Everyone was extremely excited about the baseball season getting under way. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has taken precedence in these times and we’re all scrambling to think about what could have been. The White Sox were about to embark on a season of contention for the first time in many years. The foundation has been laid and the bearing of fruit has begun. Some of the organization’s top prospects were expected to descend upon Chicago, while others are knocking on the doorstep of the major leagues.
Some top prospects were expected to chase Rookie of the Year honors, while others were anticipating their first taste of professional baseball. Certain hitters will enjoy the launching pad in Charlotte, whereas others will endure the challenge of the Southern League once again. The organization is littered with high-upside pitchers returning from injury, and hitters looking to rebound from offensive struggles. Can once-promising prospects rebound and improve some of their prospect shine once and for all? Will the White Sox as an organization be healthier than ever once baseball actually begins?
Ulnar collateral ligaments have been repaired, hamate bones have been fixed and achilles tendons are now fully attached. The franchise is finally in a solid place in regards to injuries and time appears to be on their side for once. Which of the young players will ascend and put themselves on the map? Can some of these pitchers with high leverage upside fly through the system? How will the player development and coaching staff alterations affect change positively throughout the organization? Will more international talent be added to the organization and will the draft philosophy start to look different?
These are just some of the storylines that our writers were looking forward to seeing unfold prior to the world stopping in its tracks.
Michael Kopech’s Innings Limit and Major League Usage
After sitting out the entire 2019 season due to Tommy John surgery, 2020 is supposed to mark Michael Kopech’s reintroduction to the White Sox. Despite being optioned to Charlotte after spring training was halted, Kopech’s tenure in Charlotte shouldn’t be long. With that being said, there are two looming questions surrounding the young fireballer; how many innings will he throw in 2020 and how many of those innings will be at the major league level?
Beginning with the innings limit, Michael Kopech had thrown a total of 140.2 IP in 2018 before undergoing surgery. For example, Lance Lynn and Andrew Heaney have both come back after Tommy John and threw 180+ innings in their first full season back, but of course all pitchers don’t recover and are handled the same.
Kopech was throwing “without restrictions” during camp, but the White Sox proceeded cautiously in regards to game usage in Spring Training, as he made one appearance for one inning but did touch 100+ MPH several times in that outing. Pitch counts early in the season could ultimately hinder the total amount of IP accrued in 2020, but it’s not unfathomable to believe that the young Texan could surpass the 150+ IP mark if a full season of baseball is to be played.
Under the belief of a full season of baseball being played, the 23-year-old could be given as long as he needs to shake off the rust in Charlotte. While him pitching in Charlotte and dominating off the bat would be preferred, it’s plausible that he does need a bit of an adjustment period after not playing in real game situations for over a year. It’s a conservative approach to the handling of Kopech, but letting him demonstrate when he’s ready to come back to the majors would be understandable.
Contrarily, if the season were shortened, would that be the impetus to accelerate Kopech’s return to the major leagues?
While Kopech would (theoretically) still begin his season in the minors, it’s feasible that the White Sox wouldn’t hesitate to promote him after early success. When factoring in the team’s recent shift in philosophy, it wouldn’t be very beneficial for the major league club to have one of it’s most talented pitchers not on the team. If the White Sox did want to keep a closer eye on the amount he throws, he can be deployed as a reliever or even as an “opener”, but Kopech should be with the big club sooner rather than later.
What Kind of Impact will Nick Madrigal Have in Chicago?
Playing across three minor league levels and finishing the season with the Charlotte Knights capped off a successful first full professional season for Nick Madrigal. The Oregon State product’s defensive prowess was on full display as he won a minor league gold glove and his ability to avoid striking out at the plate was ever apparent as he recorded a 3.0 K% in 2019 across all levels. Madrigal is expected to be the second baseman for the White Sox for the majority of the 2020 season, but how effective will he be when he makes it to Chicago?
As previously mentioned, Madrigal is considered a very sound and capable second baseman defensively. The White Sox had gold glove play out of their second baseman in 2019 and can expect to see high level defensive play out of Madrigal at the keystone. He has great instincts on the dirt with solid hands and quick actions.
The biggest question surrounding the Californian is what will he show with the bat at the major league level against far superior pitching?
