Up until his most recent story, Tanner McDougal had hit the ground running. After signing with the White Sox for $850,000 after being selected in the fifth round, McDougal opened his pro career with an immaculate inning, followed by two more scoreless innings his next time out.
There have been diminishing returns since, but James Fegan wrote a great story about McDougal that captures an extreme sort of prep pick. Even by draft standards, McDougal is more of a project than most due to limited in-game looks, but because he grew up working with his minor-league-pitcher father Mike and fellow journeymen Josh Towers and David Riske, he also has a better idea of how to go about his business than others.
Part of Towers' and Mike McDougal’s plan of carefully building Tanner up so that his talent would mature alongside his physical frame, was being cautious about his innings and workload.
“He just knew how to take care of my arm, and he didn’t let anybody overuse me. And if I did pitch, it was an inning or two, max,” said McDougal, who spent more time on hitting until he was a sophomore.
His usage limits and COVID-19 restrictions during his high school season created scouting and cross-checking challenges, particularly as teams were trying to assess how he would hold up multiple times through a batting order (let alone six or seven innings), and how a high schooler would eventually perform against strong and consistent competition.
So it might not be a surprise that more looks are going to lead to worse looks, at least until he builds up a certain workload.
Norfolk 4, Charlotte 0
- Blake Rutherford went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
- Jake Burger struck out all four times.
- Yermín Mercedes went 0-for-3 with a K.
- Micker Adolfo was 0-for-3.
Chattanooga 4, Birmingham 3
- Yolbert Sanchez went 1-for-5 with a double and a strikeout.
- Carlos Pérez was just 1-for-5.
- Yoelqui Céspedes dropped down in the order and went 1-for-3 with a walk.
- Lenyn Sosa was 2-for-4 with a strikeout.
- Jason Bilous: 3.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 1 HR
- Yoelvin Silven: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Rome 6, Winston-Salem 3
- Jose Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with a double and two stolen bases.
- Luis Mieses was 0-for-4.
- Harvin Mendoza, 0-for-3 with an HBP and two strikeouts.
- Luis Curbelo walked once and struck out thrice.
- Caberea Weaver singled and struck out twice.
Down East 6, Kannapolis 5
- James Beard went 2-for-5 with a homer and two strikeouts.
- Bryan Ramos went 2-for-5 with a triple, double and two strikeouts.
- Chase Krogman wore the collar and silver sombrero.
- Misael Gonzalez went 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts.
- Wilber Sanchez, 1-for-4 with a CS.
- Andrew Dalquist: 2.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 1 HBP
ACL Angels 11, ACL White Sox 3
- Cam Butler went 1-for-5 with two strikeouts.
- Colson Montgomery went 2-for-3 with a walk.
- Wilfred Veras, 0-for-4 with a walk.
- Logan Glass went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts.
- Colby Smelley was 2-for-3.
- Tanner McDougal got jinxed by James Fegan: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 2 HR
- Ronaldo Guzman: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 2 K
DSL Orioles1 4, DSL White Sox 2 (7 innings)
- Carlos Jimenez went 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Victor Quezada was 0-for-3.
- Carlos Hinestroza: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K
(Photo by Ron Vesely/Chicago White Sox)
