The Arizona Complex League is a rookie-level league that has operated in the Phoenix area since 1988. There are 18 teams in the league and they play at the spring training homes of their parent clubs. There are 15 organizations located in the desert and they make up the rosters of the 18 clubs. The Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers and San Francisco Giants each have two rookie league teams. The alignment of the divisions is as follows:
East: ACL Angels (Los Angeles), ACL Diamondbacks Black (Arizona), ACL Diamondbacks Red (Arizona), ACL Giants Black (San Francisco), ACL Giants Orange (San Francisco), ACL Rockies (Colorado)
Central: ACL Athletics (Oakland), ACL Cubs (Chicago), ACL Brewers Blue (Milwaukee), ACL Brewers Gold (Milwaukee), ACL Guardians (Cleveland), ACL Reds (Cincinnati)
West: ACL Dodgers (Los Angeles), ACL Mariners (Seattle), ACL Padres (San Diego), ACL Rangers (Texas), ACL Royals (Kansas City), ACL White Sox (Chicago)
The White Sox reside in the West Division and play their home games at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona which doubles as the franchise's spring training home. Due to scorching hot temperatures, the ACL is often referred to as the "Fire League". Games also aren't heavily populated, with crowds represented by scouts, front office personnel and family members. Games are also free to attend.
There are currently 47 players on the first iteration of this roster but more will join throughout the year, especially after the July Draft. The club is comprised of 26 pitchers, three catchers, nine infielders and nine outfielders. The club will be managed by Danny González. Gerardo Olivares and Drew Hasler will serve as the hitting and pitching coaches respectively. Veteran staff member Mike Gellinger will assist the hitters and serve as bench coach as well. Ángel Rosario will be the fundamentals coach while Daniel Cobian serves as the performance and rehab coach. The trainers are Scott Johnson and Chaerin Yeom.
(Ages in parentheses)
Infielders
- Matt Archer (22)
- Ryan Burrowes (18)
- Anthony Espinoza (21)
- Arxy Hernandez (19)
- Carlos Jimenez (21)
- Enoy Jimenez (22)
- Victor Quezada (19)
- Guillermo Rodriguez (18)
- Layant Tapia (21)
The highest ranked prospect on the squad is 18-year-old Panamanian infielder Ryan Burrowes. After skipping a portion of the fall instructional league to graduate from high school in his home country, the shortstop has returned and will make his stateside debut this summer in Arizona. In 47 games in the Dominican Summer League last summer, Burrowes hit .266/.393/.392 with a 120 wRC+ and clubbed three homers. The 6-2, 170 pounder signed for $75,000 last year and started producing immediately.
The shortstop has shown advanced skills at the plate with good feel to hit and strike zone awareness. The Panamanian could have a significant offensive ceiling and MLB Pipeline reported that other clubs have asked for him in trade talks. Burrowes barrels the baseball and produces high exit velocities. He could move away from shortstop in the future but will likely play the majority of his time there while in rookie ball.
Víctor Quezada will return to the ACL this season after struggling offensively in his stateside debut. The Dominican third baseman signed with the White Sox in 2021 for $525,000 and he immediately showed big power while posting a 120 wRC+ in the DSL. The 6-1, 185 pounder possesses big power but didn't show much of it in 36 games in the desert last summer. The 19-year-old can play first base as well. Dominican infielder Layant Tapia hit five homers in the ACL last year and will return after playing 17 games in Low-A.
Carlos Jiménez is a Panamanian slugger who has played first base in addition to the outfield corners. The 6-4, 220 pounder hits from the left side and clubbed five homers in the DSL last season. He slashed .343/.409/.564 and posted a 153 wRC+ in 45 games played. Enoy Jiménez is the younger brother of Eloy and he'll return to the Arizona Complex League along with 22-year-old Matt Archer.
19-year-old Dominican infielder Arxy Hernández posted a 103 wRC+ in 49 games during the DSL season in 2022. The 6-2, 170 pounder received "some buzz" from scouts during extended spring training. Venezuelan Guillermo Rodriguez signed for $400,000 out of Venezuela last year and the 18-year-old debuts stateside this summer. He struggled offensively in the DSL last season but he's known for his defensive skills. Anthony Espinoza is another Venezuelan who will spend his third season in Arizona.
Outfielders
- Álvaro Agüero (20)
- Godwin Bennett (20)
- Dario Borrero (19)
- Misael Gonzalez (21)
- Erick Hernández (18)
- Randel Mondesi (20)
- Arnold Prado (18)
The White Sox signed Erick Hernández out of the Dominican Republic for $1 million last year. He started strong in the Dominican Summer League last year but ultimately struggled statistically after dealing with a knee injury. The 6-0, 170 pounder hits left-handed and the organization really bought the hit tool. The teenager possesses strike zone knowledge, shows a good approach and hits the ball to all fields. He's a high energy player that should spend much of his time in center field.
Venezuelan Arnold Prado and Nicaraguan Godwin Bennett will make their stateside debuts in Arizona this summer. Prado is an 18-year-old who posted a 155 wRC+ in 29 games in the DSL last year. The 6-3, 195 pounder is athletic with a feel for the strike zone and he hit .345/.457/.460 and impressed during instructional league as well. Bennett is a 20-year-old who showed immense power in the DSL in 2022. The 6-2, 170 pounder posted a 175 wRC+ while clubbing 11 homers with a 15% walk rate over the course of 41 games.
