Happy Nick Madrigal Day!

Happy Nick Madrigal Day!

Wow, even though the service time manipulation day has passed, it’s still somewhat surprising the White Sox called Madrigal up so quickly. (psst ... the manipulation is made even more transparent that way, White Sox!)

Anyway, here is the glorious White Sox release:

KANSAS CITY – Prior to tonight’s series opener at Kansas City, the Chicago White Sox purchased the contract of second baseman Nick Madrigal from the Schaumburg training facility and designated right-handed pitcher Kelvin Herrera for assignment.

Madrigal, 23, entered the season rated by MLB.com and Baseball America as the No. 4 prospect in the White Sox organization. He also is ranked by MLB.com as the No. 2 second-base and No. 40 overall prospect in baseball, and by Baseball America as the Best Hitter for Average and Best Defensive Infielder in the Sox system.

Madrigal, 5´8´´ and 175 pounds, batted a combined .311/.377/.414 with 27 doubles, five triples, four home runs, 55 RBIs, 76 runs, 44 walks and 35 stolen bases over 120 games between Single-A Winston-Salem, Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte in 2019. He won the Rawlings Minor League Gold Glove® for second base, was named the Best Defensive second baseman in the Southern League, earned Carolina League midseason All-Star honors and played for the U.S. Team at the All-Star Futures Game in Cleveland. Madrigal also was named Chicago’s Minor League co-Player of the Month for June.

The Elk Grove, Calif. native struck out just 16 times in 532 plate appearances in 2019. He fanned more than once in a game just twice over 120 contests.

Madrigal is a career .309 hitter with 34 doubles, five triples, four home runs, 71 RBIs, 51 walks, 43 stolen bases and just 21 strikeouts in 163 games over two seasons in the Sox minor-league system. He has committed just five errors in 663 total chances. Madrigal was selected by the White Sox in the first round (No. 4 overall) of the 2018 draft out of Oregon State University.

Madrigal has no major-league experience, and will wear uniform No. 1.

Herrera, 30, made two appearances with the White Sox this season (15.65 ERA), his second with the club after signing as a free agent on Jan. 8, 2019.

Following the moves, the White Sox 40-man roster remains at 40.

Somewhat astounding that the White Sox decided to eat almost $4 million on Herrera’s contract ($2.89 million remaining prorated salary for 55 games, $1 million buyout for 2021). But the pandemic already had whittled Herrera’s onerous 2020 contract down by more than half, so maybe this lost cash is some sort of house money.

Madrigal is in the lineup and batting ninth tonight at Kansas City.