Terry Doyle startrts the month with a bang: 8 IP, 6 K, 0 BB (July 1)

7/1:

Birmingham Barons
Player	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Doyle (W, 3-2)	8.0	6	1	1	0	6	0	2.31
Reed (S, 1)	1.0	1	0	0	0	1	0	1.74

Pitches-strikes: Doyle 103-68, Reed 10-9.
Groundouts-flyouts: Doyle 7-6, Reed 0-1.

Now he has a 75/16 K/BB ratio for the year. 26/5 in AA alone. Awesome job Doyle!

Terry Doyle strikes out 6 and walks 0 (June 12)

6/12:

Birmingham Barons
Player	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Doyle (W, 1-1)	6.0	5	0	0	0	6	0	3.00
Reed	2.0	0	0	0	2	3	0	0.00
Lowe	1.0	1	0	0	0	1	0	5.33

Pitches-strikes: Doyle 98-62, Reed 33-19, Lowe 13-9.
Groundouts-flyouts: Doyle 7-4, Reed 1-0, Lowe 1-1.
Batters faced: Doyle 24, Reed 7, Lowe 4.

Terry Doyle rejoined Birmingham (June 11). He was promoted on May 20 but he went back to Winston-Salem on May 24. Addison Reed was promoted to AA Birmingham too. FutureSox takes a look (and it reports Reed’s fastball was clocked at 99mph!):

Reed, 22, has a 1.49 ERA with 50 strikeouts and five walks in 36.1 on the season, surpassing even the most optimistic projections for the 2010 3rd round pick. Reed features a plus slider and a low 90s fastball, making him a typical two-pitch reliever. …

John Sickels on Addison Reed

Sickels @ MLBall:

The Chicago White Sox promoted right-handed pitching prospect Addison Reed from Low-A Kannapolis to High-A Winston-Salem, where he threw two shutout innings of relief on April 23^rd. He now has 10 innings pitched combined at the two levels, giving up four hits, one run, one walk, with 14 strikeouts. Drafted in the third round out of San Diego State last  year, Reed closed in 2009 but started last year in college. The Sox seem to think he’ll advanced more quickly as a reliever, due to outstanding command of his low-90s fastball, slider, and curve. His arsenal is diverse enough to start, but he throws harder when used in the bullpen. Personally, I’d use him as a starter until he proves he can’t handle it, but he could reach the majors within a year as a reliever.

John Sickels on Addison Reed and Trayce Thompson

From his 4/14 Q&A:

Q: Addison Reed

Why would the White Sox NOT try him as a starter? He’s been relieving so far this season at Low-A Kannapolis. Why set his ceiling so low? Yes, he probably has a better chance of making an impact in the majors as a reliever, but why not try him as a starter first and shift him to the pen if things don’t work out? Especially in a system so devoid of pitching talent.

A: well actually I agree with you totally, but they didn’t ask me.

and

Q: Trayce Thompson

Will he ever be more than a Ryan Harvey clone.

A: probably not

I’m not a big Thompson guy.

FutureSox looks at the White Sox starting pitching prospects

The starting pitching prospects looked at were Andre Rienzo, Addison Reed, Jacob Petricka, Charlie Leesman, Charlie Shirek, and Matthew Heidenreich:

The Brazilian righty [Andre Rienzo] is going to pitch in Winston-Salem this year and can arguably still be called a sleeper. He’s still flying mostly under the radar despite having the best statistical season of any White Sox minor league starter in 2010. Given the comparison to De Los Santos (and previous trades of Dan Hudson and Brandon McCarthy) it’s almost too obvious to say he could be trade bait. However, the fact that the Sox took it slowly with him last year compared to those three could be a sign that they intend to keep him instead of inflating his value for a trade.

BTW, Hector Santiago, Terry Doyle, and Andre Rienzo, threw a shutout against the Sox tonight.

Jeff Marquez clears waivers

Gonzales @ CT:

Pitcher Jeff Marquez was expected to accept an assignment to Triple-A Charlotte on Wednesday after clearing waivers.

Good. We’ll see how his Spring Training K & BB ratios hold up.

Gonzales also reports the minor league teams where some of the Sox prospects will be assigned to. Jared Mitchell will go to A+ Winston-Salem; Josh Phegley and Andy Wilkins to AA Birmingham; Mike Blanke, Trayce Thompson, Jacob Petricka, and Addison Reed to A Kannapolis.

Baseball-Intellect’s 2011 Top 15 White Sox prospects (6-15)

Eisenberg @ BI:

6. Addison Reed | RHP | Age – 23 | Grade – C+
7. Eduardo Escobar | SS | Age – 22 | Grade – C+
8. Tyler Flowers | C/1b | Age – 25 | Grade – C+
9. Greg Infante | RHP | Age – 23 | Grade – C+
10. Thomas Royse | RHP | Age – 22 | Grade – C+
11. Andre Rienzo | RHP | Age – 22 | Grade – C+
12. Tyler Saladino | SS | Age – 21 | Grade – C+
13. Brandon Short | OF | Age – 22 | Grade – C+
14. Anthony Carter | RHP | Age – 25 | Grade – C
15. Matt Heidenreich | RHP | Age – 20 | Grade – C 

The following was the comment for Andre Rienzo: “Intriguing sleeper…report contains a breakdown of his mechanics, which are pretty Tim Lincecum-esque.” That’s a hell of a teaser!

For comments on all 10 prospects as well as a scouting report on Addison Reed hit the link. Here are Prospects 1-5.

