Yet another arm is being added to the White Sox farm system.
According to a report from Ernest Dove, the organization and right-handed pitcher Zach Hammer have agreed to terms on a minor league contract. The deal has not yet been confirmed by MiLB.com’s transaction tracker or the player himself, by all indications.
Hammer, 21, was drafted out of Alexander Central High School by the New York Mets in 2018. After spending several years in the organization, the 21st round selection was released this past April due to concerns over a drop in velocity. Less than a week later, the reliever signed a minor league deal with the Colorado Rockies and was assigned to their ACL team.
While in the Arizona Complex League, Hammer went 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA (3 ER/10 IP), with 14 strikeouts, 8 walks, .156 opponent average, and 1.30 WHIP in 2021. Despite these intriguing numbers in a rather small sample size, things just didn’t pan out as he was released for a second time on August 26th.
Looking beyond Hammer’s inability to find his footing as of late, the White Sox are getting a young arm that still has potential if he can find consistency in his mechanics. Lack of command has long been a cause for concern for the righty, as his strikeout to walk ratio has hovered between 1.00 to 1.75 in the three seasons he’s appeared. If the 6’3″ hurler can learn to control his lower half and avoid his hips from flying open prematurely, not only will he potentially avoid injuries down the line but likely gain back some of his velo and effectiveness on offspeed pitches that’s been lost.
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Featured Photo: Taylorsville Times
