This Week in White Sox Minor League Baseball

Obviously, there isn't all that much to say this early in the season. A good example of this was the amusing complaint from last Sunday's gamethread about Matt Davidson batting .200. Five games later, he's batting .275/.351/.490. Did some miraculous change in Davidson's true talent happen during the Knights' rained out game on Sunday? Did 15 minutes in the cage fix a mechanical flaw? No. He's doing the same things he was last week.

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Robin Leyer has put up a solid stat line for Winston-Salem: 3 GS, 15 IP, 17 H, 2 BB, 15 K. But since stat line scouting isn't particularly useful, let's look at the scouting reports. The 22-year-old righty has always had a lively fastball. It sits mid-90s and the Dominican routinely approaches 100, particularly in the early innings. And he makes throwing that hard look easy.

Unlike a lot of low minors guys with serious heat, however, Leyer has pretty good command of his. It's a comfortably plus pitch and I'd probably throw a present 60 grade on it. The reason you haven't heard all that much about Leyer is - you guessed it - a lack of secondary pitches.

His slider still pretty much sucks but his changeup is improved. He's had good movement on it but the changeup is much more a deception pitch. Now, he isn't giving it away as much by slowing down his arm. And a 13 or 14 MPH difference from his fastball will make a lot of hitters look silly.

After actually developing a slider or some other breaking pitch, stamina is the biggest issue for Leyer right now. Things tend to fall apart for him after about four innings - he loses a little velocity and he gets sloppier with his mechanics. There's some video of him here.

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Another small sample size drew alarm even from some people who should know better. Spencer Adams got roughed up in his first two starts for Kanny. Yesterday, he didn't - in pertinent part, because his defense played well this time. 3 GS, 11.2 IP, 19 H, 3 BB, 9 K.

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Tyler Saladino hit the DL with shoulder tendonitis.

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Because you care, regardless of what I tell you:

Tim Anderson: .317/.323/.383 in 63 PA. 8 for 8 in stolen bases. And, no, that .006 OBP wasn't a walk.

Courtney Hawkins: .232/.283/.500 in 60 PA. 8 XBH will do that, including 3 home runs. Of course, a 35% strikeout rate will also do that.

Carlos Sanchez: .382/.393/.473 in 56 PA. A .512 BABIP will do that, though swinging your way back to the majors isn't a bad plan.

Tyler Danish: 3 GS, 16 IP, 17 H, 5 BB, 16 K. Nothing to see here.