With Major League Baseball set to restart spring training with what they’re calling Summer Camp, there is finally some roster news to discuss.
The White Sox announced the 44-player roster they will bring to Summer Camp, which is set to start July 3.
This feels like a big league camp roster for the middle of spring training, after some cuts have been made. From the prospect perspective, 11 players from our preseason top 30 prospect rankings are included (a quarter of the roster).
Obviously, top prospect Luis Robert was expected to break camp with the team after signing a big league deal in the offseason. Players with MLB experience like Michael Kopech, Zack Collins and Ian Hamilton are also no surprise. Hamilton is looking for a bounce back season after multiple bad luck non-baseball injuries cost him most of 2019.
Kopech could end up being one of the beneficiaries from the shortened season and the delayed start. He had just made his spring training debut a couple days before the shutdown and clocked 100 on multiple pitches. In a 60-game season whatever inning restriction the White Sox had in mind for him will be impossible to reach anyway. They may still be cautious with him, but he should be able to contribute to the White Sox in a bigger way than he would have in a full season.
Speaking of Tommy John surgery returns, Dane Dunning and Jimmy Lambert are both on the Summer Camp roster. Both had some success with Double-A Birmingham and expected to return in the middle of the 2020 season. Well, July is only a couple days away so it’s the middle of what would have been the 2020 season.
It would be surprising to see either crack the White Sox rotation, but they could add bullpen depth. Either way, getting some live action in will be a significant boost to both when there likely won’t be a minor league season to ease them in.
Nick Madrigal was likely to be with the White Sox throughout spring training, but was unlikely to make the big league roster. Now, he has a chance to compete for the second base job with Leury Garcia and Danny Mendick. There’s a decent chance Madrigal would have been up with the big league club by now in a normal season. Maybe the White Sox give him the job now. It could depend on how sharp he looks in the ramp up to the regular season.
Andrew Vaughn and Luis Alexander Basabe are the two remaining position player prospects on the roster. Vaughn had a .970 OPS and five walks against four strikeouts in 29 plate appearances before spring training was halted. With Jose Abreu and Edwin Encarnacion on the roster ahead of him, it’s unlikely there’s a spot for Vaughn. If he does well in Summer Camp, he could be the first-choice injury replacement for first base/DH ahead of Zack Collins. The same logjam is probably why Gavin Sheets was not included despite playing 2019 at a higher level than Vaughn.
Basabe can capably play all three outfield positions and has some speed. He could be a decent depth option if the White Sox need it. That explains why he was included ahead of fellow outfield prospects like Micker Adolfo, Blake Rutherford and Luis Gonzalez.
In the bullpen, Tyler Johnson and Codi Heuer join Hamilton as intriguing candidates. The shortened season and a lack of minor league play could result in some starters getting innings out of the bullpen so there will be plenty of competition. That said, teams can never have enough pitching. It is noteworthy that this group made it while Zack Burdi did not.
Jonathan Stiever is the highest ranked prospect not included on the Summer Camp roster. Recent draft picks Garrett Crochet and Jared Kelley were also not included. All three are reasonable candidates for taxi squad spots, but it remains to be seen how teams will use those spots.
Want to know right away when we publish a new article? Type your email address in the box on the right-side bar (or at the bottom, if on a mobile device) and click the “create subscription” button. Our list is completely spam free, and you can opt out at any time. Also, consider supporting FutureSox on Patreon! You can get early access to special articles and Patreon-only posts, in addition to more benefits you can read about here.
Pingback: Minor League Baseball season is officially canceled in 2020 - Futuresox
Pingback: Garrett Crochet highlights White Sox taxi squad roster - Futuresox