Before the world changed and baseball screeched to a temporary halt this spring, White Sox general manager Rick Hahn stood in the back of the rival Cubs’ Arizona press box ahead of a Cactus League game on the first Friday of March as a bright sun belied the impending coronavirus storm clouds.
The White Sox had just signed slugging third baseman Yoan Moncada to a five-year, $70 million extension, and Hahn, who isn’t exactly Mr. Braggadocious, in his low-key way uttered what we now can ID as perhaps the understatement of the season.
“We can objectively sit here today and feel like we have three of arguably the most exciting young players in the American League under control for at least the next six years,” Hahn said. “And that is a good feeling.”
Arguably? As ol’ Hawk Harrelson would be proud to say, “You can put it on the board! Yessss!”
Good feeling? Good grief. With the long-term ink still practically drying on deals for Moncada, Luis Robert (six years, $50 million on Jan. 2) and Eloy Jimenez (six years, $43 million, in March 2019), Hahn could have simply done a flamboyant mic drop and said, “Architect, out. See ya in October.”
Which Hahn and his team will, notably for the first time since 2008, and likely, for the first of many Octobers to come. One of the most exciting young teams in the game, from Robert’s electricity to Moncada’s versatility to Jimenez’s thump to shortstop Tim Anderson’s magic bat to Lucas Giolito’s no-hit stuff, the lean summers on Chicago’s South Side have yielded to not just a future crackling with promise, but a present that brims with it, too.
Denne historien er fra October 2020-utgaven av Baseball America.
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Denne historien er fra October 2020-utgaven av Baseball America.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Wood Has Towering Upside- Nationals rookie James Wood also stands 6-foot-7 and also has game-changing power.
Aaron Judge and Oneil Cruz are 6-foot7 sluggers who stand out for their power in this year’s MLB Best Tools voting. Wood spent half of this season with Triple-A Rochester before making his MLB debut on July 1. While he was in the International League, he captured managers’ attention. Wood unanimously won Best Power Prospect and also claimed Most Exciting Player in a survey of league skippers. Wood hit .353/.463/.595 with 10 home runs in 52 games for Rochester. His .242 isolated slugging was the best for a player 21 or younger at Triple-A this season.
ROAD BLOCK?
Scholarship expansion puts mid-majors at a major disadvantage on the road to Omaha
ROYALS REVIVAL
A revamped and rejuvenated farm system has Kansas City ready to rebound
SUMMER STANDOUTS
The top prospects in summer college leagues are poised to impact the 2025 draft
FLORIDA COMPLEX LEAGUE TOP 10
Last year’s Florida Complex League prospect crop has been beset by lengthy injuries to many of its top players, including Yankees pitchers Henry Lalane and Carlos Lagrange, Mets infielder Marco Vargas and Red Sox catcher Johanfran Garcia.
IN WITH THE NEW
The 2024 draft is in the books. The trade deadline is history.
WALCOTT BLASTS OFF
It took some time for Rangers shortstop Sebastian Walcott to find his footing at High-A Hickory.
A RECORD NIGHT FOR COLLEGIANS
Four key takeaways from the 2024 draft
K.C.MASTERPIECE
Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. wins games for the Royals with his bat, glove, speed and baseball IQ. He might be the most tooled-up player in the game.
HOW THE MAJORS HAVE CHANGED FOR YOUNG PLAYERS
When negotiating the 2022 Collective Bargaining Agreement, the MLB Players Association prioritized the earning power of young major league players, especially young stars.
