The Chicago White Sox have seen a lot take place regarding their minor-league teams over the past week or so.
There have been call-ups, players sent down, and a lot going on amongst the players in their farm system.
The following is our weekly look at the White Sox farm system and all of the happenings within it...
When it comes to sending players down to the minors from the majors, the White Sox returned Oscar Colas to the minors the other day. Colas has bounced up and down from the majors to the minors for a better part of his career and there appears to be no happy medium for him. He’s a guy who is handy to have around and fill in when necessary but some are starting to wonder if he’s major-league material.
The Double-A Birmingham Barons earned themselves a playoff spot for winning the first half of the season, in the Northern Division. The Barons have not been in the playoffs since 2013 so this is huge for them. The team with the best record at the halfway point of the season gets an automatic berth to the playoffs at the end of the regular season. Hopefully, the Barons do well and bring home a championship for the Sox farm system.
Not only have the Barons clinched a playoff spot but Single-A Kannapolis have clinched a first-half playoff spot also. They haven’t been in the playoffs since 2018 so this is huge for the Sox organization. The Cannon Ballers have been one of the better teams in the Carolina League South Division. Hopefully, they keep on rolling and go into the playoffs with some momentum.
There is one player in particular in the White Sox farm system who is doing very well at the plate.
That player is left fielder Sean Goosenberg. The Winston-Salem Dash outfielder has been doing wonders for the Dash at the plate this year with an average of .263, hitting the ball 62 times in 236 at-bats.
He has collected eight home runs, 43 RBI, and 11 stolen bases. He’s looking good and the White Sox have something pretty positive in him. With a little more work, he could make an appearance in the majors at some point in the future.
Charlotte outfielder Mark Payton was named the International League Player of the Week for June 17th through the 23rd.
Payton had a big week as he made it on base in five of the six games that he played in during that week. He earned himself a .478 batting average getting eight RBI and three home runs all this coming against the Gwinnett Stripers. Payton is a prospect to keep an eye on and has been in the majors with the Sox in the past. If he keeps playing like he has been, he just might wind up there again.
Kannapolis Cannon Baller left fielder Cade Connor is doing some great things with the White Sox Single-A affiliate this season. He currently has a batting average of .306 and has brought in a total of 47 RBI this season. Connor has a long way to go to climb the ranks of the minor leagues but he’s doing some wonders for the Cannon Ballers. We may see him in a White Sox uniform in a couple of seasons.