White Sox Weekly Minor League Update: Week 9

Charlotte Knights

Patrick Leonard: .040 BA, 1 R, 0 BB, 9 K

Kevan Smith: .200 BA, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K

Michael Saunders: .208 BA, 1 HR, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 6 K

Casey Gillaspie: .308 BA, 1 HR, 3 R, 5 RBI, 3 BB, 8 K ***MVP of the Week***

Michael Kopech: 8 IP, 6.60 FIP, 10.13 K/9, 6.75 BB/9

Jordan Stephens: 6 IP, 6.35 FIP, 6.00 K/9, 0.00 BB/9

Carlos Rodon: 10 IP, 1.80 ERA, 16 K, 5 BB

Carson Fulmer: 6 IP, 3.02 FIP, 10.50 K/9, 6.00 BB/9

Thyago Vieira: 4 ²⁄₃ IP, 0.00 ERA, 2 K, 1 BB

Tyler Danish: 3 IP, 8.35 FIP, 2.25 K/9, 6.75 BB/9

With the draft starting today, fringe prospects and older veterans truly are playing for their jobs, before promotions take hold in the minors. Casey Gillaspie has already been removed from the 40-man roster and could be a candidate for a Brad Goldberg-like trade for cash, or release. However, he is doing his best now to avoid that. He is hitting .314 over the last 10 days, getting his average up to .242. He is walking more and striking out slightly less, but his time as a prospect seems over even with this recent success. If the trend does continue through June, Gillaspie may save his job, but with a wRC+ of 77, there is not much here for the former first round pick.

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Birmingham Barons

Danny Mendick: .240 BA, 4 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 7 K

Eloy Jimenez: .300 BA, 1 HR, 4 R, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K

Jameson Fisher: .333 BA, 3 R, 2 RBI, 4 BB, 7 K

Seby Zavala: .333 BA, 1 HR, 5 R, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 6 K

Zack Collins .353 BA, 1 HR, 3 R, 9 RBI, 5 BB, 5 K

Dane Dunning: 7 IP, .86 FIP, 11.57 K/9, 0.00 BB/9 ***MVP of the Week***

Jordan Guerrero: 5 IP, 2.44 FIP, 7.20 K/9, 1.80 BB/9

Spencer Adams: 8 IP, 1.94 FIP, 6.75 K/9, 0.00 BB/9

Ian Hamilton: 1 IP, 2.44 FIP, 18.00 K/9, 9.00 BB/9, 1 save

Dane Dunning had his best start yet in Birmingham this past week: seven innings of one run ball, with nine strikeouts and no walks. So far this season at AA, Dunning has a 2.76 FIP, with 9.31 K/9 and 3.49 BB/9. The walks are higher than what Dunning is used to, but he has been able to work around them. He is getting hit harder in AA, as his line drive and flyball rates are up, combined with a decrease in ground balls. However, that’s a consequence of facing better hitters, and still Dunning has not allowed more than three runs in a start. He will probably finish the year with Birmingham, but a cup of coffee in Charlotte is not out of the question.

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Winston-Salem Dash

Joel Booker: .350 BA, 4 R, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 3 K, 3 SB ***MVP of the Week***

Micker Adolfo: .192 BA, 2 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 9 K

Alex Call: .333 BA, 1 R, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 5 K

Luis Alexander Basabe: .167, BA, 1 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 6 K

Blake Rutherford: .190 BA, 3 R, 3 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K

Dylan Cease: 10 IP, 2.70 ERA, 12 K, 6 BB

Bernardo Flores: 8 IP, 2.16 FIP, 5.63 K/9, 0.00 BB/9

Jimmy Lambert: 1 ¹⁄₃ IP, -2.59 FIP, 27.00 K/9, 0.00 BB/9 — outing cut short because of rain

Matt Foster: 2 IP, 4.50 ERA, 3 K, 1 BB

Joel Booker is starting to heat up again for Winston-Salem. He has back-to-back multi-hit games and his batting average is up to .288. He also added three stolen bases this week and has 12 on the season. He is only 12-of-19 in stolen base attempts, but he clearly has plus speed. Booker still has a career high in strikeout percentage, but his walks have nearly doubled from last year and are at a career high as well. He is also showing more pop than he used to with a career-high four homers already. He seems to be seeing the ball better, as he is batting balls more to center and the opposite field compared to last season. Basically, Booker is applying a more mature approach at the plate.

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Kannapolis Intimidators

Tate Blackman: .316 BA, 1 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 7 K

Craig Dedelow: .333 BA, 3 R, 3 RBI, 4 BB, 3 K

Laz Rivera: .333 BA, 2 R, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 1 K

Luis Gonzalez: .250 BA, 1 HR, 3 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 4 K

Justin Yurchak: .286 BA, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K

Evan Skoug: .250 BA, 1 BB, 8 K

Luis Curbelo: .417 BA, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 K ***MVP of the Week***

Lincoln Henzman: 5 IP, 2.48 FIP, 7.20 K/9, 1.80 BB/9

John Parke: 6 IP, 1.50 ERA, 5 K, 0 BB

Blake Battenfield: 5 IP, 2.88 FIP, 10.80 K/9, 3.60 BB/9

Tyler Johnson: 1 IP, 1.48 FIP, 9.00 K/9, 0.00 BB/9

Luis Curbelo is not an everyday player on the I’s yet, but we have not gotten an opportunity to talk about the 23rd ranked White Sox prospect per MLB Pipeline. The 20-year-old (surprisingly) signed with the Sox out of high school and has been in short-season rookie ball the past two seasons. He currently is average across the board, but does project to be a strong-hitting middle infielder. He has raw power in his favor, but the bat has to come around and make contact more often. He does strike out frequently, but Curbelo has time to hone his contact skills, as his is by no means close to the majors. Curbelo did have a good week at the plate, but consistency is what he lacks, especially with the bat. Once that comes around, his game power should show.