The lockout delayed the White Sox's annual list of spring training non-roster invitees by a couple of months, and with spring training cut in half, fewer of them are needed than usual.
That makes it baseball's second consecutive altered spring. Spring training of 2021 was a two-tiered event for COVID-related reasons, with the big leaguers and non-roster/alternate-site types showing up in March, and the minor leaguers moving in for April.
Because of the smaller rosters, only five players made the jump from NRI to the roster over the course of the 2021 season, least since 2015.
- 2021: Andrew Vaughn, Nick Williams, Ryan Burr, Alex McRae, Mike Wright,
- 2020: Codi Heuer, Jonathan Stiever, Drew Anderson, Brady Lail, McRae, Ross Detwiler, Cheslor Cuthbert, Nicky Delmonico, Luis Gonzalez, Nick Madrigal
- 2019: Evan Marshall, Ryan Goins, Matt Skole, Charlie Tilson, Zack Collins, Danny Mendick
- 2018: Chris Beck, Rob Scahill, Chris Volstad, Alfredo Gonzalez, Skole, Michael Kopech
- 2017: Anthony Swarzak, David Holmberg, Aaron Bummer, Jace Fry, Nicky Delmonico, Geovany Soto, Cody Asche
- 2016: Tim Anderson, Tyler Danish, Carson Fulmer, Jason Coats, Matt Purke, Hector Sanchez, Omar Narvaez
- 2015: Soto, Beck, Carlos Rodon, Scott Carroll, Micah Johnson
- 2014: Zach Putnam, Chris Bassitt, Scott Snodgress, Andy Wilkins
- 2013: Erik Johnson, Marcus Semien, Jake Petricka, Ramon Troncoso, David Purcey, Bryan Anderson
- 2012: Brian Bruney, Leyson Septimo, Eric Stults, Hector Gimenez, Ray Olmedo, Jordan Danks, Brian Omogrosso
- 2011: Bruney, Donny Lucy, Jeff Gray (and his journal), Josh Kinney, Shane Lindsay, Dallas McPherson
- 2010: Donny, Erick Threets
This time around, the limitation on bodies is self-inflicted. The White Sox announced 19 such players (down from 21 last year), and with the shortened Cactus League schedule and the prep-heavy flavor of the last three drafts, there are are also fewer top prospects than usual. A notable omission is Oscar Colás, perhaps because the Sox don't want to preface his first stateside performance with a label that might heighten expectations without any real benefit.
Baby's first spring, hitters
Céspedes has some of the louder tools in the White Sox farm system, but he needs to start bringing pitchers back into the zone in order to capitalize on them. Major-league spring training should continue to pose a test in this regard, although he still has just 91 games stateside, so any early struggles can be forgiven.
Rodríguez had the best pound-for-pound showing in the system last year, especially when you take actual pounds into account. His game isn't the kind that should stand out in small samples, but he made his name by showing unexpected power in the Arizona Fall League, this might be a home away from home.
Baby's first spring, pitchers
Perhaps Banks would have been part of a big-league camp or two if the last two springs weren't compromised. He's been a part of the White Sox farm system since they selected him in the 18th round of the 2014 draft, and he's around because he's made the lives of his managers much easier with four consecutive seasons with at least 120 innings between Kannapolis, Winston-Salem and Birmingham. He spent all of 2021 as a swingman in Charlotte, where he struck out an uncharacteristic 70 batters against 13 walks over 59⅔ innings, although that's only good for a 4.53 ERA in that ballpark.
Freeman has the organization's eye after a strong season in Winston-Salem and Birmingham, and a respectable showing in the Arizona Fall League. Perez had a case for the 40-man roster, because he's pitched well at every stop (2.47 ERA, 176 strikeouts, 54 walks, seven homers over 142 innings). The Sox chose Bennett Sousa and Anderson Severino instead for left-handed options on the 40-man roster, but there was no Rule 5 draft this year, so the Sox get to keep everybody.
Right-handed pitching depth
Were the Sox in the mood to add any Charlotte relievers to the 40-man last year, Crick probably would've been their first choice. He struck out 15 against three walks and four hits over 10⅓ innings after coming over from the Pittsburgh organization in August. He had moments of success for the Pirates from 2017 through 2020, so he's somebody who could get looks early and often.
The White Sox briefly released Johnson in order to remove him from the 40-man roster, because his injury prevented him from being outrighted. He had knee surgery and will be looking to restore his stock as a fast-rising bullpen prospect. Rios was one of the few noteworthy roster developments in December, and we talked about him here. Vargas has yet to reach Triple-A, but not necessarily because of anything he's done. He posted a 2.90 ERA with 99 strikeouts against 28 walks over 83⅔ innings in Birmingham last year, although the nine homers allowed is probably what makes the White Sox a little reluctant to send him to Charlotte.
Left-handed pitching depth
The St. Charles East product Benjamin spent time in the Rangers bullpen in each of the last two years, but his walk rate more than doubled from 2020 to 2021, and his ERA nearly followed suit (4.84 to 8.74). He works in the low-90s, so those kind of control problems obliterate his margin for error. Finnegan earned a World Series ring with the Royals the year after he was drafted, but his career is mostly another example of how miraculous Chris Sale's fast track was. He bounced between the bullpen and rotation in the years since his early success, and hasn't pitched in the majors since 2018. The Sox have given Schryver a lot of upper-level opportunities, even though other lefties keep passing him by.
Catchers for those pitchers
The new name is one I didn't expect: Ciuffo, a former first-round pick of the Rays who has appeared in 21 games over three seasons in a third-catcher capacity. He's a lifetime .246/.292/.343 hitter in the minors, but he's known for his defense, grading well for both his receiving and throwing. His inclusion surprised me because I thought we'd be seeing Raudy Read, an offseason minor-league signing whose profile is the opposite of Ciuffo's (.275/.313/.523 line over 117 games at Triple-A).
Instead, the Sox went with Fernández, , who hit .282/.353/.446 as Carlos Pérez's backup at Birmingham last year. I'm guessing with a shortened spring training, not as many catchers are needed, and familiarity with some of the system's pitchers provides an edge. As for Pérez, I'll get to him later.
Organizational players
One of the original members of the Birmingham Logjam is back in the band. Basabe spent the last two years with the Giants, surfacing for nine games of September action in 2020, but he had problems staying healthy there, too. He only played in 33 games after spraining his wrist in spring training. If his body would ever cooperate, he still has fourth-outfielder potential.
Smith has been that fourth outfielder for longer -- 169 games over four seasons with Toronto and Baltimore -- but a bout with COVID-19 threw him off, and he spent 2021 struggling in Triple-A Louisville. Cohoes' Remillard has made himself useful in the system by playing every position except center field and catcher, although Triple-A seems to be his ceiling.
Show something
Both were left off the 40-man, so it's to the club's benefit that the Rule 5 draft was a casualty of the lockout. McClure made his MLB camp debut last year, then had a great stint with Birmingham before running into the typical problems adjusting to Charlotte. While he could get the full year to figure out Triple-A, it wouldn't hurt to have some success in a friendlier environment. Pérez is third-catcher ready now, and the recent strides made in power have closed the gap for what he needed to accomplish offensively. Defensively, his framing is a weakness, but he handles the rest of catching duties well enough to be a factor, and the incumbent backups have far bigger problems behind the plate. We just need to see what the Sox ultimately decide with the guy backing up Grandal before figuring out the bar Pérez needs to clear in 2022.
