The Chicago White Sox have been playing great baseball lately. They are riding a three-game winning streak, which started when they won in extra innings against the Detroit Tigers on June 5. The White Sox have a new energy surrounding them, with an injection of some of their prospects contributing to their lineup.
It’s great to see the White Sox embracing allowing their young players to play, and it’s also refreshing to see them having success at such a young age. Injuries have forced the issue for the most part, but it has paid off, with players such as Chase Meidroth, Shane Smith, Edgar Quero, and now Kyle Teel all showing why they should be pieces to build around.
In the case of Meidroth and Smith, they’re not only showing why they’ll be key pieces for General Manager Chris Getz and the front office to retain, but they’re having strong seasons, which could help net them a couple of accolades before the season is over.
The Chicago White Sox could have at least two All-Stars this season
After only being a season removed from setting the record for the most losses in a single season in Major League Baseball history, the White Sox are in the second season of a rebuild, which has gone better than expected. Smith and Meidroth lead the pack in terms of how well the future of the White Sox looks, with both putting up All-Star-type numbers as a third of the MLB season has passed.
Smith was the first of the White Sox prospects to make his debut and had success from the jump. In his first three big league starts, Smith had a 0-1 record with a 2.25 ERA and had 12 strikeouts in 17.2 innings. Overall, through 12 starts, Smith is 2-3 with a 2.45 ERA in 62.1 innings.
Meidroth was the second prospect to debut for the Sox and like Smith, has been great since getting the call. Through 42 games this season, the 23-year-old Meidroth is hitting .300, with an on-base percentage close to .400 (.386), and is slugging .373 for an OPS of .759.
Digging a little deeper into Meidroth’s advanced statistics, he ranks in the 97th and 98th percentiles for his chase and whiff percentages, and is in the 95th percentile for his strikeout percentage (11.7%). Meidroth has even shown to be a strong defender, ranking in the 95th percentile for his range.
The skill that Meidroth possesses, which will help his chances of making the All-Star team, is his plate discipline. In 150 at-bats, Meidroth has 21 walks to 20 strikeouts. This elite skill will make Meidroth an elite, top-of-the-order bat for years, and he could be one of the few rookie position players to make or even start the All-Star game.
Two players worth keeping around
If Smith and Meidroth are lucky enough to be named All-Stars in their first seasons, it will only increase the reasons why the White Sox will need to think about locking them into contracts early. Smith is doing things that Rule 5 Draft picks don’t normally do, and Meidroth was the “third-best” player in the trade for Garrett Crochet, so seeing this early success from both is wonderful.
Smith will likely be at the top or in the middle of what could be a star-studded starting rotation once Noah Schultz, Hagen Smith, and Grant Taylor mature, and Meidroth will be the guy getting on base for Teel, Quero, Colson, and Braden Montgomery, driving him in.
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