White Sox Minor League Update: July 16, 2017

The Luis Robert signing limits the White Sox Sox to international signing bonuses no greater than $300,000 in each of the next two periods, which means it’s difficult for the White Sox to spend all of their $4.75 million allotment.

Hence, the Sox traded bonus pool money to a team that could use it by sending money to the Rangers for 20-year-old shortstop Yeyson Yrizarri (which, according to the White Sox press release, is pronounced JAY-sin EE-re-ZAR-ee).

The Rangers signed Yrizarri out of the Dominican Republic for $1.35 million 2013. He’s hitting .258/.285/.399 with decent extra-base power (19 doubles, a triple, seven homers) but poor plate discipline (six walks, 57 strikeouts) over 317 plate appearances across the A-ball levels. The White Sox have seen a lot of him, as the Rangers have affiliates in both the Sally and Carolina leagues.

Yrizarri started at shortstop for the Dash and batted second, where he went 2-for-4 with a strikeout and a sac bunt in his Winston-Salem debut. If he isn’t able to figure out the strike zone, Ben Badler says he may have a second act.

As for the Rangers, Adam Morris at Lone Star Ball is intrigued by the deal since Yrizarri is considered a prospect, even if a secondary or tertiary one. He draws two conclusions:

This move, though, would seem to indicate one of two things — either the Rangers have more international players they have deals with that they need pool money to sign, or the Rangers are loading up on pool money to maximize what they can offer Japanese pitcher Shohei Ohtani.

Top prospects at a glance

• Yoan Moncada: 1-for-4, 2 K, CS
• Reynaldo Lopez: 7 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 12 K, 1 WP
• Spencer Adams: 4.2 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 2 HR, 1 WP
• Zack Collins: 0-for-2, 2 BB, SAC
• Eloy Jimenez: 2-for-3, 2B, 2 BB
• Luis Alexander Basabe: 0-for-5
• Jake Burger: 1-for-3, BB

Charlotte 5, Gwinnett 4

• Yoan Moncada went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts and a CS.
• Nicky Delmonico was 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
• Willy Garcia, 2-for-4 with a double and a strikeout.
• Danny Hayes went 1-for-4 with a double and two strikeouts.
• Rymer Liriano doubled as a pinch hitter.
• Jacob May went 0-for-4 with a strikeout.
• Reynaldo Lopez: 7 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 12 K, 1 WP, 66 of 99 pitches for strikes.

Birmingham 6, Biloxi 5

• Jake Peter went 1-for-4 with a walk and two strikeouts.
• Nick Basto was 1-for-5 with a homer and two strikeouts.
• Courtney Hawkins singled twice and struck out twice.
• Trey Michalczewski was 1-for-4.
• Spencer Adams: 4.2 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 2 HR, 1 WP

Winston-Salem 9, Lynchburg 7

• Brayant Flete is helping the Dash win games: 2-for-3 with two walks and four runs scored.
• Yeyson Yrizarri went 2-for-4 with a strikeout and a sac bunt.
• Zack Collins was 0-for-2 with two walks and a sac bunt.
• Eloy Jimenez, 2-for-3 with a double and two walks.
• Jameson Fisher went 2-for-4.
• Luis Alexander Basabe was 0-for-5.
• Jimmy Lambert: 6 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 WP

Kannapolis 3, Columbia 0

• Gavin Sheets was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.
• Micker Adolfo went 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
• Jake Burger, 1-for-3 with a walk.
• Luis Gonzalez went 2-for-3 with a walk.
• Blake Hickman: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 0 K

Grand Junction 8, Great Falls 6 (10 innings)

• Franklin Reyes went 2-for-5.
• Amado Nunez went 2-for-4 with a double, walk and strikeout.
• Felix Mercedes went 1-for4- with a walk and two strikeouts.
• Ricky Mota was 1-for-5 with two strikeouts and a stolen base.
• Hanleth Otano was 0-for-5 with two strikeouts.

AZL White Sox 7, AZL Rangers 6 (8 innings, rain)

• Alex Call went 1-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout.
• Jose Colina, 1-for-4 with a double, walk and strikeout.
• Sam Abbott went 2-for-4 with a double, an HBP and two strikeouts.
• Lenyn Sosa went 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
• Edinxon Arias: 5 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 1 WP
• Hunter Kiel looked normalish: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K