The Luis Castillo trade chatter may have grabbed the spotlight on Saturday, but there was still plenty happening across the White Sox’s farm system. From a first pro swing that left the yard to a two-homer night in Triple-A, the affiliates kept plenty of the focus on the field.
The biggest debut belonged to Braden Holcomb, the White Sox’s 12th-round pick out of Vanderbilt, who wasted no time making an impression for Kannapolis. In his first professional at-bat, Holcomb launched a 461-foot home run as the Cannon Ballers beat Salem RidgeYaks 8-5.
Kannapolis got production all over the lineup. Stiven Flores went 2-for-2 with a double and two RBI, while Jaden Fauske finished 2-for-5 with two runs and a stolen base.
Christian Gonzalez added a double and a run, and Efren Teran chipped in a double, a run and an RBI. Grayson Fitzwater and Holcomb each drove in two, and Crew McChesney also swiped a bag.
On the mound, Nick Pinto gave the Cannon Ballers three scoreless innings, striking out three. Ryan Schiefer earned the win with two shutout frames, and Grant Cleavinger worked a scoreless third of an inning. Kendry Garcia had a rough stretch in relief, allowing two runs while issuing five walks in two innings.
High-A Winston-Salem also came away with a win, topping Brooklyn 6-3. Ely Brown did a little bit of everything, going 2-for-5 with a home run, a run, an RBI and a stolen base.
Calvin Harris was just as loud at the plate, finishing 3-for-5 with a homer and four RBI. Nick McLain added two hits and a walk, and George Wolkow doubled twice and scored twice.
Drew McDaniel started for the Dash and allowed two earned runs over four innings. Jake Curtis locked down two scoreless innings to record the save, and Max Banks picked up the win with two innings of relief.
Triple-A Charlotte’s offense got a jolt from Riley Unroe, who went 2-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI, but the Knights still dropped a 6-3 decision. Rikuu Nishida reached base three times, collecting a double and two walks, and Ryan Galanie also reached three times with a two-hit night and a walk.
The pitching line was uneven for Charlotte. Tyler Gilbert was hit hard in his inning of work, giving up five runs on five hits. Joe Rock, Tanner McDougal, Hagen Smith, Jairo Iriarte and Adisyn Coffey all kept the game under control in relief before Tyler Davis allowed the final Charlotte run.
At Double-A Birmingham, Boston Smith was in the lineup but did not officially bat, though he scored a run and stole a base. The Barons fell behind early and never caught up in a 4-0 loss. Caleb Bonemer drew three walks and also stole a base, while Dylan Campbell drove in Birmingham’s only run and drew two walks.
Gabe Davis started and gave up three earned runs in three innings. Shane Murphy took it from there and delivered six innings of relief, allowing one earned run with six strikeouts.
The DSL White Sox split a pair of games. In the completion of July 31’s contest, Hector Hernandez homered and drove in a run, Samuel Luis had a double, an RBI and a stolen base, and Josiel Veras added an RBI and a run. The White Sox lost that one 6-4 to DSL Pirates Black.
In Game 2, Felix Lebron powered the offense with a home run and two RBI, while Orlando Patino went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run. Diego Natera added a double, and Fernando Graterol also drove in a run and stole a base. The pitching side, though, struggled again, with Yordany Marte charged with two earned runs in two-thirds of an inning and Erick Rosso allowing two more earned runs in his inning of work.
In Other News...
White Sox Bullpen Help Is Here But The Deadline Debate Isnt Over
The White Sox kept working the bullpen market by adding another veteran arm from outside the organization, this time in a deal with the Mets. New York sent Huascar Brazobn to Chicago for Double-A pitcher Gabe Davis and Triple-A pitcher Zach Franklin, continuing a deadline stretch that has already brought more turnover to the relief mix after the club moved Seranthony Domnguez and added Luis Castillo.
Brazobn gives Chicago another experienced option as the front office tries to stabilize the back end and sort out what this staff looks like over the final stretch. The move also underscores that the deadline conversation is not finished, because the White Sox have already shown a willingness to keep adjusting the bullpen while weighing how much more help still needs to come in. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Deadline Moves Leave One Big Question About This Roster
The White Sox spent the run-up to the Aug. 3 trade deadline trying to patch together a roster that still had clear needs, and they came away with a mix of pitching help and depth additions. Chicago landed right-handed reliever Huascar Brazobn from the Mets, added catcher Eric Haase on a minor-league deal, and also made a move for right-handed starter Jos Urquidy from Pittsburgh. The club even worked in a separate deal involving Castillo as it continued searching for answers on the mound.
What made the deadline haul interesting was not just who arrived, but how the White Sox chose to handle their new pieces. The front office clearly aimed to reinforce both the bullpen and the rotation, but the roster shuffle left one lingering question about how much immediate help these moves really provide. For a team still trying to stabilize its pitching staff, the bigger issue now is whether these additions are meant to plug holes right away or simply create more options for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Just Made An Outfield Move Fans Will Debate
The White Sox have spent much of this season searching for ways to tighten up a shaky outfield picture, and the latest move is a clear sign they are prioritizing defense. Brenton Doyle arrives from Colorado with a reputation as one of the games best glove-first center fielders, backed by a pair of Gold Glove awards and club control that runs through 2029, giving Chicago more than just a short-term fix.
The fit, though, is not going to be debated only on the basis of range and arm strength. Doyles recent offensive struggles are part of the calculation, and they will keep the conversation pointed at whether the White Sox are betting on his defense to carry enough weight while they try to extract more at the plate. For a club trying to reshape its roster with an eye on stability, this is exactly the kind of move that can look smart in one season and be questioned in the next. [Read more 🡒]