The White Sox are making quite the promotion ahead of tonight’s game against the Rangers.
According to Daniel Victor, infielder José Rodriguez will be called up from Double-A Birmingham. The team has not yet made the move official or announced a corresponding roster move at the time of publication.
Rodriguez, 22, was originally signed as an international free agent by the White Sox on February 13, 2018. The Valverde, Dominican Republic native has gone on to slash .284/.327/.447 with 77 doubles, 17 triples, 45 homers, 198 RBI, and 102 stolen bases over five minor-league seasons with the organization.
The 5’ll”, 175-pound infielder is currently hitting .238/.274/.429 with nine homers, 25 RBI, and a .702 OPS over 44 games with the Barons. Though his offensive numbers are slightly down on the year due to a slow start, Rodriguez has been red-hot over his last 10 games, hitting .333/.378/.571 with two homers and nine driven in. During the 2022 season, this type of production placed him among the top of the Southern League in steals (2nd), triples (T2nd), hits (3rd), batting average (4th), RBI (T5th) runs scored (6th), and total bases (7th, 189) during the 2022 season.
Our very own Michael Suareo had Rodriguez ranked as the organization’s No. 7 prospect entering the season, while MLB Pipeline had him one spot higher at No. 6 overall. As can be expected, this designation came with its fair share of praise.
Rodriguez looks like a bargain after signing for just $50,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2018. He opened eyes in his U.S. debut by slugging .505 and ranking sixth in the Rookie-level with nine homers in 44 games, and he hasn’t stopped hitting since. The Southern League’s youngest regular player (at age 21) last season, he finished fourth in the Double-A circuit in batting (.280) and second in steals (40) despite missing the final three weeks after breaking his left hamate while hitting a home run.
One of the more natural hitters in Chicago’s system, Rodriguez makes some aggressive swing decisions but also produces a lot of hard contact. While he’s not physically imposing, his quick right-handed swing and deceptive strength give him solid raw power. If he learns to pull and lift more pitches, he could produce 20 homers per season, though he currently has a relatively flat stroke and likes to use the opposite field.
More of a solid runner than a true burner, Rodriguez is bold on the bases and has succeeded on 78 percent of his attempts as a pro in his first four seasons. He improved his consistency at shortstop in 2022, though scouts still believe his average arm and range make him better suited for second base. He saw increased action at the keystone last year, and Chicago has a big league void there.
via MLB Pipeline
The decision to promote Rodriguez, who is already on the 40-man roster, ultimately means that a corresponding move is coming and it probably involves another infielder. Though nothing is for certain, it seems possible that Tim Anderson could be heading to the IL after leaving Saturday’s game early with right shoulder soreness. Though listed as day-to-day following the diagnosis, Anderson did not play on Sunday.
As we await official word from the White Sox, be sure to follow us on social media @SoxOn35th for more updates!
Featured Photo: Birmingham Barons/Twitter
Great… Sox are rushing another prospect because they are too cheap to spend on a legit 2nd baseman in free agency.