regardless.
He was hardly frozen in his stance, though, because when Feltner gave him a more obvious pitch to swing at, he rose to the challenge:
Having seen two fastballs in a row, Vargas might be in swing mode, but he still had the presence of mind to take a slightly overcooked slider and a wild fastball:
Those aren’t automatic takes, but they’re hardly the toughest ones Vargas will make all year. Many hitters are capable of taking those two pitches, even with fastball on the mind on the first one. But you have to make the solid takes to get yourself in position to walk. Pitchers throw roughly a third of their pitches in the chase or waste zones as defined by Baseball Savant; without doing the right thing and taking those, it’s hard to be in position where taking close pitches can give you a walk instead of merely digging you out of a bad count.
In any case, we were up to 3–2 in the Vargas-Feltner duel, and Feltner came back with his best breaking ball, to exactly the location he was trying to throw it:
Look, sometimes you throw the right pitch and the hitter is just good at not swinging. Vargas is absolutely in a swing/take decision zone right now, and he’s forcing pitchers to come to him by ignoring their marginal offerings.
I don’t think it’ll continue forever. I know it won’t continue forever, in fact: his current form is clearly unsustainable. He’s running a 50% walk rate, for goodness sake. I’m writing this Tuesday afternoon, and so that 50% walk rate will almost certainly be lower by the time you read this. But I’m really impressed nonetheless. This isn’t just a random streak that anyone could embark on. It’s tremendously difficult to take so many close pitches without lapsing into complete apathy.
This hadn’t always been one of Vargas’ skills, at least not in a way that was evident in his minor league numbers. He always took his fair share of walks, even if he did play at an advanced level for his age, but last year looked like a step forward in the balls and strikes department. He walked 13.7% of the time at Triple-A and only struck out 14.6% of the time. Those rates are reminiscent of teammate Mookie Betts at his best; double-digit walk rates with strikeout rates that low are only possible if you combine a keen eye with an excellent hit tool.
Now, it looks like Vargas might be applying those skills in the major leagues. He won’t keep walking in half of his plate appearances, but the early returns — small sample and all — suggest that he’s going to be getting on base a lot this year, whether he hits well or not. That kind of production out of the non-stars in the Los Angeles lineup feels unfair — those guys needed more hitters — but what is life if not an exercise in watching the rich get richer?
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/miguel-varg ... ing-still/
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Padres
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Re: 2023 White Sox Prospect Notes
José Rodriguez, SS, Chicago White Sox (Double-A Birmingham): 3-5, 3 R, 2B, HR, RBI, K.
A free-swinging infielder with a knack for contact, Rodriguez was on an offensive tear when a broken hamate bone prematurely ended his 2022 in August. He was finally starting to tap into his sneaky pop, with 10 homers in his final 18 games. It appears he’s back to full strength, and with the White Sox adding him to the 40-man roster this winter, there’s a chance we see him in Chicago this summer.
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... -williams/
Cristian Mena, RHP, White Sox
Mena has been outstanding in his young pro career but still retains a relatively low profile considering his age and performance relative to his level. The righthander, who will pitch all season at 20 years old, boasts a three-pitch mix and a level of poise befitting a much more veteran player. He starts his mix with a low-90s fastball that peaks around 95 and complements it with a top-down curveball in the low 80s and a changeup in the high 80s that projects to be above-average. Mena finished the 2022 season in Double-A as part of Chicago’s “Project Birmingham” and should return to the level in 2023, when he’ll likely be one of the youngest pitchers in the classification.
Max Muncy, SS, Athletics
Muncy, whom the A’s popped in the first round of the 2021 draft, has always been a powerful player who can crush a fastball—one evaluator this spring saw him hit a tracer of a home run with 110-plus mph exit velocity—with ease and authority. Now, he’s starting to fare better against breaking balls and has shown the ability to do damage against mistake offspeed pitches. Muncy has quick actions laterally and solid body control, but his arm might be a little less than what is required to play shortstop. If that’s the case, his bat would easily profile at second base.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... -training/
A free-swinging infielder with a knack for contact, Rodriguez was on an offensive tear when a broken hamate bone prematurely ended his 2022 in August. He was finally starting to tap into his sneaky pop, with 10 homers in his final 18 games. It appears he’s back to full strength, and with the White Sox adding him to the 40-man roster this winter, there’s a chance we see him in Chicago this summer.
