Two months of the minor league schedules are now in the books. In this first week of June edition of the White Sox Minor League News and Notes, three injured White Sox pitchers are sent on rehab assignments, White Sox minor leaguers of the month for May are named and the White Sox scouting department prepares for next week’s amateur draft. In addition, we will get you caught up on the happenings, news, notes and transactions regarding the White Sox minor leaguers and affiliates.
Rehab Assignments
As the injuries continue to pile up for the White Sox, pitching in particular, three mainstays of the White Sox staff may be headed back to Chicago soon after brief trips to the minors for rehab assignments. RHPs Jake Petricka and James Shields each made rehab appearances for Charlotte over the weekend, while LHP Carlos Rodon will make a rehab start for Winston-Salem on Tuesday.
Petricka, out with a strained right lat muscle in his back since the beginning of April, pitched a scoreless inning of relief for the Knights on Friday. His second rehab appearance didn’t go quite as smoothly though, as he gave up two runs on four hits in two innings of work on Sunday.
Shields, who has also been out with a strained right lat muscle in his back since April 16, allowed three runs (one earned) with three strikeouts in a four-inning start for Charlotte on Saturday. In three starts with the White Sox prior to the injury, Shields was 1-0 with a 1.62 ERA.
Rodon, who has not pitched since spring training, will make his first rehab start of the season on Tuesday for Winston-Salem. Rodon has spent the last two months in Arizona recovering from left biceps bursitis. Rodon was 9-10 with 4.04 ERA last season for the White Sox.
Transactions
Charlotte
- White Sox recall RHP Brad Goldberg
- Disabled LHP Giovanni Soto
- RHPs Petricka and Shields sent on rehab assignments to Charlotte
- LHP Colton Turner assigned to Charlotte from Birmingham
- RHP Max Beatty assigned to Charlotte from Winston-Salem; Beatty was then reassigned back to Winston-Salem. Again.
Birmingham
- Activated C Alfredo Gonzalez, RHP Jordan Stephens and 1B Telvin Nash from the disabled list
- Disabled C Chris O’Dowd
Winston-Salem
- RHP Kelvis Valerio assigned to Winston-Salem from Charlotte
- RHP Lane Hobbs assigned to Winston-Salem, then sent back to Kannapolis
- Disabled RHP Aron McRee
- LHP Rodon sent on a rehab assignment to Winston-Salem
Kannapolis
- RHP Lane Hobbs assigned back to Kannapolis from Winston-Salem
For the Record
- The Knights enter action today with a record of 26-29, good for third place in the International League South (8 games out of first) after a 1-5 week. Charlotte won the first game of the road trip at Syracuse, before dropping five in a row to the Chiefs and Buffalo. The bright spots of the week, were the rehab start by Shields and the continued hot-hitting of Cody Asche. Asche homered three times and drove in 11 runs last week and is hitting .400 with five home runs and 17 RBI since his mid-May demotion from Chicago. Charlotte returns home tonight for a three-game homestand versus Durham before heading back out on the road for four games at Gwinnett.
- The Barons only managed to play five games last week, as the weather has not cooperated as of late. Birmingham finished the week 3-2 (19-35 overall) and remains in last place of the Southern League North. RHP Jordan Stephens was named the SL Pitcher of the Week after pitching six scoreless innings on Saturday in his 2017 (and AA) debut after suffering an injury in spring training. Other highlights of the week included strong pitching performances by Michael Kopech (10 strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings vs. Chattanooga on Wednesday) and Jordan Guerrero (one-run over seven innings on Friday) and a walk-off single by defensive stalwart Mason Robbins. The Barons continue to try to finish the road trip with Chattanooga that has been disrupted by weather, before heading home to face Mobile.
- The Dash finished their week 2-3 (19-37 overall) and remain in last place in the Carolina League Southern Division. Dane Dunning remains perfect for the season (4-0 overall combined between Kannapolis and W-S) after turning in a strong performance for the Dash as he allowed two runs on six hits over 6 2/3 innings in his longest start since his promotion to the Dash. Winston-Salem finished their road trip at Carolina, before opening a seven-game homestand against Salem and Down East.
- Kannapolis has also dealt with some weather issues recently, finishing last week 3-3 (29-25 overall). Highlights of the week included three consecutive wins over Hickory and Greensboro and strong starting outings by RHPs Alec Hansen (one run and seven strikeouts in six innings) and Yosmer Solorzano (one run and six strikeouts in seven innings) despite both games ending in losses. The Intimidators begin a seven-game road trip on Tuesday at Lakewood and Delmarva.
In Case You Missed It
- Recent free agent signee OF Luis Robert has reported to the White Sox Dominican Summer League Academy in Boca Chica, D.R. Robert also expressed his happiness about joining the White Sox organization in a special piece on MLB.com.
- Birmingham’s Kopech, along with hitters Jameson Fisher and Seby Zavala, were named Prospects of the Month for May.
- According to FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, the White Sox have agreed to a minor league contract with veteran relief pitcher Bobby Parnell.
- The White Sox scouting department prepares to add to the White Sox organizational talent next week in the amateur draft. White Sox scouting director Nick Hosteler has gone on record stating that the White Sox have a short list of six players (four college, two high school) that they are looking at with the #11 overall pick next Monday. As we stated last week, Virginia OF Adam Haseley, Vanderbilt OF Jeren Kendall and prep OF Jo Ballard from Louisville are believed to be on that short list, in addition to Florida RHP Alex Faedo and possibly others such as Virginia 1B Pavin Smith, prep LHP Trevor Rogers from New Mexico and North Carolina RHP J.B. Bukauskas.
- The Charlotte Observer highlighted Asche’s hot-hitting since his assignment to Charlotte.
- 1B Jose Abreu knows “he has to take care of” White Sox top prospect 2B Yoan Moncada according to Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times.
- Our own Rob Young got up-close and personal with some of the Winston-Salem Dash players and coaches on his recent trip around the minor leagues.
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