Well, we knew promotions were going to come sooner than later, but 16 all at once? That’s insane. Right about now is a prime period to move prospects. The first half of the minor leagues is officially in the books, giving teams more leeway to promote their top prospects.
Another factor is the fact that slowly but surely, teams are being eliminated from the College World Series. Once the tournament wraps up for good, players who were drafted by the White Sox (i.e. Nick Madrigal) will be allowed to sign and officially join the White Sox farm system. Consequentially, space needs to be made in the lower levels, hence all of the promotions.
So let’s talk about the biggest prospects and when we can likely see them in Chicago.
Eloy Jimenez
One of the most talked about prospects all year long, Jimenez is known for his ++ power and hit tools. After dominating Double-A pitching to the tune of a .317/.368/.556 slash line, he finally got the call to Charlotte. For the past month and a half, fans seemed to be literally begging the White Sox to promote him. Well they finally got their wish. Now at the highest level of the minors, fans can see the light at the end of the tunnel. If Jimenez continues to hit at Charlotte like he has everywhere else, he could be up soon after the trade deadline. Worst case scenario is a September call up.
Dylan Cease, Luis Basabe
So Birmingham loses Eloy only to have Cease and Basabe join them. Not bad. Both Cease and Basabe have been absolute studs this year. Basabe especially deserves praise for his improvement from last year. In 2017 he batted .221/.320/.320. Fast forward to 2018 and he has improved his line to .266/.370/.502. He looks to be a hell of a utility outfielder on a great team, but could easily be an everyday player on a mediocre team as well. Being just 21 years old, Basabe still has his work cut out for him. A true 5-tool player, he should start next year in Double-A. If all goes according to plan, he could reach Charlotte in 2019 with the possibility of a September call up, and then make the 25 man roster early in 2020.
Dylan Cease has been everything you could possibly ask for since the trade from the North Side to the South Side. Last season the coaching staff took it slow with Cease as he continued his progression back from Tommy John surgery. He entered this year with no restrictions and has looked like a true ace while on the mound. In 2018 at High-A Winston-Salem, he posted a 2.89 ERA, is struck out 10.30/9, and had a record of 9-2. He is hitting 100mph on the gun in the 7th inning, his curveball is an absolute hammer, and he is even effectively using his changeup on a consistent basis. He is a prospect I would keep a very close eye on while he is in Birmingham. His stuff is so electric he could dominate Double-A too. Especially with Birmingham being a pitchers park. While it might be too soon to say he could end up in Charlotte by year’s end, it is definitely not out of the question completely. If he does end the year in Charlotte, he could be in Chicago by next year’s All-Star break. If not, then a September call up in 2019 is more than likely.
Luis Robert
Ever since he signed with the White Sox, fans have been salivating to watch him play. He finished last year playing overseas, and began this year with a few nagging injuries. Now fully healthy, he basically went through a rehab stint at Low-A Kannapolis. It was clear from the beginning that he was not being challenged, so he has officially been promoted to Winston-Salem where he will take Luis Basabe’s spot in the outfield. Besides Dylan Cease, Robert is the other prospect that every fan should (and probably will) have their eyes on. Scouts have said that he might be the best White Sox prospect of them all. Yes that includes Yoan Moncada and Eloy Jimenez. His speed/power combination is second to none. Once he starts getting consistent at-bats, we should see him light the minor leagues on fire.
These are just the biggest names that got promoted today, but there are 12 others that also got bumped up including Seby Zavala, Joel Booker, Alex Call, and Bernardo Flores. One sleeper prospect to watch is Tyler Johnson, a relief pitcher who just got promoted to Winston-Salem. In 27 IP in Low-A he supported a 1.33 ERA, a RIDICULOUS 15.33 K/9, and was 5-0. He is another prospect that should fly through the minors. Depth, depth, and more depth. The White Sox have more than any team in baseball. This is just more proof of that.
It won’t be long until we see these guys performing on the South Side. For now, all we can do is be patient. And trust me, it will be more than worth the wait.
