The top pitching prospect in the White Sox organization will soon be making his stateside debut.
Right-handed hurler Norge Vera has just been assigned to the Low-A Kannapolis Cannonballers, as first reported by Francys Romero and MLB Pipeline. He is expected to be activated later today and will likely debut sometime this week.
Vera, 22, originally signed with the White Sox as the top available arm during last year’s international signing period for $1.5 million. Currently ranked fifth in Chicago’s system by MLB Pipeline, Vera spent the 2021 season playing in the Dominican Summer League (DSL), where he dominated the competition. In eight games (seven starts), he threw 19 innings, gave up no earned runs, struck out 34 batters (49.3% strikeout rate), and walked just five (7.2% walk rate).
Marco Paddy, White Sox Special Assistant to the General Manager – International Operations, described Vera as “a right-handed pitcher with an outstanding fastball and who has shown promising secondary pitches” when Vera first signed with the team. Based on MLB Pipeline’s scouting reports, the righty sat 95-98 mph during his debut and even hit triple digits. His upper-70s curveball shows occasionally flashes of becoming a plus pitch and he has good control over a mid-80s changeup with fade. Since joining the organization, the Sox have made him simply his pitch mix, which has also included a low-80s slider and mid-80s splitter in the past.
With his upcoming debut in the coming week, Vera figures to still be on track progress-wise. Though his control has been a concern from scouts, many expect that his easy delivery should allow him to at least gain average command as he develops further. The ultimate hope of the White Sox is for Vera to, one day, become a mid-rotation starter. His upcoming starts with Kannapolis will obviously help everyone get a better idea of his future by the end of this season.
To learn more about Vera, check out the exclusive interview conducted by our Jordan Lazowski. The prospect opened up about his life in Cuba, his relationship with 2005 World Series champion Jose Contreras, and why he was excited to sign with the White Sox.
As always, be sure to also follow us on social media @SoxOn35th for more updates.
Featured Photo: Francys Romero/Twitter
