The White Sox called up former third-round pick Luis Gonzalez on Monday. The team announced the move along with fellow outfielder Adam Engel heading to the injured list.
FutureSox’s Clinton Cole first reported Gonzalez’s promotion.
The White Sox entered Monday with no room on the 40-man roster, but Engel’s move to the IL was related to COVID-19, therefore he will not be taking up a spot on the 40-man roster.
Gonzalez had been in Schaumburg with the taxi squad and will be with the team for Monday night’s game. With the purchase of his contract, the White Sox will employ the outfielder on their 40-man roster and if he stays there, will protect him from December’s Rule 5 draft.
The outfielder who shares a name with the hero of the 2001 World Series was a third-round pick of the White Sox out of New Mexico in 2017. Gonzalez came into the season ranked as our No. 14 prospect in the system, and the No. 5 outfielder in the system.
He gets the call after Luis Alexander Basabe was designated for assignment and then traded to the San Francisco Giants just over a week ago. Gonzalez also gets the call ahead of Blake Rutherford and Micker Adolfo, who are also outfield prospects in Schaumburg. Gonzalez gives a bit more defensive flexibility as someone who can play center field.
The Arizona native had a banner year in 2018, batting .307 with 14 home runs across Low-A and High-A. Gonzalez spent all of 2019 in Double-A Birmingham, hitting .247 with nine home runs in an infamous pitchers’ park.
Gonzalez grades out as an average center fielder and he features a strong arm. He has also been a threat on the basepaths before, swiping 10 bags in 2018. The 24-year-old also has good bat to ball skills and strikes out a clip well below league average.
Gonzalez has spoken very highly of the White Sox development team and the relationships he has formed with other prospects and the White Sox coaches. Gonzalez had said in the past year he felt ready to play at the highest level. Now he will get his chance.
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I still don’t see how the Sox didn’t get anything for Basabe. He became the number 14 prospect for the Giants who claimed him. Nothing for a number 14 top prospect? What do think about that David? Anyhow, being a big minor league fan I’m glad another one has made it. Skipping Triple-A will be tough on him but I like this kid. That is until the ball popped out of his glove. Oops.