Kevin Goldstein’s 2011 Top 11 White Sox prospects [UPDATE]

Goldstein @ BP:

Five-Star Prospects
1. Chris Sale, LHP
Four-Star Prospects
2. Eduardo Escobar, SS
3. Brent Morel, 3B
Three-Star Prospects
4. Dayan Viciedo, 1B/3B
5. Jared Mitchell, CF
6. Jacob Petricka, RHP
7. Greg Infante, RHP
8. Trayce Thompson, OF
Two-Star Prospects
9. Addison Reed, RHP
10. Thomas Royse, RHP
11. Andre Rienzo, RHP

9 more and Goldstein’s scouting report on Chris Sale at the link.

UPDATE: Goldstein discusses the White Sox Top 11/20 on Episode 25 of his podcast (mp3). The White Sox discussion is at the 72:30 mark and runs for about 12 minutes.

John Sickels’ White Sox Top 20 Prospects for 2011

Sickels:

1) Chris Sale, LHP, Grade A: I don’t see how I can give him anything but a Grade A considering how his debut went. Starter or closer, either way he looks great to me.

2) Brent Morel, 3B, Grade B: Should be a solid regular, very good glove, bat will be enough, Joe Randa comps are common and accurate, in my view.

… 9) Andre Rienzo, RHP, Grade C+: This guy is a huge sleeper. You won’t see him on many other lists, but he has good stuff and good numbers. From Brazil.

The rest at the link.

Diamond Futures’ 2011 White Sox Top 12 prospects

Baseball Numbers @ Diamond Futures:

Grade A

1) Chris Sale, LHP (2010 Performance Scores– Dominance 80; Control 60; HRrate 29; Stamina 27)

We believed Chris Sale was the best college arm available in the 2010 draft. His 2010 College Performance score trailed only Texas A&M’s Barrett Loux. So we were as shocked as the White Sox likely were when he was still available at #13. The Sox fast-tracked Sale to the Big Leagues in a relief role, and he only continued to make favorable impressions once arriving—ending the season as the team’s best option at closer. Coming out of the bullpen allowed Sale to consistently throw his fastball in the mid-90s—a few ticks higher than he had worked as a starter. The relief work also allowed him to focus on his slider—the pitch that offered greatest concerns coming into the draft. What the bullpen did not allow him to do was showcase his plus-plus change—the pitch that is the main reason why we believe that he is ideally suited for a starting role.

At a slight 6’6”, we believe Sale could ‘beef-up’ and work in the mid-90s as a front of the rotation starter with a solid three-pitch repertoire. Unfortunately, word out of Chicago is that Sale is likely to once again find himself in the bullpen in 2011. This isn’t a two-pitch Neftali Feliz, that we advocated a bullpen role for. Therein lies the paradox with the White Sox decision to make a run at the Central division in 2011—as it likely means that Sale is the de facto closer vs. working on being a difference maker at the top of the rotation. Still just 21yo, the White Sox are unlikely to harm his development in any significant way, but this is a special arm that should be developed as such.

Hit the link for the other 11 reports.

Addison Reed scouting report

FutureSox:

He usually sits in the low 90s as a starter, but his slider is his best pitch. Reed’s slider is considered a plus pitch while his changeup is an average offering. …

FutureSox’ White Sox Top 25 post-season prospects list [UPDATE]

FutureSox:

1. Chris Sale
2. Dayan Viciedo
3. Brent Morel
4. Jared Mitchell
5. Tyler Flowers
6. Trayce Thompson
7. Eduardo Escobar
8. Jacob Petricka
9. Jordan Danks
10. Addison Reed
…

UPDATE: Jim covers the White Sox Top 10 prospect list by Phil Rogers for Baseball America.

Fangraphs’ “must watch” and more 2011 White Sox prospects

Both articles are from Bryan Smith. First the “must watch” prospects:

In 56 plate appearances (so, sample size alert), Sale held right-handers to a .120/.214/.240 batting line. He did it while throwing them six change-ups in 220 pitches (2.7%), which accounted for 3 balls, 2 called strikes and 1 swinging strike. It was a non-factor. as he went with a two-pitch approach: 66.8% four seamers, 26.4% sliders. And, to my surprise, looking at his Texas Leaguers chart, he wasn’t just back-dooring the slider everytime. It’s a pitch he trusts, and a pitch that works, against right-handers. …

and those prospects outside the ‘Top 10’:

I credit Baseball America and Matt Eddy being the first to make me aware of Mike Blanke, the team’s 13th-round pick from the Division II University of Tampa. Blanke hit .329/.400/.508 in the Pioneer League, where Eddy ranked him as the number seven prospect. He wrote, “…he would have gone much earlier had clubs had any inkling that he would show plus power, arm strength and receiving skills in his pro debut.” …

THT’s White Sox 2011 Top 10 prospects

Hagen @ THT:

1. Chris Sale / SP/RP / Sale is a tenacious competitor who belongs in the rotation long term. He displays great movement and strong command of an impressive three-pitch mix. He is far and away Chicago’s best prospect. 

The rest at the link. It also lists the Top 10 White Sox players under the age of 26.

Baseball America’s Pioneer League Top 20 Prospects

Eddy @ BA:

7. Mike Blanke, c, Great Falls (White Sox)

8. Addison Reed, rhp, Great Falls (White Sox)

19. Thomas Royse, rhp, Great Falls (White Sox)