White Sox Add to 40-Man Roster

The deadline to protect players from the Rule 5 draft by adding them to the 40-Man Roster is tonight, so the White Sox have gone ahead and added a few players they feel are worth keeping:

Jared Mitchell
Josh Phegley
Andre Rienzo
Santos Rodriguez
Charles Shirek

This brings the 40-Man to 39. Math tells me there is one spot remaining though the team could certainly choose to leave this mystery 40th man unprotected and add him later. Being included on the roster does make it a possibility that any of these players could make appearances in the big leagues in 2013, but doesn’t guarantee it. Mitchell has a shot to impress and challenge Jordan Danks for the extra outfield spot, and Josh Phegley may end up being the backup catcher by virtue of no other options. It may also mean that the catching position is so thin in the minor league ranks that the organization just can’t afford to have a catcher plucked from the AAA team lest balls continuously roll to the backstop. Though my endorsement is less than glowing, Phegley is playing without a spleen after losing the 2010 season to a blood disease.

I think 40-Man inclusion entitles you to a better jersey number too. (Andrew B. Fielding-US PRESSWIRE)

Andre Rienzo spent 2012 rising through the ranks pitching at A, AA and AAA, and will now be pitching in the World Baseball Classic for his native Brazil.

Santos Rodriguez and Charles Shirek could potentially see some time lending assistance to the bullpen. Should Shirek reach the big leagues at any point he will cause me to continuously misspell his name as “Shriek”, which I managed to avoid here with a ridiculously high level of concentration. Shake my hand in congratulations should you see me on the street.