Chris Getz referred to it as “Project Birmingham.”
Beginning Tuesday, among the prime prospects within the Chicago White Sox system will head to Birmingham to complete the minor-league season with the group’s Double-A affiliate.
“The minor league seasons are a little deeper (to Sept. 18) than they have been in the past, which can affect your offseason instructional league or even just the strength and conditioning programs,” mentioned Getz, the Sox assistant basic supervisor/participant growth, final week at Guaranteed Rate Field. “So knowing that, to build something in within a season in front of fans is really exciting.”
Getz mentioned the plan is to take some facets from the 2020 alternate website expertise inSchaumburg, the place a number of gamers went after the pandemic canceled the minor league season.
“We’re going to have our coordinators head to Birmingham for the last four weeks … treat it almost as an advanced instructional league so these guys are set up for their offseasons and work toward next year,” Getz mentioned.
The group might be a mixture of gamers beforehand with the Class A associates Winston-Salem and Kannapolis, together with some gamers already on the Barons.
“I want to leave the Triple-A group together for obvious reasons, if there is a need up here (in the majors),” Getz mentioned. “So we won’t be moving anyone from the Triple-A roster to Double A.”
Colson Montgomery, the crew’s 2021 first-round decide, might be amongst these shifting up. The shortstop is slashing .295/.408/.450 with 9 homers and 40 RBIs in 82 video games between Kannapolis (45) and Winston-Salem (37) this season. He’s the group’s prime prospect, in line with MLB.com.
“It’s been excellent, it really has,” Getz mentioned of Montgomery’s season. “Whether or not it’s spring coaching, to the start of the 12 months in Kannapolis, the way in which he’s managed his at-bats, each towards lefties and righties, making good selections on the plate, utilizing the entire discipline. He’s been hitting for energy and he’s been strong defensively.
“For a kid that split a lot of his time with basketball, you don’t quite know how it’s going to take when he’s fully committed to baseball. But he’s proven when he puts his energy toward one thing, he’s a player that’s going to benefit. And he’s been as consistent as anyone in the minor leagues. We’re excited to have him, and he obviously has a bright future.”
Outfielder Oscar Colás, who represented the Sox on the All-Star Futures Game this 12 months in Los Angeles, has had an enormous first season within the group. He slashed .311/.369/.475 with seven homers and 42 RBIs in 59 video games for Winston-Salem earlier than being promoted to Birmingham in July. He’s slashing .312/.395/.615 with 10 dwelling runs and 22 RBIs in 28 video games with the Barons.
The Sox and Colás got here to phrases on a $2.7 million deal introduced in January throughout the worldwide signing interval. He’s the second-ranked prospect within the group, in line with MLB.com.
“He’s continuing to get better,” Getz mentioned. “He’s putting together quality at-bats. He’s hitting for power. He’s playing good defense. There’s still some things that we’re working on with pitch recognition. But for the most part, this is a player that has a chance to be a pretty productive major-league player. He’s going to be an exciting piece of this organization.”
Also getting promoted:
- Third baseman Bryan Ramos
- Right fielder Luis Mieses
- Outfielder Duke Ellis
- Third baseman Wes Kath
- Infielder/outfielder DJ Gladney
- First/third baseman Wilfred Veras
- Pitchers Kohl Simas, Jared Kelley, Norge Vera, Andrew Dalquist and Sean Burke
- Shortstop Jose Rodriguez
- Middle infielder Moisés Castillo
- Catcher Adam Hackenberg
- Catcher/designated hitter Tyler Osik
Getz mentioned of Vera, who has a 2.63 ERA in 10 begins and is the No. 6 prospect within the Sox by MLB.com, “He’s been very good at Kannapolis. We’re just trying to manage his innings, but also keep him moving forward. We’ll look back and feel he’s gotten a decent body of work under his belt and set him up to be a starter next year.”
As for Rodriguez, who homered in 5 consecutive video games for the Barons Aug. 12-17 and is ranked No. 7 within the group by MLB.com, Getz mentioned, “He’s been fantastic recently. He’s calmed his base and he’s gotten much more direct to the ball. He’s using the whole field and he’s obviously picking his spots where he’s putting his A-swing together and he’s run into some home runs here recently.”
Players at Birmingham wouldn’t essentially be precluded from getting promoted to Charlotte, Getz mentioned.
“To be with these guys every day — and drawing again to the alternate website, tutorial league settings the place we’ve got a workers and to have the ability to actually ingrain among the elementary beliefs that we’ve got and actually proceed to drive what the White Sox are about, I think about these gamers are going to really feel proud about being a part of this and maybe we get one other increase on a few of these gamers.
“It’s a chance to show baseball and show the White Sox that we’ve got another wave of players coming.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com