White Sox Weekly Minor League Update: Week 15

[We’re still transitioning content over to Sox on 35th, so this Update lands here for one more week. However, just a reminder, all in-season minors content will be shifting to So35.—BB]

---

Charlotte Knights

It was All-Star week for the Knights, so not enough games to offer anything, but, a certain someone did make his Triple-A debut last week. It would be wrong if I did not provide Luis Robert’s stats right out of the Charlotte gate, as you all probably know he was the short-week MVP for the Knights.

Luis Robert: .438 BA, 2 HR, 4 R, 8 RBI, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 SB ***MVP of the Week***

---

Birmingham Barons

Gavin Sheets: .333 BA, 1 HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, 3 BB, 2 K ***MVP of the Week***
Nick Madrigal: .267 BA, 3 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K
Luis Gonzalez: .333 BA, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 4 K, 1 SB
Blake Rutherford: .231 BA, 3 R, 3 BB, 4 K
Luis Basabe: 2-for-7, 1 R, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 1 K (returned from the IL)
Alec Hansen: ²⁄₃ IP, 9.29 FIP, 13.5 K/9, 27.0 BB/9
Blake Battenfield: 5 IP, 6.89 FIP, 6.56 K/9, 2.8 BB/9
Lincoln Henzman: 4 ²⁄₃ IP, 9.07 FIP, 1.93 K/9, 1.93 BB/9
Kodi Medeiros: 5 IP, 3.49 FIP, 7.2 K/9, 3.6 BB/9
Codi Heuer: ²⁄₃ IP, 0.29 FIP, 13.5 K/9, 0.0 BB/9

It did not look promising for a lot of prospects early in 2019, especially Gavin Sheets. Now, everything is back to normal. As you all saw, Sheets is currently on a 30-game on-base streak. Over those 30 games, Sheets is slashing .324/.408/.549 for a .957 OPS and a 177 wRC+. The power that was advertised in college and had not materialized yet as a pro finally looks the part, with a .225 ISO over that time span. Just to put that power into perspective, Sheets came into this season with 10 home runs hit over 175 games. He now has 12 homers in just 86 games this season. Much of that is coming from what appears to be a lot more doubles leaving the ballpark. The plate discipline is still fantastic for a power-hitting first baseman overall, as Sheets is walking at a 9% clip and striking out at 18%. Both of those numbers have improved over his 30-game streak, which makes sense. The streak has brought Sheets back up to a good 125 wRC+ for the season, but it should be interesting where he slots with the White Sox in the future, considering Andrew Vaughn is on his heels and Jose Abreu seems a fixture with the big club.

---

Winston-Salem Dash

Steele Walker: .211 BA, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 3 K
Konnor Pilkington: 5 IP, 2.19 FIP, 10.8 K/9, 3.6 BB/9
Kade McClure: 4 ²⁄₃ IP, 6.82 FIP, 5.79 K/9, 3.86 BB/9
Andrew Perez: 2 IP, 2.89 FIP, 9.0 K/9, 4.5 BB/9
Tyler Johnson: 3 IP, 3.06 FIP, 15.0 K/9, 9.0 BB/9
Bennett Sousa: 2 IP, 1.89 FIP, 13.5 K/9, 0.0 BB/9
Jonathan Stiever: 13 IP, 3.78 FIP, 10.38 K/9, 2.08 BB/9 ***MVP of the Week***

Last season’s fifth round pick is starting to make quite the impression on White Sox fans, especially since his promotion to the Dash. His mid-upper 90s fastball with what looks like a plus curveball has fooled Single-A and Single-A+ batters this season in North Carolina. It is even better since Stiever has shown mature command of the strike zone as his walk numbers have been very low, even last season in rookie ball. In 32 innings with the Dash, Stiever has just a 2.25 BB/9 which includes no hit batsmen and only two wild pitches. Stiever may not see Birmingham this season, but given his advanced command, he could start the year there next season. Making it simply unfair for Single-A+ batters is that Stiever also has a 10.13 K/9 during his stint in Winston-Salem. Not only is he pounding the zone, but Stiever is also getting swing-and-misses as well. He is currently on a five quality start-streak, which is actually all of his starts with the Dash so far.

