White Sox Minor League Update: July 6, 2017

With the Major League Baseball season past its halfway point and the Futures Game approaching, Baseball Prospectus posted a midseason top 50 list on Thursday. White Sox prospects took one-tenth of the spots, including Yoan Moncada at No. 1. The thumbnail sketch:

Why He’ll Succeed: Moncada is a true five-tool player, with potential plus or better grades in all five slots. Slot that in at an up-the-middle-spot, throw in a dash of 70-grade pop, and you have the recipe for a perennial all-star.

Why He Might Fail: Moncada may end up more of a four-tool player, and when the missing tool is hit, the profile can get volatile. There’s potential for a lot of swing-and-miss here, and while a .230 or .240 hitting second baseman with pop is still a regular, it’s not an impact one. There’s also more true ‘bust’ potential than you’d like as your number one prospect, but hey, we put a pitcher who immediately blew out at one preseason. Risk doesn’t bother us.

Moncada is followed by Michael Kopech (No. 25), Lucas Giolito (No. 31), Alec Hansen (No. 42), and Luis Robert (in spirit, since the BP staff doesn’t have an in-person report that gives enough confidence to assign a specific number).

Top prospects at a glance

• Yoan Moncada: 0-for-4, BB, 3 K
• Zack Burdi: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
• Spencer Adams: 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 WP
• Luis Alexander Basabe: 0-for-5, 2BB
• Zack Collins: 1-for-4, HR, BB
• Alec Hansen: 3 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 2 HR

Charlotte 11, Durham 7

• Yoan Moncada went 0-for-4 with a walk and three strikeouts.
• Tyler Saladino played the whole game, going 1-for-4 with a homer, walk and strikeout.
• Nicky Delmonico was 1-for-5 with two strikeouts.
• Danny Hayes was 1-for-4 with a double and two strikeouts.
• Rymer Liriano went 0-for-3 with two walks, a strikeout and a stolen base.
• Jacob May singled twice, struck out thrice and stole a base.
• Weird numbers for the Knights: 11 runs on nine hits and 18 strikeouts.
• Miguel Gonzalez: 4.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 Er, 0 BB, 1 K
• Zack Burdi: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Birmingham 9, Jackson 2

• Eddy Alvarez went 2-for-4 with a walk.
• Jake Peter went 3-for-5 with a triple, and is hitting .268 all of a sudden.
• Nick Basto went 2-for-5 with a strikeout.
• Courtney Hawkins, 2-for-5 with a strikeout.
• Spencer Adams: 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 WP

More:

*Matt Cassidy of FutureSox watched Adams last week, and his post gives me the impression that Adams has busted through a plateau to become a more physical pitcher.

For an outing that resulted in allowing five runs and some pretty hard contact, I walked away actually feeling more encouraged about the future of Spencer Adams. Increases in velocity and movement, more muscle, and the ability to hold his stuff pretty effectively late in games are all good signs of progress. And the things already easy to like about Spencer - his easy, repeatable delivery, athleticism, and strike-throwing habits - are all still present.

Down East 11, Winston_Salem 7

• Luis Alexander Basabe went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts.
• Zack Collins, 1-for-4 with a homer and a walk. First homer since June 13, first strikeout-free game since June 26.
• Jameson Fisher was 1-for-3 with a double, walk and strikeout.
• Joel Booker was 0-for-3 with two walks.
• Danny Mendick was 0-for-2.
• Alec Hansen got roughed up: 3 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 2 HR

Hickory 7, Kannapolis 5

• Luis Gonzalez went 1-for-4 with a strikeout and an HBP.
• Micker Adolfo, 1-for-4 with his 12th homer, a walk and a strikeout.
• Aaron Schnurbusch wore the collar and silver sombrero. He did get plunked, but was caught stealing.
• Micker Adolfo went 1-for-4 with a homer, walk and two strikeouts.
• Luis Martinez: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 1 WP.
• The Intimidators snapped a nine-game losing streak.

Missoula 7, Great Falls 5

• Franklin Reyes and Justin Yurchak both went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts.
• Craig Dedelow was 2-for-4 with a homer.
• Carlos Perez went 1-for-3.

DSL Padres 12, DSL White Sox 0

• Brayant Nova went 1-for-5 with a triple and two strikeouts.
• Luis Mieses was 0-for-5 with a walk and a strikeout.
• Harvin Mendoza, 0-for-2 with three walks.
• Josue Guerrero went 1-for-4 with a walk.
• Anderson Comas, 0-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout.
• Anthony Coronado, 2-for-3 with two walks.
• Ulises Martinez went 3-for-5.
• Santo Vasquez, 2-for-4 with a double, walk and strikeout.
• Jenderson Caraballo: 3 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 4 K, 1 HR