It is time for FutureSox writers to huddle and come up with a mid-season Top 30 prospects list. And that means it is time to take a closer look at Blake Rutherford.
Blake’s uneven results last year prompted him to fall off the end-of-season list. And I don’t see him sneaking back on, though he’s much-improved from a year ago and you don’t have to squint as hard to see him as a future MLB corner outfielder.
Most importantly, the former 2016 first-round pick of the Yankees has found his power stroke this year. He has 10 homers, a triple and 19 doubles on the year. If I had access to his hard-hit data, I’d bet that he is barreling a lot more balls, with vastly improved exit velos.
A lot of home runs in Truist Field are 330-foot, routine-fly-ball wall-scrapers, but that’s not the case with the Blake’s shots. They are line drives that clear the right-center fence with ease.
And yet, curiously, nine of his 10 home runs have come at home.
Blake’s slash line on the season is .270/.313/.434. (But he’s currently in the midst of a nice hot streak: .324/.342/.459 in his last 11 games.)
His league average-ish OBP is noteworthy, because it has languished much lower during most of his time in Charlotte this year and last. In large measure, that’s because Blake is an aggressive hitter, with a walk rate of just 4.7%. But his strikeout rate is a modest 19.4%, so he’s making a lot of contact and not chasing a lot of pitches outside the zone.
Blake’s manager for much of his 1½ seasons in Charlotte, Wes Helms, talked earlier this year about a more mature Blake Rutherford this season, one who is engaged in the game and with his teammates rather than pouting after a bad at bat. Helms expressed confidence that Blake would eventually blossom into a power-hitting MLB corner outfielder.
Hitting coach Chris Johnson is also enthused about Rutherford's growth: "I see him being more consistent," he said, "More consistent in his work. He is relentless every single day with his routine, working on his path, working on his approach. And he's really gotten into game-planning this year. He's done a really good job of looking at the pitcher, figuring out what he's going to do and how he's going to beat him. He's just kind of growing up as a hitter."
Johnson also acknowledged that Rutherford is tapping into more power this year. "Absolutely," he said, "Because now he is comfortable with what he's attacking. He's looking for a pitch and trying to get his 'A swing' off, and that's what we preach. He's up there to do damage. He's got an approach and he's getting after it."
Spoiler alert: Blake is unlikely to find his way back onto the top 30 list. There’s definitely prospect fatigue here for White Sox fans and it is more fun to dream on the untapped upsides of 18-, 19- and 20-year-old kids. But Rutherford is turning a corner, and looking like a major leaguer for the first time in his career. And for a guy carrying the pressure of being a first-round draft pick, good for him!
Minor Keys
Syracuse 9, Charlotte 8
- Yolbert Sánchez went 0-for-3 with a walk and a sac fly.
- Adam Haseley, 0-for-4 with a strikeout and an HBP.
- Carlos Pérez hit his 17th homer as part of a 2-for-4 night, also drawing a walk.
- Romy Gonzalez was 0-for-5 with a K.
- Davis Martin: 2.2 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 6 K, 2 HR
Birmingham 10, Tennessee 6
- José Rodríguez went 2-for-4 with his ninth homer, a walk, and his 40th stolen base. He was also caught stealing.
- Oscar Colás was 1-for-4 with his 10th homer, and he struck out twice.
- Yoelqui Céspedes, 1-for-4 with a K.
- Sean Burke: 4 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 8 K, 1 HR, 1 HBP, 46 of 75 pitches for strikes.
- Luke Shilling: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP, 13 of 26 pitches for strikes.
Hickory 15, Winston-Salem 1
- Colson Montgomery went 0-for-3 with a walk.
- Bryan Ramos, 1-for-4 with a K.
- Luis Mieses, 2-for-4.
- Adam Hackenberg was 0-for-1 with a walk and a sac fly.
Columbia 6, Kannapolis 4
- Jordan Sprinkle went 1-for-5 with a K.
- So did DJ Gladney, who doubled for his hit.
- Wes Kath, 1-for-5 with a homer and two K's.
- Wilfred Veras was 2-for-4 with a double.
- Jacob Burke, 1-for-2 with two walks.
AC:L White Sox 5, ACL Royals 0
- Brooks Baldwin went 0-for-4 with a walk and two strikeouts.
- Luis Pineda was 1-for-4 with an HBP and two strikeouts.
- Dario Borrero, 1-for-4 with a stolen base.
- Victor Quezada, 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts.
- Cam Butler doubled, singled, struck out twice and stole a base.
- Manuel Veloz: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K.
DSL Padres 10, DSL White Sox 6
- Guillermo Rodriguez went 0-for-5.
- Ryan Burrowes, 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Loidel Chapelli went 0-for-4 with a K.
- Carlos Jimenez, 1-for-3 with a homer and a walk.