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... -williams/
Cristian Mena, RHP, White Sox
Mena has been outstanding in his young pro career but still retains a relatively low profile considering his age and performance relative to his level. The righthander, who will pitch all season at 20 years old, boasts a three-pitch mix and a level of poise befitting a much more veteran player. He starts his mix with a low-90s fastball that peaks around 95 and complements it with a top-down curveball in the low 80s and a changeup in the high 80s that projects to be above-average. Mena finished the 2022 season in Double-A as part of Chicago’s “Project Birmingham” and should return to the level in 2023, when he’ll likely be one of the youngest pitchers in the classification.
Max Muncy, SS, Athletics
Muncy, whom the A’s popped in the first round of the 2021 draft, has always been a powerful player who can crush a fastball—one evaluator this spring saw him hit a tracer of a home run with 110-plus mph exit velocity—with ease and authority. Now, he’s starting to fare better against breaking balls and has shown the ability to do damage against mistake offspeed pitches. Muncy has quick actions laterally and solid body control, but his arm might be a little less than what is required to play shortstop. If that’s the case, his bat would easily profile at second base.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... -training/
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Padres
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Re: 2023 White Sox Prospect Notes
Loidel Chapelli Jr. .500/.526/1.000, 2 HR, 6 R, 8 RBI, 1 BB, 4 K, 1 SB
It was a surprise, but a welcome one, when Loidel Chapelli Jr. was placed in High-A. This is his age-21 season, so it is a more appropriate level, and he did very well in the DSL. I would not take a lot of stock in DSL stats, but he did show good plate discipline there, more walks (27) than strikeouts (22). It is just five games, but Chapelli really is hitting the ball well. He has two homers, the batted-ball data indicates really good contact as well (only five grounders), although there’s only 14 batted balls in general. This is a really good start for him. Hopefully he can continue it, and stay healthy.
https://www.southsidesox.com/2023/4/18/ ... hapelli-jr
It was a surprise, but a welcome one, when Loidel Chapelli Jr. was placed in High-A. This is his age-21 season, so it is a more appropriate level, and he did very well in the DSL. I would not take a lot of stock in DSL stats, but he did show good plate discipline there, more walks (27) than strikeouts (22). It is just five games, but Chapelli really is hitting the ball well. He has two homers, the batted-ball data indicates really good contact as well (only five grounders), although there’s only 14 batted balls in general. This is a really good start for him. Hopefully he can continue it, and stay healthy.
https://www.southsidesox.com/2023/4/18/ ... hapelli-jr
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Re: 2023 White Sox Prospect Notes
Cristian Mena, RHP, White Sox:
Mena opened the season as the second-youngest pitcher in the Southern League, behind only uber-prospect Eury Perez. Through five starts, he's got the second-most strikeouts in the league (42), and has added just six walks in 25 innings. On Thursday, Mena whiffed 11 and walked nobody against Chattanooga, marking his second straight start with double-digit punchouts. In those two starts, he's punched out 21 and walked two in a dozen innings.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... dium=email
Mena opened the season as the second-youngest pitcher in the Southern League, behind only uber-prospect Eury Perez. Through five starts, he's got the second-most strikeouts in the league (42), and has added just six walks in 25 innings. On Thursday, Mena whiffed 11 and walked nobody against Chattanooga, marking his second straight start with double-digit punchouts. In those two starts, he's punched out 21 and walked two in a dozen innings.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... dium=email
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Padres
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Re: 2023 White Sox Prospect Notes
Shortly before Jordan Wicks became the Cubs’ first pick in the 2021 draft, the lefthander received wise advice from fellow Kansas State product Will Brennan.
“He gave me a lot of good feedback on ‘this is what to expect in pro ball,’ ‘this is how your stuff will play,’ ” Wicks said of Brennan, now an outfielder with the Guardians. “I was extremely excited for that friendship, and there couldn’t be a better guy.”
The pursuit of improvement continues for the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Wicks, who had relied more on an effective changeup and command rather than velocity.
Shortly after Wicks was promoted to Double-A Tennessee in mid July last year, he solicited advice from Cubs senior pitching coordinator Casey Jacobson regarding his need for breaking pitch with more velocity.
Jacobson suggested a cutter, but the process didn’t stop there.
Last winter, Wick sought fellow Arkansas native and 2008 American League Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee, whose cutter was his signature pitch during a 13-year career.
Lee watched one of Wicks’ bullpen sessions in the offseason and would exchange ideas on the pitch. Jacobson had a follow-up conversation with Wicks to reiterate salient points.