Madrigal’s 2019 offensive season was successful as his numbers did improve during his progression through the high minors. He’s known for his elite contact ability, however, his ability to hit any power is in question. Of Madrigal’s 147 total hits, 36 went for extra bases, which equated to a .414 SLG % for the season.
Madrigal’s game power is considered to be well below average. He doesn’t need to sell out for power, but displaying an ability to drive the ball will keep pitchers and opposing defenses honest. In order to exceed his projection as a solid floor, lower ceiling big league regular, improvements in power are crucial to the impact that Madrigal will ultimately make in his tenure in Chicago.
Will Bernardo Flores make his Major League Debut in 2020?
After being selected in the seventh round of the 2016 MLB draft out of Southern California, Bernardo Flores has become an intriguing prospect with a unique skill set. For what Flores lacks in velocity and strikeout numbers, he possesses good control, fielding skills, and controls the running game well.
Flores’ projection is that of a back end rotation starter, and while that may not be the most exciting type of projection, teams always look for and need starting pitching depth. The 24-year-old could provide depth for the White Sox with a command based repertoire. Throwing from the left side is always an added bonus.
After being added to the 40-man roster this offseason, Flores was optioned back to Birmingham, marking what would be his third stint with the club. Flores has shown success in Birmingham over the past two seasons, but will he be able to show enough to make his major league debut in 2020?
Currently, there are 22 pitchers on the 40-man roster; 10 of which are full time starting pitchers. Of those 10 starting pitchers, four are coming back from recent Tommy John surgeries. Flores may hold an advantage if the White Sox have a need for a starter early in the season and want to slow play the return of Michael Kopech.
Will Jose Rodriguez Skip Great Falls and make his Full Season Debut?
Jose Rodriguez made his stateside debut in 2019 and turned several heads. The 18-year-old showed improved power, more elevation on batted balls, and finished with a 121 wRC+ and an .834 OPS in the AZL. So where does the middle infield prospect head to next in the journey to the major leagues?
Rodriguez could be assigned to Great Falls, which would be an age appropriate assignment for the Dominican product. Recently, the White Sox have sent fellow international signing Lenyn Sosa through Great Falls before getting a shot at full season baseball in Kannapolis in 2019.
Contrarily, judging some other prospect assignments under Chris Getz, the White Sox hold no qualms about advancing a prospect they feel is up to the task. Rodriguez showed he was up for the challenge of stateside baseball in 2019, so will he be up to the challenge of full season baseball in 2020?
As it turns out, there is smoke to the idea of Rodriguez heading to Kannapolis to kick off the 2020 season (whenever that may be). Rodriguez’s strong showing in 2019, his rise in the system paired with a lack of lower level middle infield prospects and some recent minor league transactions point to the challenge of full season ball being next for Rodriguez.
Will Benyamin Bailey’s plate patience and approach continue in stateside ball?
Outside of Luis Robert, it can be argued that no other batter in the White Sox system made a name for themselves quite like Benyamin Bailey did in 2019. Bailey’s debut season got off to a scorching hot start and he ended his first season as a professional with a marvelous 166 wRC+ in the DSL.
Bailey demonstrated a great knowledge of the strikezone and patient approach at the plate in 2019. The then 17-year-old Bailey led the entire DSL with a .477 OBP and a 21.4 BB%, 16.5 K%, and a 1.30 BB/K. A looming question is will Bailey be able to continue this approach in 2020 when he debuts stateside?
For reference, looking over how the 2018 top five in Dominican Summer League OBP fared in their next assignments shed some light on the topic. In most cases, the players still demonstrated an ability to reach base, but facing stiffer competition made it more challenging. All five of these players saw regression in their BB% the following season while their K% increased, some more drastic than others.
In the end, what can be drawn from a quick look into the past performances of a handful of OBP leaders from the DSL and how does it relate to Bailey?
Considering the stiffer competition stateside, it’s natural to think that he would need some time to adapt to the higher level of play. While regression in both BB% and K% is likely, that shouldn’t mean Bailey’s patience and plate approach will be abandoned. A player possessing an understanding and knowledge of the strike zone like Bailey can use that to their advantage while becoming familiar with the new level of competition.
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