With the Charlotte Knights in last place, outfield prospect Oscar Colas was out of the lineup on the season’s final day. Still, the White Sox have several other intriguing players at the Triple-A level, including right-hander Sean Burke and a pair of middle infielders.
Sean Burke, RHP (CHW)
In his second and final Triple-A start of the season, Burke’s line showed seven earned runs over just 3.1 innings– he’s yielded nine earned runs over seven frames in those two starts. He settled down a bit after a rough first inning, but things unraveled in the fourth.
Drafted in the third round just over a year ago, the former Maryland ace has moved up the minor league ranks rather quickly. With a very large, six-foot-six frame, the possibility of some extra physical projection isn’t out of the question. He’s athletic with good arm speed and an easy delivery but has had difficulty consistently throwing strikes– although he has improved in that area as he has climbed the ladder.
Burke relies heavily on two pitches. His fastball sat in the low 90s on Wednesday, but did touch 95 a couple of times. He likes to keep the pitch up and generate whiffs with heavy backspin. His best secondary is an above-average curveball in the mid 70s with lots of depth. It plays well off his fastball, and can be a true out pitch at times.
Additionally, he mixes in an average, two-plane slider with some bite and a changeup with good fading action and velocity separation from this fastball. His command of those pitches, however, isn’t quite up to par.
Burke is at his best when he establishes his fastball up in the zone and then changes eye levels with the big, downer breaking ball, but the shaky command can lead to leaving pitches over the heart of the plate and getting hit hard.
Despite his late-season struggles, Burke has already gotten a taste of Triple-A at age 22, so a full season in the upper minors could help him polish his overall skillset.
Lenyn Sosa, 2B (CHW)
After striking out in each of his first two trips to the plate on Wednesday, Sosa responded by collecting back-to-back hits to cap off the 2022 campaign.
The 22-year-old has an intriguing offensive profile, with good barrel control, quick hands and a knack for hard contact. He enjoyed a breakout season in 2022, tapping into his raw power and significantly improving his plate discipline.
Sosa was busy at second base against the Bulls, recording five assists and two putouts. He displayed solid footwork and a strong arm, but probably isn’t adept enough to play on the left side. He bobbled a routine grounder that cost him the chance at a double play in the seventh, but also made a heads-up play in the ninth, charging after a ball that deflected off the first baseman and making a glove flip to the pitcher to get the out.
Sosa is a bat-first infielder who appears nearly big league-ready, and should be a contributor for the White Sox — a team with a gaping hole at second base — in 2023.
Yolbert Sanchez, SS (CHW)
An 0-for-4 showing on Wednesday put an end to an unremarkable offensive season in which Sanchez mustered just a .665 OPS since joining the Knights. The 25-year-old can get a bit aggressive at the plate, hunting fastballs and swinging way out in front of breaking stuff. He made some hard contact, but used up just about all of his power flying out to medium-depth center in the eighth.
Sanchez’s glove stood out more than his bat did. He boasted smooth defensive actions, soft hands and a quick transfer, but while he does have a strong arm, he tends to take his time and half-heartedly throw to first base– he cost the Knights an out, and subsequently two runs, by allowing an infield single to extend the fourth inning.
Sanchez doesn’t have the look of an impact player at the next level, but he can be a serviceable bench piece in a utility role.