After the minor league season comes to a close for Double-A and Triple-A at the end of September, the baseball season doesn’t necessarily end for minor league players whom teams deem as candidates for additional development. The Arizona Fall League allows six teams made up of prospects from all 30 clubs to compete with one another and showcase their skills to their respective teams.
With just about a month to go until the Arizona Fall League season kicks off, it seems the White Sox will have a few notable representatives. Jeff Cohen of Future Sox reported last week that outfielder Jacob Burke and RHP Josimar Cousin will represent the Sox in Arizona beginning October 2.
James Fox of Future Sox confirmed the report and also announced that Colson Montgomery, the Sox’s top prospect, will also be heading south for the fall.
Montgomery dealt with back issues at the season’s outset and has been limited to 49 games so far in 2023, so getting him more at-bats in Arizona makes a lot of sense. Montgomery turned a lot of heads during an exceptional 2022 campaign and has reinforced those praises this season, putting up a .982 OPS across three levels.
Burke, 22, is currently ranked the 21st prospect in the White Sox system. The former 11th-round pick in 2022 has had a solid season at the plate between Low-A and High-A, hitting .292 with an OPS of .826. He’s also shown the ability to play Center Field at the professional level and has made a couple of highlight reel catches.
Josimar Cousin was signed as an international free agent in May and reported to High-A Winston-Salem in June. Though his numbers haven’t been great, as he’s posted a 5.87 ERA in 46 innings, the stuff seems to be there, and the White Sox would like to give him more innings. Already 25 years old, Cousin is a guy who could rise quickly through the system if he finds a rhythm and begins to figure it out. He’ll be a player to keep an eye on this fall in Arizona.
To this point, those are the only names confirmed to be heading to the AFL, however, Jeff Cohen mentioned in the above tweet that there could be a few more.
Stay tuned for updates on more players heading to Arizona as they are announced.
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Featured Image: Kannapolis Cannon Ballers / Twitter
