***UPDATED 2:49pm CT to include Carlos Sanchez***
The Caribbean Winter Leagues have finished their regular seasons, so let’s take a peek at how some players in the White Sox organization did down south. For a more in-depth look at which players were playing and why, you can also check out the previous article posted early midway through the winter league seasons. This is just a quick recap of the final results…
VENEZUELA
Catcher Hector Gimenez, the likely backup for the Sox behind Flowers, made easy work of Caribbean League pitching: .307/.385/.521/.907 in 140 AB. Looks like the 30 year old journeyman is ready to finally get his chance at a regular MLB job.
Carlos Sanchez, the top infield prospect in the system, played 13 games with Tiburones and posted a .303/.378/.455/.833 line. Sanchez will be a key player to watch in the spring at age 22, and he has the defensive tools for all three skill infield positions as well.
Outfielder Brandon Short, coming off an injury that resulted in missing most of the 2012 season, only played in 7 games for Tiburones and posted a .160/.192/.280/.472 line. With the stack of young outfielders coming up behind him in the system, he’ll need a big 2013 at AAA Charlotte to stay on the radar.
Speaking of young outfielders, Jose Martinez put up numbers much like his recent MiLB seasons: .275/.315/.353/.668, 9 K vs 3 BB in 16 games. He also made 6 errors, and like his teammate Short, he’s getting lapped by other OF prospects in the system.
Catching prospect Miguel Gonzalez put up a .273/.367/.351/.717 offensive line, and the high IsoBB is nice to see. He’ll be 22 this upcoming season, and in a system mostly barren of catching prospects, still has a chance to make his mark.
Reliever Ryan Kussmaul put up the kind of solid numbers in Venezuela that he’s been putting up throughout his minor league career: 1.69 ERA, sub-1 WHIP, 12 strikeouts in 10.2 innings. He’ll be 26 this season (despite having only 3 years in the minors), and probably be part of Charlotte’s bullpen, hoping for an opportunity.
Another 26 year old reliever ticketed for Charlotte, Dan Remenowsky, got into just 4 games for Tigres: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K. He’s in much the same boat as Kussmaul, although he’s had more time in the high minors.
DOMINICAN
Jhan Marinez, who has an outside shot at making the Sox pen after a solid 2012 season, got roughed up a bit in 11 outings: 7.2 IP, 11 H, 7 ER, 3 BB, 7 K.
Another reliever with a shot at the Sox pen, Leyson Septimo, was similarly unimpressive in 7 outings: 3.2 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 K. He showed some flashes of talent in 2012, but he’s behind at least Donnie Veal if not others for a lefty-specialist bullpen spot.
PUERTO RICO
LHP Hector Santiago, who will likely be with the White Sox in the bullpen or as a starter this season, pitched for Gigantes de Carolina, and looked pretty good doing so. In 5 games, he posted a 1.86 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and struck out 24 batters in 29 innings. He did however walk 13, which is a little higher than you’d like to see.
Hector’s brother Anthony, a 23 year old righty who pitched for Rookie affiliate Bristol last season, didn’t fare as well: 4.1 IP, 6 H, 8 ER, 6 BB, 2 K.
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