With the Arizona Complex League season in the books, and a whole host of draft picks coming aboard for whatever the version of extended ACL training is, the White Sox began releasing players who are no longer in the plans.
The first four just happen to be fairly prominent international signings: Erick Hernandez and Guillermo Rodriguez from the 2021-22 signing class, and Dario Borrero and Manuel Guariman from the year before.
Hernandez is the big one, but only because the White Sox hadn't signed a non-Cuban international talent for $1 million since Josue Guerrero five years earlier. Unfortunately, Hernandez followed too closely in Guerrero's footsteps, as he posted disappointing showings both in the DSL and stateside. He only received 49 plate appearances during the ACL season, so he clearly was not a priority.
Rodriguez signed for $400,000 as an undercard in the Oscar Colás/Hernandez class, while Guariman ($475,000) and Borrero ($350,000) signed the year before in the class led by Yoelqui Céspedes and Norge Vera, all of whom appear to be out of the organization.
Nashville 9, Charlotte 1
- Bryan Ramos went 0-for-3 with a walk.
- Lenyn Sosa, 0-for-4 with a K.
- Zach DeLoach was 1-for-4 with his fourth homer.
- Colson Montgomery, 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Jake Eder: 3.1 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 7 BB, 2 K, 2 WP, 44 of 89 pitches for strikes.
Notes:
*Eder has a big-time pitch classification problem with Statcast, as most of his changeups read as fastballs, and his slider and curveball aren't separated despite a 10-mph differential. That's not a knock on them blending, because they're all distinct from watching him without radar gun confirmation. It's also besides the point, because he couldn't locate much of anything he was throwing. He started out by throwing seven of his first eight pitches for strikes, and then his control began its slow slide into the sea.
*Danny Mendick pitched the ninth in his first game back at Charlotte. He's not allowed to leave the organization because he's too prepared for everything it can throw at him.
Birmingham 3, Tennessee 1 (Game 1, 7 innings)
- Jacob Gonzalez and Tim Elko both were 0-for-3.
- Wilfred Veras, 1-for-3 with a strikeout.
- Jacob Burke was 0-for-2 with a walk and a CS.
- Jairo Iriarte: 4 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, 1 HBP, 46 of 83 pitches for strikes.
Tennessee 7, Birmingham 4 (Game 2, 7 innings)
- Terrell Tatum went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts.
- Jacob Gonzalez was 1-for-4 with a double.
- Tim Elko, 1-for-4 with a strikeout.
- Jacob Burke was 0-for-3 with a strikeout.
DSL White Sox 3, DSL Arizona Red 2 (Game 1, 9 innings)
- Christian Gonzalez went 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base.
- Jurdrick Profar was 0-for-4 with a strikeout.
- Eduardo Herrera, 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Jesus Premoli went 1-for-4 with a K.
- Jehancarlos Mendez was 1-for-4 with two strikeouts.
- Orlando Suarez: 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K
- Angel Bello: 4 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
DSL White Sox 12, DSL Arizona Red 1 (Game 1, 7 innings)
- Christian Gonzalez went 0-for-3.
- Jurdrick Profar was 2-for-4, and was caught stealing.
