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The Glendale Desert Dogs did not start or finish the season well, en routed to a 12-18 finish. The Chicago White Sox prospects on the roster were up and down all around, as some looked the part, others seemed gassed, and a few might be interesting names come Rule 5 draft time.
Luis Robert: .324/.367/.432, 2 HR, 5 SB, 13 K
Robert showed a little bit of everything. His power: (this video will never get old)
Luis Robert's home run#WhiteSox #AFL18#GlendaleDesertDogs pic.twitter.com/TEuxiGyKzh
— Kim C (@Cu_As) November 8, 2018
and speed
After getting a leadoff single and stealing second base, Luis Robert steals third as well. pic.twitter.com/yJu8WVvz8D
— Chuck Garfien (@ChuckGarfien) November 14, 2018
He looked every bit of the top prospect the Sox thought they signed for $25 million and then some because of tax (sorry, Jerry). He received rave reviews from scouts and spectators alike, as his tools proved to be very toolsy. Though he was much more “fresh” compared to teammates like Laz Rivera and Luis Basabe who played full regular seasons, a successful month in Arizona for Robert is nothing to sneeze at. He even had a 14-game hitting streak, the longest such AFL streak in four years. Robert should start next year in Winston-Salem and get up to Birmingham by the All-Star break.
Luis Basabe: .180/.333/.180, 4 SB, 16 K
Basabe singles in the top of the 4th#WhiteSox #AFL18 pic.twitter.com/sPdnQfjn0Z
— Kim C (@Cu_As) October 21, 2018
Basabe had a tough time this fall, and he probably was going to anyway after playing a career-high 134 games, 27 more than in 2017. He showed no power, but his plate approach translated well. He walked 12 times in 15 games while averaging a little more than a strikeout per game. Both of those statistics translate to a higher walk rate and lower strikeout rate in 2019. Basabe’s AFL run was not as successful as Robert’s, but the arrow should still be pointing up for Basabe.
Laz Rivera: .215/.271/.246, 1 SB, 14 K
Laz Rivera singles with two-outs in the bottom of the 7th #WhiteSox pic.twitter.com/B2bSmkaVvE
— Sean Williams (@TLS_Sean) October 29, 2018
Rivera had a similar time in Arizona as he did with Kannapolis and Winston-Salem. He did not walk much (only three times), and struck out less than once a game. Rivera just did not show the pop he did over the spring and summer. There were some reports, notably from Chuck Garfien, that Rivera’s fielding and arm were showing, which goes against some of MLB Pipeline’s defensive concerns. Rivera made an even bigger workload jump than Basabe, playing a career-high 141 games, after playing just 47 games in 2017, the year he was drafted. Rivera’s performance isn’t all due to fatigue, as the AFL has much better pitching overall than a normal high-A team; likely, Rivera was out of his element after his breakout 2018 year.
Zach Thompson: 2.70 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 13 1⁄3 IP, 15 K, 6 BB, 3 saves
From Monday's #AFL18:#WhiteSox RHP Zach Thompson faced 6 batters and struck out 5.
— Kim C (@Cu_As) October 23, 2018
Here's a look at all 5:#GlendaleDesertDogs pic.twitter.com/xjMBet8kJR
Thompson will probably not climb onto the White Sox 40-man roster, but he went out and made the decision a little harder for the front office. One of the 29 other teams will probably have a shot at Thompson come the Rule 5 draft, and Thompson proved he deserves a 40-man slot, somewhere. After a year with a combined 1.55 ERA in A+ and AA, Thompson added a 2.70 ERA stint in Arizona. He also showed he could close down the ninth inning, as he converted all three of his save chances. The former starter relished in his time as a reliever in 2018. The walks in the AFL were still a touch high, but an ever-improving K-rate should help Thompson’s case. It will certainly be a loss for the Sox should he leave.
Tanner Banks: 4.43 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 22 1⁄3 IP, 10 K, 5 BB
#2080ProSide spotlight on #WhiteSox LHP Tanner Banks, currently on @MLBazFallLeague #GlendaleDesertDogs, written by @2080adam.
— 2080 Baseball (@2080ball) November 11, 2018
Link:https://t.co/dulgmrvmar https://t.co/1Zoo4OXfXd
Not a stellar time in the AFL for Banks. Though he did have a career high in innings pitched in 2018, it was only by nine innings. In reality, Banks is just not that good. He rarely walks hitters, but has had trouble finding a strikeout pitch and lives off of contact. Since the AFL has a better hitting crop, he got tagged by batters a little more than during the regular season. Banks’s 4.43 ERA is the second-highest of his career, and the 1.57 WHIP is the highest.
Danny Dopico: 6.57 ERA, 1.78 WHIP, 12 1⁄3, 15 K, 12 BB
@FutureSox Danny Dopico worked an inning in the #AFL18 opener at Peoria. Some of his pitches to #Brewers Keston Hiura and #Mariners Evan White.#AFL18 #GlendaleDesertDogs pic.twitter.com/qVa9dvMpju
— Kim C (@Cu_As) October 10, 2018
Dopico, a late addition to the White Sox’s AFL roster, probably wishes he wasn’t. After having a good year with Winston-Salem (mostly relieving) with a 2.98 ERA, the 24 year-old fell flat in Arizona. He seemed to lose all command, as he just about had one walk an inning. Whenever a hitter did make contact, it seemed to always land as a hit. If there were advanced stats on the AFL, they would probably look more favorably on Dopico’s time there. However, he is still a long way from any major league appearances.