The White Sox embarrassment of riches landed three more minor-league prospects on another postseason list.
Baseball American published their Minor League All-Star Team on Friday and some familiar White Sox prospects found themselves among the elite crew.
Baseball America's 2017 Minor League All-Star Team: https://t.co/nNB7oHvGJB
— Carlos Collazo (@CarlosACollazo) September 8, 2017
Eloy Jimenez was the lone White Sox farm-hand to make the first team. Jimenez was a midseason addition to the organization after Jose Quintana was swapped to the Cubs. The slugging outfielder finished the season with a .312/.379/.568 slash line with 19 home runs and a .947 on-base plus slugging percentage. Eleven of his 19 home runs were laced after joining the White Sox organization.
With Yoan Moncada’s promotion to the majors, Jimenez is quickly climbing his way into the top-prospect slot and believes he will be in the big leagues soon.
“I truly believe that I can be playing here right now,” Jimenez told a media scrum at Guaranteed Rate Field Tuesday. “… The only thing I can do is to work hard every day…and put myself in the best position to force them to make a decision.”
The other two players are no slouches either. Michael Kopech made the second team while Alec Hansen joined rounded out the White Sox representation on the second-team roster.
Kopech needs no introduction with his incendiary fastball and reality-T.V. star girlfriend. One of the key pieces in the Chris Sale trade, Kopech finished a stellar full season without interruption in 2017. He finished with a 2.88 earned run average between Double-A and Triple-A with 172 strike outs in 134 1/3 innings pitched.
Kopech and his starlet sweetheart Brielle Biermann, one of the protagonists in Bravo’s “Don’t Be Tardy,” were guests at The Rate this week and navigated the media frenzy of a power couple with aplomb. Biermann exalted the idea of moving to Chicago with her beau when he takes the city by storm with this 105 miles-per hour fastball and boyish good looks.
Hansen hasn’t gathered quite the attention Kopech and Jimenez have, but he has certainly planted himself in the conversation about the future. A tall, lanky and imposing figure on the mound, Hansen seems to be taming the volatility in his delivery and discovering a modicum of consistency.
He fanned 191 batters between Kannapolis and Winston-Salem and blasted through the season with a 2.80 earned run average and 11-8 record. Hansen led the minors in strike outs with the most punch outs since 2011. He has clearly raised his value within the organization.
