Even though a minor league season is still planned to start in May, the Schaumburg alternate site is back in 2021. Now we also know the players who are heading there.
While the location is the same, the personnel is very different this year. Last year, the alternate site was loaded up with prospects so White Sox coaches could work to develop high-priority players. Matthew Thompson, Andrew Dalquist and Jared Kelley, recent high school draft picks, were in Schaumburg.
This year, the alternate site is basically the Charlotte Knights’ roster. There are a couple notable exclusions from the group, but the White Sox have a full 26-man roster in Schaumburg.
RHP (12): Zack Burdi, Ryan Burr, Will Carter, Danny Dopico, Tayron Guerrero, Tyler Johnson, Reynaldo López, Kade McClure, Alex McRae, Connor Sadzeck, Jonathan Stiever, Mike Wright
LHP (2): Kodi Medeiros, Nik Turley
C (2): Carlos Pérez, Seby Zavala
INF (6): Tim Beckham, Marco Hernández, Danny Mendick, Zach Remillard, Matt Reynolds, Gavin Sheets
OF (4): Luis González, Mikie Mahtook, Blake Rutherford, Nick Williams
There are seven top 30 prospects from our preseason list in this group (Burdi, Johnson, McClure, Stiever, Sheets, Gonzalez, Rutherford). Of those seven, only Sheets and McClure were not at the alternate site last year. Both have seen their stock rise after Sheets has been working in the outfield and McClure impressed scouts in fall instructional ball with an uptick in velocity.
For the most part, though, it’s clear that this is essentially a Triple-A roster. There’s positional balance, experience and some prospects. It was expected it would look something like this because the players in the lower levels in the minors are in spring training now. Only MLB and Triple-A players, for the most part, were in Cactus League action in March.
Stiever and McClure would be new to Triple-A and hadn’t even pitched in Double-A, although Stiever had two appearances in the majors last year. Sheets, Gonzalez and Rutherford would be moving up from Double-A in 2019.
The most notable absences are Jimmy Lambert and Micker Adolfo, who were both in big league camp for a portion of spring training. James Fegan of The Athletic had an update on their status.
The alternate site team is scheduled to play the Chicago Cubs’ alternate site team for nine games in April. Four games will be at Wintrust Field in Schaumburg, one in Guaranteed Rate Field and four in South Bend, where the Cubs’ alternate site is.
Here’s the full planned schedule:
April 13, 1 p.m. CT, Wintrust Field
April 15, time TBD, South Bend
April 17, 1 p.m. CT, South Bend
April 19, 1 p.m. CT, Guaranteed Rate Field
April 21, 1 p.m. CT, South Bend
April 24, 1 p.m. CT, Wintrust Field
April 26, 1 p.m. CT, South Bend
April 28, 1 p.m. CT, Wintrust Field
April 30, noon CT, Wintrust Field
So far only the April 17 game, which is a Saturday, will be open to fans. Additionally, the White Sox indicated that they are considering opening select games in Schaumburg to fans. The game at Guaranteed Rate Field will be closed to the public.
Having a nine-game schedule in the space of less than three weeks will allow these players to be somewhat fresh in case they are called upon by the big league club.
The minor league season is scheduled to begin for all four full season levels on May 4.
Photo credit: Sean Williams/FutureSox
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