Darío Borrero and Álvaro Agüero will repeat the level in 2023 as they also competed in the Arizona Complex League last summer. Borrero is a 19-year-old Venezuelan who hit .313/.349/.373 last year. He has shown big power in batting practice but is still searching for his first professional home run. As a 6-5, 190 pounder with a left/left profile, he will need to develop power and walk much more to stick as a left fielder or first baseman going forward. Aguero is a 6-0, 160 pound Dominican who plays center field. The 20-year-old struggled offensively but hit seven homers in the ACL.
Misael Gonzalez will return to the desert after two years of offensive struggles. The 12th rounder out of Puerto Rico back in 2019, he posted a 151 wRC+ and clubbed five homers in Arizona. The power potential is evident and he possesses defensive skills in center field as well. Randel Mondesi will make his stateside debut and he hit .238/.333/.377 with four homers in 46 games in the Dominican Republic.
Catchers
- Ruben Benavides (21)
- Manuel Guarimán (19)
- Ronny Hernandez (18)
The White Sox signed Venezuelan catcher Manuel Guarimán in January 2021 for a bonus in the $500,000 range. The 6-0, 195 pounder was known for defense but hit well during his Dominican Summer League debut. The backstop really struggled offensively in Arizona last year during a 20 game sample. He'll repeat the level and spend a lot of time behind the plate in Arizona this summer.
Benavides and Hernandez hail from Venezuela as well. Benavides is a 21-year-old who participated in 15 games in the ACL last summer. He's struggled offensively stateside after posting an OPS of 1.031 in his 2019 DSL Debut. Hernandez posted a .909 OPS and hit six homers over the course of 35 games in his Dominican Summer League and professional debut last season.
Pitchers
- Frankeli Arias (LHP, 20)
- Ricardo Brizuela (RHP, 19)
- Brian Carrion (RHP, 24)
- Oriel Castro (LHP, 22)
- Anderson Comas (LHP, 23)
- Josimar Cousin (RHP, 25)
- Guillermo Cuevas (LHP, 24)
- Daniel Gonzalez (LHP, 21)
- Eric Hildebrand (RHP, 23)
- Carlos Hinestroza (RHP, 19)
- Jose Jimenez (LHP, 20)
- Juan Jimenez (RHP, 20)
- Chase Krogman (LHP, 22)
- Mark McLaughlin (RHP, 22)
- Jesus Mendez (18, RHP)
- Jose Mendoza (19, RHP)
- Connor Pellerin (RHP, 23)
- Ronny Robles (RHP, 21)
- Gabriel Rodriguez (RHP, 19)
- Jose Rodriguez (RHP, 22)
Cuban righty Norge Vera is slated to restart his season in Arizona on a rehab assignment along with Isaiah Carranza, Cole Duensing, Zachary Hammer, Logan Lyle, Luke Shilling and Frander Veras. One of the most interesting names in this group however is the newly minted Josimar Cousin. The Cuban right hander has a storied history that I wrote about when his rumored addition was first reported. The 25-year-old should serve as a starting pitcher to begin his professional career in Arizona.
It's often difficult to discern between starters and relievers in rookie ball and the roster doesn't offer many clues at first blush. 24-year-old southpaw Guillermo Cuevas started the opener on Monday and the Dominican struggled in his debut after posting a 4.64 ERA in the DSL last year. Connor Pellerin spent some time in the New York Yankees organization after starring at Tulane and the 23-year-old likely takes up a rotation spot for this rookie level affiliate as well.
Mark McLaughlin was used primarily as a reliever at Tennessee the last three seasons but the White Sox used a 7th round selection on him in 2022 with the intention of stretching him out as a potential starting pitcher. The 22-year-old righty threw seven innings with Kannapolis last year. 23-year-old Eric Hildebrand was signed as an undrafted free agent right hander out of Purdue and he'll serve in some capacity on the pitching staff as well.
Anderson Comás was originally signed as an outfielder out of the Dominican Republic in the same class as Luis Robert. The 23-year-old has converted to the bullpen in the last year and it'll be his second season in the Complex League. James Fegan of The Athletic wrote a recent feature on Comás journey off the playing field as well. In a similar fashion, 22-year-old southpaw Chase Krogman has made the switch to the mound too after being selected as an outfielder out of a Missouri high school back in 2019.
20-year-old Dominican lefty Frankeli Arias posted a 3.33 ERA with 50 strikeouts and 12 walks in 48.2 innings in the DSL last year. Joining him on the roster will be 22-year-old Panamanian southpaw Oriel Castro, 21-year-old Venezuelan lefty Daniel Gonzalez and returning 20-year-old left hander Jose Jimenez.
19-year-old Panamanian righty Carlos Hinestroza is returning to Arizona after throwing in 16 contests last year. 6-3, 200 pound Dominican Ricardo Brizuela will debut after struggling in the DSL last summer and he'll also be joined by Dominicans Ronny Robles, Gabriel Rodriguez, Brian Carrion and 19-year-old José Mendoza who posted a 3.72 ERA in 18 games last year. 18-year-old Venezuelan righty Jesús Mendez will be joined by 22-year-old Jose Rodriguez and 20-year-old Juan Jimenez from the country as well.
