The White Sox have a ton of arms in Spring Training this year. They added a bunch of veteran pitchers as non-roster invitees to come in and compete with the younger pitchers. This is honestly a great idea, first, because you can never have too many arms, but secondly, it can help increase the competition and ensure that the pitchers aren’t getting complacent and they know that someone else can come in and easily take their spot.
This competitive environment can be a great booster for a Sox team that desperately needs it. This can help push some of their top pitching prospects like Ky Bush and get every ounce of potential out of them.
Bush was a second-round pick of the Angels in the 2021 draft from St. Mary’s College in California. After he was drafted, he went straight to High-A ball for the Angels and he performed pretty well. He posted a 4.5 ERA over five starts, striking out 20 batters over just 12 innings. He got hit decently hard, as hitters hit .292 against him, but he kept the walks relatively down, as he walked five. Regardless, this is a very solid season for someone who is getting their first action in professional baseball.
The Angels were clearly impressed as they promoted him to AA after pitching just 12 innings in professional baseball. This fits in well with the Angels’ prospect philosophy, as they like to push players through the system. They even promoted their first-round pick this year to the majors towards the end of the season.
Bush would prove them right as he absolutely dominated AA. Over 21 starts he would throw 103 innings of 3.67 ERA baseball. This was about as good as someone could pitch for their first full season in pro baseball. He struck out 101 batters, holding them to a low .237 average. He walked just 29 batters, which kept his WHIP low, only sitting at 1.18. These stats are the reason why the White Sox targeted him at the trade deadline.
Unfortunately, 2023 was a rough year for Bush, as he was injured and it was clear he was battling through injuries even when he did play. He only threw 30 innings before the trade to the Sox, not looking like himself.
It was a rough go at Birmingham for Bush as well, as he would start nine games for the Sox, throwing 41 innings. He would post a 6.70 ERA with a 1.68 WHIP over 41 innings. He got hit around a bit as hitters hit .293 against him. He finished off 2023 pretty strong, which is a good sign for this year.
So far in Spring Training he has thrown two scoreless innings. This is a good start for him, as he could make his debut at some point in 2024. If he can keep the walks down like he does when he is at his best, he could be a solid mid of the rotation arm with the upside for more. He is definitely one of the main arms to watch for the White Sox this year, as they definitely need left-handed starters.
