This series will recap the performances of each White Sox minor league affiliate throughout the week. Here is the second installment of the 2022 season.
Charlotte Knights (6-6)
Weekly Record: 3-3
This week, Charlotte welcomed the Memphis Redbirds to Truist Field. The series started off rocky for the Knights, but fortunately they were able to recover and work a series split with the Redbirds. Charlotte now sits in fifth place and three games back in the International League East Division.
The Knights offense had an overall successful week against Memphis pitching. Charlotte knocked around Redbird pitching to the tune of a .263/.330/.502 slash line, an .832 OPS. The other key stats: 43 runs scored, 55 hits in 209 at bats, 11 doubles, no triples, 13 home runs, 18 walks to 57 strikeouts, stole five bases while getting caught stealing twice. Complete season totals for the Knights offense can be found here.
The Charlotte pitching staff woes carried over this week against Redbird batters. Knights pitching concluded the series with a team ERA of 6.11, a 1.39 WHIP, .260 Batting Average Against, 38 earned runs to 43 runs allowed, 56 hits to 56 innings pitched, 22 walks to 51 strikeouts, with two hit batters and a whopping 15 home runs allowed. Complete season totals for the Knights pitching staff can be found here.
🔥 Hot Player of the Week 🔥
Laz Rivera: Laz Rivera put up video game numbers this week against Memphis pitchers. Through four games, the 27 year old infielder slashed .333/.444/1.000 for a 1.444 OPS. Four of his five hits went for extra bases (one double, three homers), with five runs scored, 11 driven in, as well as two stolen bases.
Honorable Mentions: Blake Rutherford, Seby Zavala, Carlos Perez, Wes Benjamin, Kyle Kubat, and Johan Dominguez
Birmingham Barons (2-7)
Weekly Record: 2-4
Birmingham traveled up to Chattanooga to take on the Lookouts, and things could’ve gone better for the Barons. The Barons struggled all week, dropping four of six to their divisional foe. Birmingham resides in last place and four games back in the Southern League North Division.
Lookout pitching was able to keep the Birmingham bats in check for a majority of the week. The Barons bats ended the week with a .246/.368/.386 triple-slash for a .745 OPS. Other notable stats show 30 runs scored, 51 hits in 207 at bats, 11 doubles, no triples, six home runs, 35 walks to 69 strikeouts, and 0-for-2 on the basepaths. Complete season totals for the Barons offense can be found here.
To put it simply, the Birmingham pitching staff was bad this week. The Barons were shelled by Chattanooga hitters, concluding the series with a 7.92 team ERA, 1.70 WHIP, .272 Batting Average Against, 44 earned runs to 49 runs allowed, 53 hits to 50 innings pitched, 32 walks to 59 strikeouts, hit five batters while allowing nine home runs. Complete season totals for the Barons pitching staff can be found here.
🔥 Hot Player of the Week 🔥
Birmingham 9, Chattanooga 1 | Top 6th
— Birmingham Barons (@BhamBarons) April 14, 2022
Davis Martin is dealing through five innings with five punch outs and only two hits allowed.
Davis Martin: Davis Martin was one of the brighter spots for the Barons in what was a pretty lackluster week for the team. The 25-year-old righty threw five innings, allowing only two hits, one run, no walks (or hit batters), struck out five, and had a .118 Batting Average Against with a 0.40 WHIP.
Honorable Mentions: Tyler Neslony and Raudy Read
Winston-Salem Dash (4-5)
Weekly Record: 3-3
Winston-Salem continued their homestand by taking on the Greensboro Grasshoppers this past week. The Dash took an early series advantage, winning three of the first four games, before faltering in the final two to end with a series split. Winston-Salem currently resides in fourth place and is four games back in the South Atlantic League South Division.
Winston-Salem’s offense had a tough time getting anything going against Grasshopper pitching. The Dash got on base, but otherwise struggled to a .247/.372/.318 slash line and a .690 OPS. Winston-Salem also scored 32 runs, had 49 hits in 198 at bats, 11 doubles, no triples, one home run, 33 walks to 57 strikeouts, and went 9-0 on stolen bases. Complete season totals for the Dash offense can be found here.
The Dash pitching staff didn’t fare much better than the offense this week. Greensboro knocked them around, leaving them with an ugly series team ERA of 6.05, a 1.93 WHIP, and a .287 Batting Average Against. Winston-Salem also allowed 46 runs (37 earned) on 64 hits over 55 innings, 28 walks to 64 strikeouts, with two HBPs and ten homers allowed. Complete season totals for the Dash pitching staff can be found here.
🔥 Hot Player of the Week 🔥
Really like what I've seen from White Sox prospect Oscar Colas in the early going of his stateside career.
— Aram Leighton (@AramLeighton8) April 18, 2022
Crazy bat speed and an explosive lower half as you can see with this 111 mph double.
Put up impressive numbers as a 19/20-year-old in Japan. Big upside. pic.twitter.com/iMnze4znUq
Oscar Colas: The Cuban duo led the way offensively for the Dash this week, but Oscar Coals edges out Bryan Ramos to take home the honors this week. The 23 year old outfielder slashed .381/.480/.524 for a 1.004 OPS, scoring four runs, knocking three doubles and RBI, and had eight hits across 21 at bats.
Honorable Mentions: Bryan Ramos, Gil Luna Jr., and Sean Burke
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (6-3)
Weekly Record: 3-3
This week the Cannon Ballers took on the Down East Wood Ducks, a team without a video feed in the year 2022. Kannapolis and the Wood Ducks battled all series long, with both clubs working a series split when it was all said and done. Kannapolis sits in first place in the Carolina League South Division with a one game lead.
The Kannapolis offense went cold this week against the Wood Duck hurlers. The Ballers concluded the series with a measly .219/.310/.305 slash line, a .615 OPS, 20 runs scored, 41 hits in 187 at-bats, 11 doubles, one triple, one home run, 20 walks to 62 strikeouts, and went 7-for-1 on the basepaths. Complete season totals for the Cannon Ballers offense can be found here.
While the offense scuffled, Cannon Baller pitching was absolutely stellar against Down East hitters. They finished the series with a team ERA of 1.50, 0.92 WHIP, and a .154 Batting Average Against, 14 runs (8 earned) on 25 hits over 48 innings. They also issued 19 walks against 68 strikeouts, hitting four batters and allowing just one home run. Complete season totals for the Cannon Ballers pitching staff can be found here.
🔥 Hot Player of the Week 🔥
Kohl Simas… Tied for the highest DIGS in all of #MiLB after a 13-K debut last night. #ChangeTheGame https://t.co/rz1B4JVNvR
— Pitcher DIGS (@DigsPitcher) April 14, 2022
Kohl Simas: Kohl Simas dominated the Wood Duck hitters in his lone start of the week. The 22-year-old son of former White Sox pitcher Bill Simas threw five innings, allowed three hits, one run, and two walks while striking out 13. Simas also had a .167 Batting Average Against with a 1.00 WHIP.
Very cool for Kohl. His dad was a fine major leaguer, but that’s great.
Always love having Jim Callis on.
I added this to the wrong article. Oops.