Even though the White Sox have begun the season without one of their top prospects, second baseman Nick Madrigal, it doesn’t seem as if he’ll wait much longer to make his MLB debut. Director of player development Chris Getz said Thursday (via Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times) that Madrigal is “pretty close” to joining the club, though he didn’t provide a timeline for when it could happen.
Now 23 years old and a top 100 prospect, Madrigal became a member of the White Sox when they chose him fourth overall in the 2018 draft. Madrigal, who’s a diminutive 5-foot-7 and 165 pounds, has only hit four home runs in professional ball since the Sox drafted him, but he has nonetheless been productive. He reached the Triple-A level for the first time last season and slashed .331/.398/.424 (117 wRC+) across 134 plate appearances. The hope is he’ll maintain those type of numbers (or even exceed them) when he reaches the White Sox, who also boast the steady trio of first baseman Jose Abreu, shortstop Tim Anderson and third baseman Yoan Moncada in their infield.
With Madrigal off their 30-man roster in the early going, the White Sox have primarily gone with Leury Garcia at second base. Garcia has never been a threat at the plate, though, and with Chicago off to a 2-4 start in a 60-game season, it may behoove the club to bring up Madrigal in the very near future. Service time shouldn’t be a concern for the White Sox in regards to Madrigal in the coming days, as keeping him down for a week of games will clinch an extra year of control for the team.
What is wrong with Edwin Diaz
This thread is not about Edwin Diaz or the Mets.
Who killed Jimmy Hoffa?
He stinks!
your what hurts?
My deepest apologies hockey boy
hockey boy? A very scary thought…lol
With such a young team, the ChiSox really needed to get off to a fast start. They still have the talent to push for a playoff spot but their pitching has been disappointing so far this year. Not sure how much more Madrigal will give them over Garcia as he has no power but it will be good for him to get his feet wet. Kopech opting out really hurt the White Sox chances this year, but they still have a good future awaiting them.
It’s not about what Madrigal will give them over Garcia; it’s about what he’ll give them over the useless Delmonico. I have to imagine Leury will slide into RF.
No worries, 8 teams make the playoffs in the AL this year. Who’s going to get in ahead of them??? And don’t say the Angels. They are off to a worse start and their pitching is a disaster.
Nick Madrigal exceeds Leury Garcia in virtually every baseball category with the exception of arm strength and perhaps power…for now. Madrigal is a better hitter and defensive second baseman. He can steal 30+ bases and his baseball IQ is off the charts. He has contact skills that have bested any hitter at any level which can help a White Sox lineup that still strikes out too much. His defense at 2B should also help steady defensively inconsistent SS Tim Anderson who has had too many different double play partners at 2B since making his own White Sox debut in June of 2016.
I agree with @Priggs89 This is more an indictment on Delmonico than Garcia as Garcia is likely sliding into the OF. My question though is how Madrigal is better than two weeks ago? I think Ricky should be held to task for having Delmonico out there and Hahn should be held to task as to why Delmonico made the club and Madrigal did not start with the club.
Delmonico is “out there” because of the Mazara ‘illness’. The reason for Madrigal missing the first week of the season is obviously MLB service time. If this season should somehow be completed amid the pandemic AND the White Sox just fall short in their bid to qualify for the expanded postseason then some of these decisions could haunt the front office all offseason. White Sox fans will make sure of this.
This kid’s strikeout to walk ratio in the minors is crazy. Wonder how it will translate in the bigs.
Let’s just hope Madrigal isn’t a marginal prospect at best
As an Indians fan, I encourage the White Sox to continue to trot out Leury Garcia and Nicky Delmonico in the starting lineup. No need to rush Madrigal, you’ve got plenty of season to work with.
Yeah, Delmonico is literally a free out in under 4 balls thrown guaranteed. Leury’s been seemingly trying to sell out for more power this year, which is obviously not his game.
The Sox need Madrigal and Mazara in the lineup ASAP! I just hope the Mazara/Leury/Engel platoon works a bit better than I think it will.
My nickname for Delmonico is ‘3rd out’
@nrd1138
I like that nickname a lot.
But he fouls a lot of pitches off beforehand!
Looking forward to seeing him in the starting lineup tomorrow.
@ski44- Oh wow, already in starting line-up batting 9th? Then no pressure on him. (Kid gloves) Hearing all good things about him.
Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking too…. starting lineup, batting 9th. The Sox have a number of guys who can work counts and Madrigal may end up being one of the best. If the 9th place hitter can wear a pitcher out before turning over the lineup, then look out!
Rebuilding year, might as well see what they have.
@juicenewton
You forgot which article you were commenting on, didn’t you. This isn’t a Royals article, this is a White Sox article. That’s ok, it happens. At least we all got a good chuckle from it.
Teams get an extra year of control waiting until August rolls around so we’ll see a lot of promotions in a couple days.
Jo Adell can’t be too far behind.
