The White Sox will select the contract of infielder/outfielder Romy Gonzalez today, filling one of their two extra roster spots under September expansion rules, per FanSided’s Robert Murray (Twitter link).
It’ll be the first call to the Majors for Gonzalez, an 18th-round pick in 2018 who has turned in an outstanding year this far between Double-A and Triple-A. Gonzalez wasn’t ranked among White Sox farmhands in the offseason, but Baseball America tabbed him as the system’s No. 17 prospect on its midseason re-rankings after a huge start to the year.
The 24-year-old Gonzalez began the 2021 campaign in Double-A and hit .267/.355/.502 with 20 home runs, 11 doubles and 21 stolen bases through 344 plate appearances before a promotion to Triple-A. He’s only improved in Charlotte, hitting at a .344/.382/.750 clip with three homers and four doubles in 34 plate appearances. It’ll prove to be a brief stay with the team’s top minor league affiliate, however, as Gonzalez will now be called to the big leagues after just nine Triple-A contests.
Gonzalez would’ve been eligible for the Rule 5 Draft this offseason anyhow, so it’s not a huge surprise to see the South Siders give him a well-earned look in the Majors for the season’s final month. He’ll give the Sox a right-handed bat with some power, speed and a good bit of defensive versatility. Gonzalez had played primarily in the outfield in 2018-19, but he’s played exclusively in the infield in 2021 — with the bulk of his innings coming at shortstop. He’s now seen time at all four infield spots and in all three outfield slots since being drafted in ’18, giving the Sox plenty of options to rest their regulars down the stretch.
In the short term, Gonzalez’s promotion could give the ChiSox the opportunity to place Tim Anderson on the 10-day injured list or to at least continue resting him. Anderson has been bothered by leg soreness in recent weeks and hasn’t played in any of the team’s past three games.
Go Canes!
That was unexpected. I thought the 2 would be Sheets and Burger or one of those two and a reliever. Makes me wonder if TA’s injury is worse than they are letting on. This is the stretch to have him on the IL if this is the case.
I doubt TA’s injury is something horrible, or he would not have played that stretch of games prior to the rest he is getting now. Hopefully they rest him a week, or maybe even two, just to make sure he is 100 percent come October.
Just get him healthy. If there is one player that the Sox are not going to win without, it is TA7.
Loved her high school reunion movie! Good luck!
More info and insight into this prospect who most White Sox fans never heard of prior to 2021: soxon35th.com/white-sox-to-call-up-romy-gonzalez/
Romy Gonzalez could develop into a Ben Zobrist type super utility player or even be in the running as the ChiSox everyday second baseman in 2022 and beyond.
I think that’s what this is an audition for. Hernandez has been underwhelming since acquiring him.
Nice. I like his versatility, but I also think the Sox have done a good job this year of giving some younger guys looks at the big league level, and it’s created some trade value that probably didn’t exist before.
But I hope they play this guy every day as long as TA isn’t playing. No need to plug Mendick or Leury in there, as we already know what they bring to the table.
dude has had a great year in the minors. hopefully its not a flash in the pan since his profile is ideal for a leury garcia replacement
Let’s gooooo!
Where’s the “Yerminator” call up?!
He’s a DH and nothing more. They have Jimenez, Vaughn, Grandal, and Abreu who can all fill that role.
Why not? If they need to rest TA for a week or two, Romy might prove better than Mendick, who sets the bar pretty low.
Would be a great story if he eventually achieves MLB success. 18th round pick. You just never know.
They have a bunch of middle infield prospects now in their top 20. Montgomery of course, but then Jose Rodriguez, Yolbert Sanchez, Bryan Ramos, Lenyn Sosa, and now Romy. Have to believe that crop had something to do with their decision to trade Madrigal.
@jhomeslice
I agree. I just hope they don’t do what they’ve done with some of the other call-ups recently–bring him up for a PH appearance or start one game and send him back down. For God sakes, play him. Otherwise, why bother bringing him up.
I can see that also with Madrigal. The Sox minor league system isn’t horrible, it just doesn’t have much to offer right now. They might have a great group of guys that are ready 3 or 4 years from now. It’s just that only a few guys can help the team right now. Hopefully Romy is one of them.
I’m surprised they brought him up (not so much now that TA officially went to the IL), but I’m not angry about it at all. Actually I like the move. Like you said, he might prove to be better than Mendick. It was just unexpected, especially when this was posted.
Give the kid some playing time and see if he can replace Cesar Hernandez or Luery Garcia in 2022.
I think Cesar has an option for next year which will probably be picked up and Leury has been a decent and mostly reliable bench bat over the years. As for Gonzalez, I just read about him last week and how he’s been tearing it up in the minors. Hopefully he does well while Tim is out.