A lackluster deadline left the White Sox farm system intact, and as the calendar flips to August, it’s time to take a look back. The FutureSox Team of the Month for July 2022 features a star-studded cast, including five of the organization’s Top 10 prospects.
Let’s get into the full lineup:
Catcher — Ronny Hernandez (DSL)
.325 AVG, 1.088 OPS, 176 wRC+
July offered an impressive month of production from 17-year-old catcher Ronny Hernandez in the Dominican Summer League. The 6-foot-1 backstop posted an outstanding 1.088 OPS across 48 plate appearances and reached base in 11 consecutive games to close the month. Hernandez, a native of Turmero, Venezuela, logged seven total bases in a 14-12 loss for the DSL White Sox on July 16.
First Baseman — Raudy Read (Double-A)
.348 AVG, 1.133 OPS, 190 wRC+
Former Washington National Raudy Read earned recognition at first base for the second straight month after he delivered a remarkable 1.133 OPS and a 190 wRC+ in July. Read, 28, had three separate four-hit games in July. He tallied a career-high 10 total bases (three doubles, one home run) in a 7-3 win for the Barons on July 2. The White Sox signed Read to a minor-league contract in March, and his season-long wRC+ of 152 ranks second on the club.
Second Baseman — Loidel Chapelli (DSL)
.355 AVG, 1.257 OPS, 212 wRC+
Cuban second baseman Loidel Chapelli continued to dominate the DSL circuit throughout the month of July. The numbers he produced are almost comical, including a 1.257 OPS and an eye-popping 212 wRC+. The 20-year-old reached base safely in 13 of the final 14 games in July and also stole four bases in six attempts. Chapelli maintained a higher walk rate (16 percent) than strikeout rate (10.7 percent) for the second consecutive month. The White Sox signed him for $500,000 in May.
Third Baseman — Bryan Ramos (Hi-A)
5 HR, .853 OPS, 127 wRC+
White Sox No. 8 prospect Bryan Ramos logged a solid .853 OPS throughout July to notch his second appearance in the FutureSox Team of the Month this year. The 20-year-old third baseman posted three consecutive multi-hit games to close the month, which included his fifth-career multi-homer game Sunday afternoon. Ramos, who belted five home runs in July, paces the Dash with 17 deep flies for the season.
Shortstop — Jose Rodriguez (Double-A)
.855 OPS, 16 SB, 126 wRC+
White Sox No. 3 prospect Jose Rodriguez took another leap forward in July to earn the nod at shortstop. The 21-year-old Dominican native filled the box score in multiple ways and posted impressive figures across the board, highlighted by an .855 OPS and 16 stolen bases. Rodriguez, who leads all players in the Double-A Southern League with 38 swipes for the season, has been caught just once in his past 23 attempts on the basepaths. He also improved his walk rate from 5.4 percent (season-long) to 11.3 percent (July).
Outfield — Ben Norman (Hi-A)
.342 AVG, 1.048 OPS, 174 wRC+
Unranked outfielder Ben Norman put together a monster month of July with a 1.048 OPS and a 174 wRC+. The Iowa product uncorked seven home runs, which included a stretch of four in five games, and added 18 RBI. Norman batted an absurd .515/.556/.909 in the final eight games of the month. The White Sox signed the 24-year-old in November 2021 after he spent the previous campaign with Great Falls of the Pioneer League (Independent).
Outfield — Yoelqui Céspedes (Double-A)
.392 OBP, 10 SB, 130 wRC+
White Sox No. 4 prospect Yoelqui Céspedes cracked the Team of the Month lineup for the first time this season after he posted an impressive 130 wRC+ in July with Double-A Birmingham. The Cuban outfielder reached base safely in 18 consecutive games to close the month and logged a .429 OBP in that span. Céspedes, 24, also swiped 10 bases in 11 attempts throughout the month. To cap off his well-rounded performance, Céspedes did not make a single error in the field during July.
Outfield — Oscar Colás (Hi-A/Double-A)
.353 AVG, 1.054 OPS, 179 wRC+
White Sox No. 2 prospect Oscar Colás produced staggering figures throughout July to earn a Team of the Month honor for the third time this season (April, June). The 23-year-old outfielder terrorized Double-A pitching following his promotion to Birmingham and delivered a remarkable 1.273 OPS in 11 games, which included five homers within a four-game span between July 23-27. Colás, whom the White Sox signed for $2.7 million in January, also represented the White Sox at the 2022 All-Star Futures Game in Los Angeles, in which he went 1-for-2 and made a highlight reel grab in center field.
Starting Pitcher — Jared Kelley (Low-A)
22.2 IP, 1.99 ERA, .165 opp. AVG
White Sox No. 9 prospect Jared Kelley put together a string of impressive starts in July and was a clear-cut choice for the Starting Pitcher of the Month honor. The 6-foot-3 right-hander, whom the White Sox selected in the second round of the 2020 MLB Draft, recorded a 1.99 ERA across five starts and limited opponents to a .165 clip at the plate. Kelley worked through five innings for the first time as a pro July 10, and did so again July 31. He struck out 15 batters over his final two starts of the month and also picked up his first-career winning decision.
Relief Pitcher — Skylar Arias (Hi-A)
9 G, 17.65 K/9, .067 opp. AVG
Unranked left-hander Skylar Arias produced dominant numbers out of the bullpen throughout the month of July to collect his first Team of the Month recognition. The 6-foot-3 southpaw racked up 17 strikeouts in 8.2 innings of work and surrendered just two hits in total across his nine appearances. Arias, 25, also recorded a pair of saves in three opportunities. The White Sox signed the former 24th-round pick (CLE) to a minor-league contract in June.
Honorable mentions
- C Colby Smelley (Low-A) — .295 AVG, ..427 OBP, 137 wRC+
- 2B/SS Andy Atwood (Low-A) — .358 AVG, 1.081 OPS, 196 wRC+
- 2B Alsander Womack (Hi-A) — .333 AVG, .981 OPS, 163 wRC+
- 1B/OF DJ Gladney (Low-A) — 17 RBI, .836 OPS, 126 wRC+
- SS Colson Montgomery (Hi-A) — .414 OBP, 17.2% BB rate, 124 wRC+
- OF Mark Payton (Triple-A) — .322 AVG, 13 XBH, 142 wRC+
- OF Luis Mieses (Hi-A) — 11 XBH, .831 OPS, 118 wRC+
- OF Carlos Jimenez (DSL) — .960 OPS, 23 RBI, 146 wRC+
- RHP Norge Vera (Low-A) — 14.0 IP, 1.29 ERA, 16.07 K/9
- LHP Kyle Kubat (Triple-A) — 17.2 IP, 2.55 ERA, 10.19 K/9
- LHP Zach Muckenhirn (Triple-A) — 8 G, 0.96 ERA, .188 opp. AVG
- RHP Taylor Broadway (Double-A) — 8 G, 2.19 ERA 15.32 K/9
- RHP Nick Gallagher (Low-A) — 6 G, 0.00 ERA, 15.00 K/9
- RHP Liam Jenkins (Low-A) — 6 G, 0.00 ERA, 11.17 K/9