White Sox Minor League Update: May 10, 2024

Sox affiliates go 2-for-5 on the night, with flashes of brilliance at every level

Gwinnett Stripers 4, Charlotte Knights 2 (Gameday Box) (Statcast Box)
We begin tonight with Triple-A Charlotte and an offense that can NOT seem to get going as of late. After scoring just one run in yesterday’s matchup, the Knights Nine managed to push across two in this one.

Both of those runs were courtesy of top prospect and last night’s bounce-back candidate, Colson Montgomery.

In addition to the triple that drove in the only two Knights runs of the game, Colson added a double for good measure. He, Mark Payton, and Dominic Fletcher would each go on to record multi-hit performances tonight.

Recent demotee Jonathan Cannon got the nod to start tonight, and didn’t fare particularly well. He failed to make it out of the fifth inning, and was saddled with the loss after giving up all four Stripers runs, on seven hits and two walks. Despite his struggles in this one, Cannon still figures to be on the shortlist of call-up candidates when the rumored White Sox fire sale finally takes place and claims a couple of the more-tenured arms in the Pale Hose’s rotation.

Admittedly, tonight’s matchup wasn’t much to write home about. However, it’s incumbent on you, the reader, to help decide who takes home individual honors in this one.

Pensacola Blue Wahoos 3, Birmingham Barons 0 (Gameday box) (Statcast box)
I’ve got to be real with you, reader, this one was bittersweet for me. While I lament that our Barons got shut out in this one, I have a particular fondness for the opposing team’s starter. Evan Fitterer, Miami’s young left-handed pitching prospect, dealt in this one. He threw six shutout innings, allowing just three hits and lowering his season ERA to a healthy 2.70.

When your author was just a young photographer trying to learn the ropes in MiLB, she attended a Beloit SkyCarp game that Fitterer was starting. He and his family were very kind, considerate, and complimentary. Ultimately, it’s because of the opposing team’s starting pitcher that I’m here today writing recaps to keep you apprised.

I digress. Let’s talk Birmingham.

The Barons scattered four hits and two walks through the night, but failed to cash in any of those baserunners. On the mound, however, Mason Adams SHOVED. The righty finished five strong, surrendering just one run on three hits while fanning six. His ERA on the season sits just a touch shy of 3.00. Don’t be surprised to see Adams get the midseason promotion he deserves when the fire sale takes place.

All in all, yet another less-than-encouraging game on the farm. You know what to do, reader.

Winston-Salem Dash 3, Asheville Tourists 0 (Gameday Box) (Statcast Box)
Oh, how sweet it is to be on the right side of a shutout!

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the DJ Gladney show.

In addition to this longball, Gladney would go on to add a double to his line in what was a much-needed breakout game. The still-young Illinois native has some of the best raw power on the farm, and seeing him realize some of that potential in game could be a game-changer for this relatively light-hitting organization.

On the mound, Kenyan Middleton trade acquisition Juan Carela was in peak form. He’d deal six full innings of two-hit ball, walking just one and punching six tickets. Carela has been phenomenal since coming over to the White Sox — an organization his trade counterpart was seemingly in a big hurry to leave and tarnish. Regardless of your opinion on that particular matter, one thing that isn’t up for debate is Carela’s sky-high potential.

An easily-overlooked postscript on this feel-good win is the three-strikeout performance delivered by Ben Beutel, fresh up from a rehab tuneup in the Arizona Complex League. Beutel is a bit of a hybrid sidewinder, who your author first observed pitching in Low-A Kannapolis a year prior. He was reassigned to Winston-Salem yesterday, and made his presence felt in this one by preserving the shutout in convincing fashion.

All of that said, let’s crown an MVP!

Delmarva Shorebirds 6, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 2 (Gameday Box) (Statcast Box)
All good things must end, and Kannapolis’s offensive resurgence stalled a bit in tonight’s loss.

Leadoff batter Rikuu Nishida was in typical form atop the order, walking twice, stroking a double, and scoring a run. However, with a lone exception, that success did not translate to anybody outside of the first four spots in the batting order. Last night’s star Ryan Galanie and DH Ronny Hernández each recorded multi-hit performances in the loss.

Starter Seth Keener was money in this one, tossing six strong innings of two-run ball while striking out four. His season ERA sits in the mid-2.00’s, and the 2023 third-rounder shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon.

The majority of the night’s damage was exacted on reliever Connery Peters, who gave up six hits in his lone inning of work, culminating in three of Delmarva’s six runs.

No clips from Kanny tonight, so you’ll simply have to take me at my word and deliver a verdict on the night’s individual honors, reader.

ACL White Sox 5, ACL Dodgers 3 (Gameday box)
Five runs on nine hits isn’t too shabby for this young ACL Sox team. A full third of those hits were off the bat of infielder Adrian Gil, who mixed in a homer for good measure. Gil, for our readers who may not be familiar with his game, has an OPS north of 1.000 in 160 minor league at-bats and is making a strong case for reassignment to Kannapolis in the near future despite being just 18 years old. Because of this, I just added him to my roster in my dynasty fantasy league.

Righty Carlton Perkins earned his first save of the year to close this one out, and fellow bullpen arm José Mendoza recorded the dub in the stopper role. In two-thirds of an inning pitched, Mendoza stuck out two batters to preserve the lead for the Sox.

While there may be a clear-cut answer, nothing goes without saying in these updates. Honors for the ACL Sox will be democratically decided by you, reader!