Weekly White Sox Minor League News & Notes, 4/30 to 5/6

There’s a lot of cool stuff going on down on the White Sox farm, but let’s for a moment bask in the glory of the team’s top prospect, Eloy Jimenez. After going 0 for his first 10 on returning from injury, Eloy has hit .373 with a whopping .763 SLG in 14 games. He is tied for the league lead in home runs at six, despite playing about half as many games as most of the circuit. He was named the Southern League Player of the Week just to top it off. In short, he’s dominating.

As we hinted last week, he may not be long for the Barons. The money is on him reaching Chicago later this year, probably with a stop in Charlotte in between. 14 games is a small sample, but he tore it up here last year two, and if he keeps this up there’s just no good reason to keep him in AA much longer.
Prospect Performance Highlights
Beyond Jimenez’ big week we already covered, a few others jump-out numbers from the past week (we’ll hit more tomorrow with the Hot Prospects list) are below. There’s a backstop theme…

• C Evan Skoug, after hitting far below .200 for much of April, he went on a tear: .294/.429/.941, 3 HR
• C Kevan Smith is making his case to return to the big leagues, hitting .421 with 3 HR in five games
• C Zack Collins posted a ridiculous .60o OBP in six contests, drawing nine walks
• OF Craig Dedelow not only hit .393 on the week, he only struck out twice in 28 PA. He also posted the rare triple-triple, with three three-baggers on the week.
• LHP Dylan Cease was filthy in two starts: 13 IP, 10 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 18 K
• RHP Lincoln Henzman keeps getting outs, as shown in his start: 7 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, generated 13 ground balls

Transactions
Recalled

• LHP Jace Fry returned to Chicago

Optioned

• RHP Juan Minaya to Charlotte

Activated

• INF Bryant Flete from DL for Birmingham

Promoted / Demoted

• LHP Kyle Kubat was promoted from Winston-Salem to Charlotte, very briefly, then sent back to the Dash a couple days later
• OF Mason Robbins from Birmingham to Charlotte

Released

• RHP Andres Sanchez, last with AZL

Team Performances

• The Charlotte Knights went 2-5 in the last week, and now stand at 12-17 on the year putting them in 3rd place in the International League South (5 GB). The constant roster churn and a lack of elite prospects make it difficult for the AAA club to sustain any kind of run, but some of the top prospects from AA could improve things in the next few months.
• The Birmingham Barons fared slightly better at 3-3, giving them a 12-14 overall record and seeing them in 4th place in the Southern League North (5.5 games back). The Barons had been on an offensive roll, scoring 29 runs in four games to open the week, but then lost their last two while scoring only a combined three runs. They’ve got the talent to be competitive, so don’t sleep on this team.
• The Winston-Salem Dash had a very good week, going 5-1 to push their season record to 17-13. The Dash now sit just one game back of the lead in the Carolina League South Division. The team is known more for it’s hitting prospects (especially in the outfield), but in those five wins the pitching staff allowed just ten runs. This team is very much in the thick of a chase for a playoff spot.
• Notice a theme? That the performances keep getting better as we move down the system? Sure enough, the Intimidators went a perfect 6-0 in the last week of games and (as of this writing, just as their day game is starting) the team is 20-10 and tied for first in the Northern Division of the South Atlantic League. The Intimidators lineup continues to get it done, scoring 46 runs in those 6 contests. Five of the team’s batters are hitting over .300 and three have OBP’s over .400.

News and Notes

• Luis Alexander Basabe and Michael Kopech took home White Sox Prospect of the Month honors for April
• Jimenez and Cease both made the weekly Baseball America Prospect Hot Sheet
• Micker Adolfo was named the Carolina League Player of the Month for April
• Ken Sawilchik published a travel guide of sorts, for any of you Chicago readers who are considering taking in a game from one of the White Sox farm teams, but need it to be a short trip
• The latest FS Podcast featured MLB.com writer Scott Merkin and outfielder Charlie Tilson
• In the last of the in-person reports series from April, we Emptied the Notebook looking at nine A-ball pitchers with lots of video
• Our MLB Draft coverage starts this week, so keep your eyes peeled for that content

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