Monday evening saw the White Sox hold an intrasquad game at their alternate site in Schaumburg. Several prospects saw game action, and the tools were on full display. In no particular order, here are some takeaways from the action.
Jake Burger
After getting some much needed reps in the CarShield Collegiate League, Jake Burger was added to the White Sox alternate site roster last week. Burger was a full participant in the pregame ramp up and looked like he hadn’t missed a beat. He was driving the ball all over the field, running at full speed, made strong throws and moved well in the field.
Burger’s calling card was very apparent on Monday night. He sent balls soaring over the outfield fence during BP and hard contact followed his ABs into the game. The contact was loud and booming, showing that the talent is still there in his bat.
Andrew Vaughn
News flash, Andrew Vaughn can really hit. The prowess with the bat was evident during spring training, Summer Camp and now he’s carried it over to Schaumburg. He displayed easy power during BP and the ability to spray balls to all fields, seemingly at will.
During the game, Vaughn showed to be a patient hitter, fouling off pitches until he was able to find something that he could drive.
Even the out he made vs. Jose Ruiz was hit on the screws, but just happened to be right at the center fielder. Vaughn is going to make an exciting addition to the White Sox lineup, whenever it is that he gets the call.
Jonathan Stiever and Tyler Johnson
Jonathan Stiever was the main starter for the intrasquad game. He went up against a rotation of Cheslor Cuthbert, Yermin Mercedes, Blake Rutherford and Nicky Delmonico. It was stiff competition at times and they did make solid contact, but Stiever was also able to hold his own against the White Sox quartet.
While not being privy to a radar gun, Stiever made the ball pop loudly in Seby Zavala’s mitt several times. The breaking stuff was evident and looked sharp at times, but Stiever was also hit hard by the quartet. Stiever was injured during spring training, so seeing him start the intrasquad game and go “the distance” is a welcomed sign for him and his development.
Tyler Johnson saw some game action as well on Monday night. He logged a couple of punch-outs in the contest in which his stuff looked sharp. Delmonico sent a ball into the trees beyond the center field fence, and a screamer up the middle ultimately ended the scrimmage.
Johnson’s stuff was loud to the mitt and it’s easy to see why the White Sox like the potential in his arm. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him in the White Sox bullpen at some point in the future.
Nick Madrigal
Nick Madrigal is in Schaumburg working his way back from a separated shoulder. In the field, he looked smooth and made strong throws and quick turns on double plays. One of Madrigal’s calling cards, his elite contact skills, were evident during his BP.
However, once the game got underway, Madrigal decided to showcase something special. Madrigal sent a Bennett Sousa pitch (at least) halfway up the video board in left field. The ball was absolutely CRUSHED and he received several audible yells for that effort.
Judging by the way he seemed to be playing with no restrictions, a return to the White Sox seems imminent.
Blake Rutherford
In addition to the 80-grade lettuce flowing from his helmet, Blake Rutherford has bulked up, and the newfound muscle and strength is carrying over to his ABs. Throughout Rutherford’s BP sessions, he was making solid contact and showing the ability to drive the ball all over the field.
Rutherford’s fantastic ABs carried over into game action as well. He ripped a home run down the RF line off of Stiever, and in his next AB, shot a line drive RBI single into LF. All in all, Rutherford was one of the more impressive players of the night.
Quick Tidbits
- Although I didn’t seem him throwing, Carlos Rodon was in attendance, working his way back from injury
- I saw Dane Dunning get some brief PFP work in
- Micker Adolfo’s tools are evident when he’s at the dish and Yermin is still crushing the ball
- Garrett Crochet, Jared Kelley, Matthew Thompson and Andrew Dalquist all threw side sessions
- The utilization of high speed cameras and other advanced technological tools was evident, with players referencing them in real time
- Seby Zavala drove the ball extremely well during the intrasquad game
- Lefties Bennett Sousa and Jacob Lindgren as well as righties Drew Anderson and Jose Ruiz saw game action
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What does Yermin Mercedes have to do to get called up?
Encarnacion and one of our catchers have to go on the DL. IMHO, Mercedes and Jake Burger are DH candidates. My thought is Mercedes is ready to DH now! Burger is a 2021/2022 DH candidate. Encarnacion should retire (strikes out a lot, has diminished HR power, can barely run the bases w/o injuring himself or injuring the team, his BA is awful)!
I think it would definitely take an injury or two at the major league level for Yermin to make his return to the big club.
Who, besides Zavala and Mercedes, is catching all these guys?
They have two bullpen catchers there to help out with the workload.
Any update on Lambert?
I could be wrong, but I believe he’s not throwing yet.
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