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.
HOW CHALLENGING WILL KANNAPOLIS PROVE TO BE FOR FOR SOME YOUNG PROSPECTS?
Dominican outfielders Luis Mieses and Anderson Comas both hit left handed and were part of the club’s 2016 international haul. Baseball America has them ranked as the 20th and 23rd overall prospects in the White Sox system as well. The 20-year-olds struggled in Advanced Rookie Great Falls last year, but they were still slated to begin the 2020 season in Kannapolis with the Cannon Ballers. Comas struggled mightily with the Voyagers last year. He posted a 55 wRC+ in just over 200 plate appearances with a 28.6% strikeout rate. He did hit .306/.339/.388 as an 18-year-old in the AZL not long ago, however.
Mieses has struggled offensively since signing, but he profiles as an athletic corner outfielder. The 6’3″ 185 pounder posted a 61 wRC+ with 4 homers in an environment suited for powerful offense last year. 2018 draft picks Cabera Weaver and Lency Delgado are in this group as well. Weaver is a R/R centerfielder with plus defense and run grades. After posting a 112 wRC+ in the AZL as a rookie, he hit .254/.317/.377 with the Voyagers in 2019. He was a 7th round pick out of a Georgia High School two years ago.
Lency Delgado was selected in the 4th round of the 2018 draft out of a Miami area high school. The 6’3″ 215 pounder could stick at shortstop and was lauded for his raw power. The 20-year-old has struggled with the bat so far as a professional. He’ll need to improve on his 37.5% strikeout rate. Chris Getz has promoted young players in aggressive fashion at times, and these four were scheduled to begin the season with Kannapolis in Low-A.
WHAT NOTICEABLE IMPACT WILL PLAYER DEVELOPMENT CHANGES HAVE ON THE ORGANIZATION?
Everett Teaford and Ben Broussard were named as Pitching and Hitting Coordinators for the organization respectively. Ryan Johansen was promoted to a more prominent role as Assistant Hitting Coordinator for the franchise. The organization underwent a makeover, headlined by the appointing of Ben Hansen as the new Senior Biomechanical Engineer. There were changes in coaching assignments as well, with pitching wunderkind Matt Zaleski moving to Charlotte, up and coming manager Justin Jirschele relocating to Birmingham and new pitching coach Danny Farquhar starting in Winston-Salem.
There were numerous changes in player development, and the Chicago White Sox franchise looks like a modern program for the first time in awhile. Ben Hansen’s impact on the organization likely wouldn’t be noticed by outsiders this soon but his presence was already being discussed in camp. On a recent edition of the FutureSox podcast, Matt Spiegel of 670 the Score discussed some of the positive developments occurring in Glendale. Reports of players like Jake Burger hitting off of force plates in the technology room at Camelback Ranch, and an increase of data retention devices overall in camp, are a sign of the times for an organization trying to catch up to the industry.
Discussing some of these changes with players and team personnel was something that we were looking forward to in advance of the 2020 minor league season. The organization is in a good place in the realm of player development and Chris Getz has spearheaded much of the change that has taken place.
WILL CATCHER JEFFERSON MENDOZA MAKE HIS STATESIDE DEBUT?
Venezuelan catcher Jefferson Mendoza was expected to make his stateside debut in 2020, likely with the organization’s affiliate in the Arizona League. The 19-year-old increased each of his triple slash-line categories by more than 95 points in 2019. The 6’0″ 185 pound right-handed hitting backstop slashed .305/.391/.484 in 33 games in the Dominican Summer League. Over 110 plate appearances, Mendoza posted a .420 wOBA with a 141 wRC+. He struck out 25% of the time, but walked at an almost 10% clip.
Mendoza was a member of the 2017 international signing class and he was lauded for his experience behind the plate as a 16-year-old. He’s an excellent blocker with plus receiving abilities. His arm is plus as well, and he possesses advanced defensive skills overall. The righty shows a middle-of-the-field approach and he could develop develop average power. Mendoza has a sturdy frame and Baseball America states that he has the upside to be a “solid second-division catcher”. The backstop struggled in 2018, with one of his issues being that he swings at bad pitches too often. The White Sox have a group of young catchers that should be interesting to follow and Jefferson Mendoza is a member of that group.
WHAT STRATEGY WILL THE FRONT OFFICE EMPLOY FOR THE 2020 DRAFT?
The White Sox haven’t selected a prep pitcher in the first round since 2001, but that could change this year. Texas prep right-hander Jared Kelley is a rumored target, and it’d be a significant deviation for the organization of late. Shortstop Ed Howard of Mount Carmel High School is another rumored name often mentioned, but his lack of playing this spring could push him down the board. In last year’s draft under Nick Hostetler, the franchise added eight high school talents to the mix. Mike Shirley has worked for the Chicago White Sox in some fashion for the past 20 years. The 2020 draft will be his first as the man in charge though.