I know he’s only 5’8″ or 5’7″ depending on what site you go by… but is he projected to be able to add any pop to his game? I mean maybe not quite to the level of Altuve but theyre similar sizes and Altuve has really impressive power. If he could even get to 15 HRs a year, paired with his amazing contact ability (at least in the minors… where he only struck out 15 times last year) he could be a really impressive player. As much as I’d like to see a guy his size make it even without power… I don’t really know how much of a ceiling a guy who can’t hit for any power would really have in the majors… even if he doesn’t strike out. But I guess we’ll see! Best of luck to him… he’s definitely defied odds so far!
Nick Madrigal has a fine MLB “ceiling” and perhaps the highest floor of any young White Sox player or prospect.
The White Sox have had three HOF middle infielders who were 5’10” or less and possessed very little power as indicated by the career slugging percentages of second baseman Nellie Fox (.367) and shortstops Luis Aparicio (.348) and Luke Appling (.398).
Madrigal also figures to be a perennial contender for multiple AL Gold Glove Awards. Fox earned 3 while Aparicio collected 9.
Madrigal also figures to be a regular contender for multiple AL batting titles like Appling who won 2.
Madrigal will far exceed the SB numbers of Fox (76) and Appling (179) and should be closer to Aparicio (506) if given an opportunity in this era of advanced analytics.
Madrigal figures to handily beat the BA/OBP lines of Aparicio (.262/.311) and Fox (.288/.348) and just might do the same with Appling (.310/.399) when all is said and done.
Madrigal doesn’t project to have the pure power of say Jose Altuve or even Ozzie Albies, but I see no reason why he can’t come up and hit 6-9 home runs (maybe more someday) in a full-162 game season while being a high-OBP guy with consistent batting average around .290-.300 with plus defense (maybe even Gold Glove worthy not far down the line).
I like the comparisons that his impact should be similar to what David Fletcher can do (minus the versatility to play all over the diamond.)
Look at Placido Polanco’s career. Not much power, but one consistent at bat every time up, when he was with the Tigers. Invaluable!
Agree 100% on Placido. He was their toughest out for quite a while.
I think he’s more of a Howie Kendrick
Let me guess, they need to give him a 6 year contract first
Well him not signing… that’s why he’s not up right now lol
Damn white Sox
Basically saying to players sign this extension or we will screw you over on service time. It’s business but it looks worse when they have multiple pre career extensions and they’re magically ready opening day
But here? He needs…about 4 more days… get outta here.
I’m not going to defend the White Sox here, I think service time manipulation shouldn’t happen. But realistically it seems to be the default – and they’ve certainly done better than many in signing people to extensions ahead of time, which I think aren’t nearly as only team-beneficial as some of the others out there (see Atlanta for example). I’ll give them a pass for this one. And then let’s fix the CBA next time so service time manipulation isn’t a thing.
Players out of HS get 10 years team control, players out of college get 7, base. One less year for players given $1MM of bonus money or more, and one additional less year if a player gets more than $1MM over slot. Arbitration starts when they have 3 years left of control (so covers their last 3 years of contracts).
He is honestly *exactly* what we need right now either at the top or near the bottom of our order; someone who can take a walk, prolong at-bats, and when they get on base, threaten the pitcher as a constant threat to turn singles essentially into doubles by stealing second.
Right now, with our current struggles, I’m hoping before long our lineup will be run out like this:
(1) Tim Anderson, SS
(2) Yoan Moncada, 3B
(3) Jose Abreu, 1B
(4) Luis Robert, CF
(5) Yasmani Grandal, C
(6) Eloy Jiménez, LF
(7) Nick Madrigal, 2B
(8) Edwin Encarnacion, DH
(9) Nomar Mazara, RF
That would get Leury to the bench as a utility-man, which is what he should be. It frees them up much more to play matchups with McCann, Collins, Leury, and Engel off the bench. Also wouldn’t mind calling-up Yermin Mercedes to be our power-hitting pinch hitter.
Now if only the pitching staff wasn’t such a disaster right now. We really need Cease to find his command or Rodón to step it up and finally show some consistency.
In the short run I think you want him batting ahead of Eloy, so Eloy has someone to hit in. 6th on that list seems reasonable. Luis Robert and Grandal can clean up the Moncada/Abreu pairing, and then Eloy/EE can clean up Nick’s on base percentage.
In the long run, you want him leading off, and Tim down the order, particularly when Tim’s BABIP returns to normalcy. Nick’s ability to take pitches, get walks, and have a healthy OBP will be key to the White Sox’ success, while. Tim can have lower pressure at bats lower down (much lower).
Seems similar to Dustin Pedroia.Which would be a good thing.
Being a die hard Tigers fan but admiring what the White Sox are doing from afar, I’d say you don’t need this kid to be a power threat over he gets there and gets going. What you need from him is to get on base in front of Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Abreau, Yoan Moncada and the rest of that wrecking crew of a lineup and get driven in consistently. MLB has become so much of a “you gotta hit the long ball” league that it gets forgotten that you need guys like this to get on base in front of power guys to turn those solo HRs into 2 or 3 run shots more often than not. Come in and hit .300-.325 with an OBP of around .375 or so and play good D. That’s a success as far as I’d say.
You are cotrect, sir.
As long as he doesn’t meet a ‘B’ list celebrity, get married, get divorced, and opt out of the 2020 season, I’m jiggy with Madrigal.
the negotiations were short