---

Kannapolis Intimidators

Camilo Quinteiro was promoted from Great Falls (after a week break) to Birmingham for one game. He then took another break as he was sent down to Kannapolis. I would look at this as an emergency promotion to Double-A for a game, but a permanent promotion to Kannapolis.

Andrew Vaughn: .417 BA, 1 HR, 4 R, 6 RBI, 4 BB, 2 K ***MVP of the Week***
Corey Zangari: .182 BA, 2 R, 5 BB, 5 K
Lenyn Sosa: .222 BA, 4 R, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 3 K
Bryce Bush: .063 BA, 1 R, 0 BB, 6 K
Ian Dawkins: .188 BA, 2 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Davis Martin: 4 IP, 8.77 FIP, 9.0 K/9, 2.25 BB/9
Jason Bilous: 5 IP, 5.92 FIP, 5.4 K/9, 5.4 BB/9
Jacob Lindgren: 1 IP, 2.53 FIP, 18.0 K/9, 9.0 BB/9 (promoted from AZL White Sox)

Well then, the first round pick of 2019 for the White Sox has seamlessly shown his chops in the early going of his professional career. Vaughn should not be in Kannapolis much longer, and opposing pitchers will be quite ecstatic when that happens. Between the AZL and Kannapolis, Vaughn is slashing an otherworldly .423/.500/.635 for a 1.135 OPS in his first 13 games. The power has been there, though not as much in the 10 games with the I’s — but there really has not been much to complain about. Vaughn is getting on base every way a batter can, including a 15.2% BB rate in the very early going in Single-A. Even this past week, Vaughn had a very Madrigalian stat line of four walks and just two strikeouts. Vaughn should be a fast riser in the system, but he will probably top out at Winston-Salem this year.

---

Great Falls Voyagers

Harvin Mendoza: .429 BA, 1 HR, 4 R, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 3 K ***MVP of the Week***
Caberea Weaver: .133 BA, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 6 K
Lency Delgado: .235 BA, 2 R, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 6 K
Luis Mieses: .261 BA, 1 HR, 5 R, 3 RBI, 0 BB, 3 K
Anderson Comas: .136 BA, 1 R, 5 RBI, 0 BB, 3 K
Dan Metzdorf: 4 IP, 4.02 FIP, 4.5 K/9, 2.25 BB/9
Karan Patel: 5 IP, 3.87 FIP, 7.2 K/9, 3.6 BB/9
Avery Weems: 5 IP, 0.67 FIP, 16.20 K/9, 0.0 BB/9 (promoted from AZL White Sox)

---

AZL White Sox

DJ Gladney: .158 BA, 1 HR, 4 R, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 7 K
Bryan Ramos: .286 BA, 1 R, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 5 K
José Rodriguez: .400 BA, 1 R, 2 BB, 2 K
James Beard: .000 BA, 1 R, 2 BB, 7 K, 1 SB
Caleb Freeman: 3 IP, 6.44 FIP, 15.0 K/9, 3.0 BB/9
Luis Rodriguez: 2 IP, 6.44 FIP, 4.5 K/9, 4.5 BB/9 (Promoted from DSL White Sox)
Yoelvin Silven: 2 IP, 1.44 FIP, 13.5 K/9, 0.0 BB/9 ***MVP of the Week***

---

DSL White Sox

Benyamin Bailey: .273 BA, 4 R, 2 RBI, 6 BB, 2 K, 1 SB
Johnabiell Laureano: .286 BA, 2 R, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 3 K
Yolbert Sánchez: 1-for-9, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K (organizational debut)
Elijah Tatís: 0-for-4, 0 BB, 2 K (organizational debut)
Anthony Espinoza: .188 BA, 4 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 4 K, 1 SB
Ronaldo Guzman: 5 IP, 2.31 FIP, 14.4 K/9, 5.40 BB/9 ***MVP of the Week***