With Oscar Colás hitting .312/.369/.475 with improving numbers in all regards at Winston-Salem, the only question was whether he'd get promoted to Birmingham before or after the Futures Game.
Colas ended up making his Double-A debut in the week of the showcase, which is Saturday. The White Sox promoted him to Birmingham, and while I'm expecting him to spend the rest of the season there, recent cases like Lenyn Sosa and Romy González theoretically put him within range of the active roster if things go remarkably well, given that he's a left-handed hitter and a natural outfielder.
Colás opened modestly with the Barons, going 1-for-5. The hit was an infield single in his first trip, grounding out thrice and striking out in his other four plate appearances.
The White Sox made room on the Birmingham roster by promoting Tyler Neslony, and if a left-handed-hitting true outfielder is needed sooner, he's worth a thorough evaluation at Triple-A. Between his midseason arrival in 2021 and the first 64 games of this season, Neslony spent the last calendar year raking at Birmingham, hitting .335/.417/.609 over 104 games with the Birmingham.
It's easy to write off Neslony because he's 28 and has never produced anywhere close to this scale in professional ball, but with Charlotte lacking high-upside outfielders, he's earned a shot to shed any labels. James Fegan found some fans in the scouting ranks.
Charlotte 5, Lehigh Valley 2
- Yasmani Grandal went 2-for-3 with a walk.
- Adam Haseley, 2-for-4 with his 10th homer.
- Carlos Pérez was 1-for-4 with two strikeouts.
- Lenyn Sosa, 1-for-4 with one strikeout.
- Yolbert Sánchez went 1-for-3 with a walk.
- Tyler Neslony's Charlotte debut: 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts.
Notes:
*The strike zone at Truist Field is no longer dictated by Automated Balls and Strikes, but with umpires and a challenge system.
Birmingham 5, Montgomery 4 (10 innings)
- José Rodríguez went 1-for-5 with a double and a strikeout.
- Oscar Colás' Double-A debut: 1-for-5 with a strikeout.
- Yoelqui Céspedes was 1-for-4 with a double, a walk and a strikeout.
Asheville 13, Winston-Salem 7 (8½ innings, rain)
- Colson Montgomery went 2-for-5 with a homer and two strikeouts.
- Bryan Ramos, 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts.
- Luis Mieses, 1-for-4.
- Adam Hackenberg doubled, walked and struck out twice.
Notes:
*Montgomery's homer was to right field, which is 297 to the right-field corner and 320 to the power alley at McCormick Field.
ACL Rangers 10, ACL White Sox 4
- Cam Butler went 1-for-5 with three strikeouts.
- Luis Pineda, 2-for-5 with a double and a strikeout.
- Dario Borrero was 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Victor Quezada singled and struck out thrice.
- Emerson Talavera: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
- Lane Ramsey rehabbing: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K,
- Luke Shilling rehabbing: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K
DSL White Sox 3, DSL Reds 0 (7 innings)
- Erick Hernandez went 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Loidel Chapelli, 0-for-2 with a walk.
- Guillermo Rodriguez was 2-for-3 with a double.
- Carlos Jimenez went 1-for-3.
- Leandro Alsinois was 0-for-3 with a pickoff.
- Ronny Hernandez, 1-for-3 with a K.
Highlights:
*White Sox hitting coordinator Andy Barkett posted more video of Chapelli:
