16 games into the MLB season, the White Sox have already had to call up six players from the Knights: Jake Burger, Lenyn Sosa, Jesse Scholtens, Tanner Banks, Keynan Middleton and Adam Haseley.
But what if they needed a seventh in the next few days? Who is next man up?
Player options and 40-man roster issues can present thorny complications to any call-up, but that aside, here are the remaining choices in Charlotte.
In terms of hitters, the Knights have just one player left on the 40-man roster: Carlos Perez. (Recently acquired Nick Solak also was on the 40-man roster but he was DFAed to open a spot for Haseley when Hanser Alberto went on the IL.)
Perez has demonstrated that he could be a competent MLB backup catcher. He’s durable, has great plate discipline and improving defensively. Catchers take a beating so there’s a good chance Perez will find himself in Chicago’s south side this season.
Should the White Sox need yet another outfielder, there are two likely options in Charlotte: Billy Hamilton and Victor Reyes, depending upon whether Chicago wants speed and defense or hitting prowess and power. Reyes is off to a strong start in Charlotte, leading the team with 17 hits and 11 RBIs, and a slash line of .333/.358/.569. He has an option left.
But if an infielder is needed, the top choices are uber-versatile Zach Remillard and veteran Erik Gonzalez.
Gonzales has played some brilliant middle-infield defense to start the season, and he’s second on the team with 16 hits. But he’s also struck out a team-high 20 times and has an OBP of just .293. He is a career .242 hitter in 842 MLB at bats.
Remillard’s season is off to a great start at the plate and on the field. He has an OBP of .417 thanks to a team-leading 10 walks to go along with 14 hits, including two homers and two doubles. He’s already played first, third and short flawlessly. Knights manager Justin Jirschele called Remillard: “a pro’s pro.”
Remillard is an easy player to root for, in part because of how far he has come from the guy who hit .193 two years ago, along with his high baseball IQ. More and more, his grit, versatility and plate discipline looks like it could translate into a big-league bench guy.
That leaves catchers Evan Skoug and Sebastian Rivero, infielders Nate Mondou, Laz Rivera and Yolbert Sanchez, and outfielder Jake Marisnick.
Sanchez is off to a slow start, with just eight hits in 45 ABs, but he hit multiple frozen ropes to centerfield last week and could be poised to get things turned around in a big way.
ON THE MOUND
After a so-so spring, Davis Martin is back in vintage form, as evidenced by his 3-hit, 11-strikeout, 6-inning shutout last week. Martin was strong, hitting 97 with a fastball even as his pitch count neared 100.
Likewise, Jesse Scholtens struck out 11 over five frames one day later, providing the White Sox with two potential spot starters or long relievers, both of whom are on the 40-man roster.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see one of them get the call sooner than later in a multi-inning relief role given the current struggles in the Chicago pen.
AJ Alexy (also on the 40-man), Daniel Ponce de Leon, Jonathan Stiever and Nate Fisher currently round out the rotation in Charlotte, with John Parke and Sean Burke on the IL.
Two Knights’ relievers are also on the 40-man: Nicholas Padilla and Franklin German. And they, like several other arms in the bullpen in Charlotte, have excelled at times. But it is still too early in the season to get a sense if there is a Knights’ reliever who could offer the consistency and effectiveness to boost a struggling Chicago pen.
In addition to Padilla and German, guys to keep an eye on are Alex Colomé, Lane Ramsey, Sammy Peralta, Lincoln Henzman and Declan Cronin.
Sox could DFA half the bullpen.
That’s how I read this too.
I was really looking forward to seeing Burke this year; sucks he’s been on the IL.