The White Sox are selecting first baseman Tim Elko onto the big league roster, reports Vinnie Duber of The Chicago Sun-Times. He’ll be in line for his MLB debut tomorrow against the Marlins. Chicago’s 40-man roster is at capacity, so they’ll need to make corresponding active roster and 40-man moves.
Elko has never gotten much prospect fanfare, but his minor league production has certainly warranted a promotion. The right-handed hitter is out to a monster .348/.431/.670 slash over 31 games with Triple-A Charlotte. He has already hit 10 homers and six doubles in 130 plate appearances. He’s tied with Otto Kemp for the Triple-A home run lead. Among hitters with 100+ trips to the plate, only Carson McCusker has a higher OPS.
The 6’3″, 250-pound Elko has been a productive power bat dating back to his college days at Ole Miss. He nevertheless signed for a minuscule $35K bonus as a 10th-round draft pick in 2022. Scouts viewed him as an organizational depth type because of his defensive limitations and lofty swing-and-miss rates. Those are still present, though Elko has made slight improvements to his plate discipline this season. He’s drawing walks at what would be a personal-best 11.5% clip. That comes alongside an alarming 28.5% strikeout rate.
It’s a difficult profile to pull off, one that major league pitchers tend to exploit. Still, the Sox have scored the fourth-fewest runs in MLB. They’ve received a combined .215/.273/.356 slash from their first basemen and designated hitters. There’s little reason not to give Elko an opportunity to try to continue to defy expectations.
Andrew Vaughn has worked as the primary first baseman. The former third overall pick has posted middling numbers for the majority of his career. He entered play tonight with a dismal .186/.223/.293 line. A homer in his first at-bat will boost that a little bit, but it’s increasingly difficult to see Vaughn emerging as a legitimate trade chip for GM Chris Getz and company.
He’s playing on a $5.85MM arbitration salary and looks much more like a DFA or non-tender candidate than someone who could net the Sox a prospect of any regard. They haven’t had a set DH, so Vaughn and Elko could coexist in the same lineup, but it’s fair to wonder how much more runway Vaughn will have as an everyday player.
ELKO SUMMER
It’s about time.
TIM ELKO MAKE ME GO MUY LOCO
AYIYIYIYIYIYIIIIIII
Andrew Vaughn applauds this promotion.
Stat lines:
Andrew Vaughn: .189/.225/.540
Gavin Sheets: .283/.345/.800
I get Vaughn has more at bats so far.. but just saying….
He is doing ok, but platoon DH is a tough way to make a living. By my math, on pace for around 1.5 WAR. Nice, but not that exciting.
I was saying repeatedly last year to no avail, launch the grindy Vaughn keep Sheets- who always looked more comfortable at the plate and in the clubhouse, having grown up in one in Baltimore
I just can’t believe ‘dumpster’, that the Chisox front office doesn’t listen to your brilliant suggestions. No wonder your team sucks.
This just in, social media tirades work!!
Im excited too but not as excited as thegreatbambi3 – ELKO!
Andrew Vaughn, he gone!
In more that 2400 PA Vaughn has a cumulative .2 (as in “Point Two”) BWAR. That’s a hard record to gin up trade interest, much less than trade value.
Have they ever tried to send Vaughn back to AAA to at least see if it lights a fire under his ass?
The problem with Vaughn is he has to throw his entire body into the pitch to drive it over the wall. Even still, he did better as an OF even though its not his natural position. It should have been him in the OF and Sheets at 1st not the other way around.
You obviously never watched Vaughn play the outfield. That statement is ridiculous.
No, its not, look at his hitting when he was in the OF vs at 1st. Im not saying he was a gold glover, but he has somehow managed to hit less being at his preferred position in the field
That and Sheets was likely worse in the OF.
Elko has been racking. Well deserved
Lightbulb is now flickering at 35th and Shields. Power must be coming on in the building.
Vaughn traded to the Red Sox ?
At that salary? Vaughn is more like a DFA/clear waivers/sign for the league minimum type of transaction.
Yes plz, for Liam
I’m not even sure someone would sign him for the minimum. He’s been awful this year.
One can only hope.
My grandma and your grand-ma were sit-tin’ by the fire
My grandma told your grand-ma “I’m gon-na set your flag on fire
Talk-in’ ’bout, hey now hey now I-ko, I-ko, un-day
OTTO KEMP MENTION! WHAT THE HECK IS NOT GETYING HIT BY A PITCH!
Going to get Vaughn back in the outfield (occasionally) for the imminent Robert’s Junior trade?(to Houston)…
No
The only connection Vaughn would have to Houston in this instance is if he gets launched into space
Hopefully he’s big but no Jack Reacher
Finally. Elko’s been tearing up AAA and has earned this.
Yeah, I have seen that with a lot of 4A types, lets just see if he can hit at an average pace on this #$%^ show of a team.
BTW how are the hitting coaches still around for the White Sox? I mean beings ‘The Mummy’ knowing their names?
Tickle me Elko.