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This Week in White Sox Minor League Baseball

By larry
Jefferson Olacio (Jonathan McCoy/Virginia Intermont College)
Jefferson Olacio (Jonathan McCoy/Virginia Intermont College)

This week:

  • SS Carlos Sanchez was the only White Sox farmhand named to play in the Futures Game, the minor league-wide All-Star game that takes place during MLB's All-Star Game festivities. The soon to be 20 year old will be playing for the World Team on July 8. With an excellent season for Winston-Salem, Sanchez has solidified his prospect status and is making his way up the organization's rankings. While he plays in a friendly offensive environment, his season line is still impressive: .325/.380/.405 with 13 stolen bases in 23 attempts.
  • With the full season minor league clubs reaching the mid-point of their seasons, and the rookie level teams starting their seasons, there was a slew of promotions. LHP Blair Walters is the second 2011 draftee to reach High-A, joining SS Marcus Semien on the Dash. Many tapped the southpaw as a fast-mover and he hasn't disappointed. In college, he was a reliever but the White Sox used him as a starter last season for Great Falls and he was the Pioneer League Pitcher of the Year. He kept it up for Kannapolis: 72 IP, 61 H, 18 BB, 69 K.
  • The other notable starting pitcher promotion was RHP Simon Castro to Charlotte. The bounty from the Carlos Quentin trade had a bit of a rude welcome back to Triple-A. In his first start last night, he couldn't record an out in the 6th inning and left the game with a line of 5 IP, 11 H, 0 BB, 2 K.
  • One notable starting pitcher demotion was LHP Jefferson Olacio to Bristol. The 18 year old acquitted himself well for Kannapolis considering his youth. After working out of the bullpen, he went back to starting for the Intimidators on May 22 and he struggled in his 5 starts. There's no doubt about his talent - evident in his 18.4% strikeout rate in Low-A - but there's also no doubt about his rawness - evident in his 14% walk rate. For Bristol, he'll be back to playing against guys his own age who are often as raw as he is.
  • INF/OF Conor Jackson is back from his broken hand and staking his claim to the vacant White Sox third baseman throne. He struggled mightily prior to the injury in early May but has completely reversed that in his 7 games back: .375/.464/.833 - punctuated by a 3 home run performance against Columbus on Thursday. He's certainly not a good third baseman but, similar to most ambulatory humans, he's nowhere near the butcher Dan Johnson is.

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