The cutter has helped Wicks induce early contact and lower exit velocities. Opponents hit just .202 through his first eight starts for Tennessee this season. He struck out 44 and walked 10 in 35.1 innings to go with a 2.55 ERA.
The development of a fourth pitch and his durability enhances Wicks’ chances of a promotion and perhaps push toward a major league callup in 2024.
“He takes his process seriously and does what he can to put himself in the best position to recover and perform,” said Jacobson, who also was prepared to have Wicks chat with former Cubs lefthander Jon Lester about his polished cutter.
“He’s a student of his process, too, and he makes sure he’s focusing on what works and what doesn’t and updates his routines accordingly. So probably a little bit of everything has given him the chance to be out there regularly.”
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... new-pitch/
“He gave me a lot of good feedback on ‘this is what to expect in pro ball,’ ‘this is how your stuff will play,’ ” Wicks said of Brennan, now an outfielder with the Guardians. “I was extremely excited for that friendship, and there couldn’t be a better guy.”
The pursuit of improvement continues for the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Wicks, who had relied more on an effective changeup and command rather than velocity.
Shortly after Wicks was promoted to Double-A Tennessee in mid July last year, he solicited advice from Cubs senior pitching coordinator Casey Jacobson regarding his need for breaking pitch with more velocity.
Jacobson suggested a cutter, but the process didn’t stop there.
Last winter, Wick sought fellow Arkansas native and 2008 American League Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee, whose cutter was his signature pitch during a 13-year career.
Lee watched one of Wicks’ bullpen sessions in the offseason and would exchange ideas on the pitch. Jacobson had a follow-up conversation with Wicks to reiterate salient points.
The cutter has helped Wicks induce early contact and lower exit velocities. Opponents hit just .202 through his first eight starts for Tennessee this season. He struck out 44 and walked 10 in 35.1 innings to go with a 2.55 ERA.
The development of a fourth pitch and his durability enhances Wicks’ chances of a promotion and perhaps push toward a major league callup in 2024.
“He takes his process seriously and does what he can to put himself in the best position to recover and perform,” said Jacobson, who also was prepared to have Wicks chat with former Cubs lefthander Jon Lester about his polished cutter.
“He’s a student of his process, too, and he makes sure he’s focusing on what works and what doesn’t and updates his routines accordingly. So probably a little bit of everything has given him the chance to be out there regularly.”
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... new-pitch/
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Padres
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Re: 2023 White Sox Prospect Notes
Noah Schultz, LHP, Chicago White Sox (Low-A Kannapolis)
Please be advised that the following is a preliminary report that is subject to change upon further live looks. With that out of the way, I’d like to elucidate some positive signs from the 2022 first rounder’s professional debut. Schultz struck out five of the six batters he retired, and demonstrated that his fastball(s)—he throws both a two-seam and a four-seam—and his slider can all be used as out-pitches. He was sitting 94-96 and touching 97 with the heaters and showed a knack for locating in the upper reaches of the zone, where they should play up thanks to his extension (he’s 6-foot-9) and low three-quarters slot. The low-80s slider is spinny and presents significant velo separation, and Schultz shows feel for back-dooring it to right-handed hitters. The pitch features decent horizontal break but insignificant depth, or at least that was how it played in this outing. He wasn’t really using the changeup, but the present command and control of the pitches he was using is better than I had been expecting. Schultz won’t be turning 20 until August, and the body and the delivery can firm up with time. An auspicious beginning to a slow burn. —Ben Spanier
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... ere-again/
Please be advised that the following is a preliminary report that is subject to change upon further live looks. With that out of the way, I’d like to elucidate some positive signs from the 2022 first rounder’s professional debut. Schultz struck out five of the six batters he retired, and demonstrated that his fastball(s)—he throws both a two-seam and a four-seam—and his slider can all be used as out-pitches. He was sitting 94-96 and touching 97 with the heaters and showed a knack for locating in the upper reaches of the zone, where they should play up thanks to his extension (he’s 6-foot-9) and low three-quarters slot. The low-80s slider is spinny and presents significant velo separation, and Schultz shows feel for back-dooring it to right-handed hitters. The pitch features decent horizontal break but insignificant depth, or at least that was how it played in this outing. He wasn’t really using the changeup, but the present command and control of the pitches he was using is better than I had been expecting. Schultz won’t be turning 20 until August, and the body and the delivery can firm up with time. An auspicious beginning to a slow burn. —Ben Spanier
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... ere-again/