The new scouting director spoke effusively and with excitement during January’s SoxFest and his energy was palpable. In his seminar, he indicated that the club will be more prep-focused going forward and spoke to the importance of adding pitchers who are capable of starting in the future. With changes coming to the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft, it would be easy for the organization to revert back to comfortability and just select the best college player on the board at #11. Teams also select the best player on the board at the top of round one; this year will be no different. The farm system as a whole though is in a place where adding premium prep talent makes loads of sense going forward.
WHEN WILL NORGE VERA PITCH FOR A WHITE SOX AFFILIATE?
The Chicago White Sox reached agreement with Cuban right hander Norge Vera back in February, with the deal initially reported by Kiley McDaniel of ESPN. The agreement is for $1.5 million and the deal is supposed to become official on July 2nd. The 19-year-old projectable righty stands at 6’4″ and weighs around 185 pounds. He projects as a #3 starter and displays a fastball in the low-mid nineties with a changeup and slider in his arsenal as well. He was listed as the #5 overall prospect in the 2019 international signing class according to MLB Pipeline.
Vera should officially become a member of the White Sox organization on July 2nd, as long as the signing period doesn’t get pushed back to a later date. He can pitch in Tricky League games in the Dominican and he was already at the club’s facility in Boca Chica. If there’s a Dominican Summer League season, Vera will likely get some work in toward the end of the year. If not, he should make his stateside debut with the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers of the South Atlantic League in 2021.
WILL THE WHITE SOX SIGN OSCAR COLAS OR YOELQUI CESPEDES DURING THE INTERNATIONAL SIGNING PERIOD?
International bonus pools are staying flat from 2019 instead of increasing incrementally as usual. The White Sox should have right around $5.4 million to spend in the international marketplace and a significant chunk of that capital is already committed to prospects in the upcoming class. Cuban righty Norge Vera will sign for $1.5 million. They’ve also reached agreement with 6 other prospects from Venezuela and the Dominican Republic for around $1.8 million. That leaves the club with right around $2 million to spend. Is that enough money to sign one of Cespedes or Colas?
I reported back in February that the White Sox are interested in signing Cuban outfielder Oscar Colas. Colas is a 6’1″ 200 left-handed masher that pitches as well. Colas recently hit .302/.350/.516 with 11 home runs in the Japanese League. His signing is currently on hold, but the White Sox are seemingly in the mix. Yoelqui Cespedes is another Cuban outfielder that interests Marco Paddy and the Chicago White Sox as well. Cespedes is 22-years-old and wouldn’t need a ton of minor league seasoning. With only $2 million to spend, and the inability to acquire more space, it’s unlikely that the organization could add both players. However, according to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, who joined the FutureSox podcast recently, it should be enough for one of them.
CAN RECENT INTERNATIONAL SIGNINGS ELIJAH TATIS AND CHRISTIAN MENA MAKE NOISE IN THE SYSTEM?
Cristian Mena and Elijah Tatis were both members of the 2019 international signing class for the Pale Hose. Mena was signed for $250K out of the Dominican Republic without much fanfare. The 16-year-old righty possesses starter traits and a projectable body. Ben Badler of Baseball America noted his “relatively easy delivery and feel for a three pitch mix”. Mena is a “solid strike thrower with a 91 mph fastball, power breaking ball and feel for a changeup”. The 6’2″ 170-pounder already shows a high spin rate curveball. Badler also joined the FutureSox podcast earlier this year. He raved about Mena’s “positive projection indicators and feel for spin”.
Here’s some nasty stuff on display from Mena courtesy of Baseball America
Elijah Tatis is the younger brother of Padres’ star and former White Sox farmhand Fernando Tatis Jr. and the son of longtime big leaguer Fernando Tatis. The 18-year-old infielder signed for $400K and waited to do so until the White Sox had the necessary resources to officially make it happen. The organization sent Tatis out to the Dominican Summer League for his first season. He hit just .187/.300/.213 with 13 walks in 25 games.
Tatis should stay at shortstop due to his soft hands, footwork and field awareness. He also possesses average speed and slightly above-average arm grades as well. At signing, the infielder was listed at 5″11″ and 155 pounds, so he didn’t have his brother’s physical power. He does show a simple, repeatable swing from the right side. He also possesses a solid eye for the strike zone. Some new video taken this year also shows that substantial mass has been added to his frame since signing with the White Sox.
Photo credit: Sean Williams/FutureSox