In his latest White Sox farm system update for Baseball America, James wrote about Brooks Baldwin, who is trying to get to the major leagues less with a carrying tool, and more with a wheelbarrow of abilities.
Before Jacob Gonzalez's promotion to Birmingham, Baldwin spent the first six weeks of the season proving that he could play shortstop well enough on an everyday basis, which added yet another potential role he could fill. He's a jack of all trades, with the question being whether any aspect of his game will hold up at the MLB level, but when he's hitting .363/.442/.491, the White Sox will be thinking of ways to make him useful.
The switch-hitting Baldwin won’t hit for standout power, but more because of a line drive-oriented swing that Santos remarks is fairly similar from each side, rather than a lack of major league-caliber exit velocities.
Baldwin entered Memorial Day weekend with 34 stolen bases in 41 career attempts on the strength of his strong baserunning instincts rather than top-line speed.
Standout tools typically aren’t available on the third day of the draft, but the White Sox see Baldwin as proof that standout makeup can lift an otherwise average profile.
Worcester 5, Charlotte 2
- Colson Montgomery went 0-for-4.
- So did Luis Robert Jr., who struck out thrice.
- Zach DeLoach, ditto.
- Oscar Colás went 1-for-3 with a walk.
Notes:
*Richard Fitts took a perfect game into the eighth inning before Colás broke it up.
Rocket City 5, Birmingham 3 (Game 1, 8 innings)
- Terrell Tatum went 1-for-4 with a double and a strikeout.
- Jacob Gonzalez was 0-for-3 with a walk.
- Brooks Baldwin went 2-for-3 with a double and a walk.
- Wilfred Veras, 2-for-4.
- Tim Elko wore the collar and silver sombrero.
- Jacob Burke went 0-for-3.
- Ky Bush: 5 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, 57 of 87 pitches for strikes.
Rocket City 3, Birmingham 2 (Game 2, 8 innings)
- Terrell Tatum walked once, got plunked once and struck out twice.
- Jacob Gonzalez was 1-for-3 with a double, walk and strikeout.
- Brooks Baldwin was 0-for-4.
- Tim Elko, 2-for-4 with a strikeout.
- Edgar Quero was 0-for-3 with a walk.
- Jacob Burke went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
- Drew Thorpe: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K, 52 of 87 pitches for strikes.
Hickory 9, Winston-Salem 2
- Eddie Park was 1-for-3 with a walk.
- Calvin Harris, 0-for-4 with a K.
- DJ Gladney homered in his return from the injured list, along with a walk and two strikeouts.
- Wes Kath was 0-for-3 with a K.
- Samuel Zavala went 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Tanner McDougal: 5+ IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 50 of 76 pitches for strikes.
- Joe Barlow advanced in his rehab stint: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Notes:
*McDougal's line through five: 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
Kannapolis 3, Columbia 2
- Rikuu Nishida went 0-for-4 with a strikeout.
- Ronny Hernandez also wore the collar.
- Ryan Burrowes doubled, walked and struck out.
- Jake Peppers: 5.1 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 54 of 86 pitches for strikes.
