White Sox claim Jake Elmore off waivers from Houston; Add Carlos Sanchez and outfielder Trayce Thompson to 40-man roster

CHICAGO - The Chicago White Sox have claimed infielder Jake Elmore off waivers from the Houston Astros and purchased the contracts of infielder Carlos Sanchez and outfielder Trayce Thompson from Class AAA Charlotte.

Elmore, 26, batted .242 (29-120) with two home runs, six RBI and 16 runs scored in 52 games with Houston in 2013, his first season in the Astros organization after being claimed off waivers from Arizona on November 1, 2012. 

He played all nine positions with the Astros during the season, appearing in 20 games at shortstop, 12 at second base, nine in left field, two in center and one each at pitcher, catcher, first, third and right. On August 19 at Texas, he became the 14th player in major-league history to pitch and catch in the same game.

Elmore, 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, also hit .299 (80-268) with five home runs, 30 RBI, 16 stolen bases, 42 runs scored and a .383 on-base percentage in 70 games with Class AAA Oklahoma City last season. 

His best season came in 2012 with Class AAA Reno when he was named to the Topps Triple A and Pacific Coast League All-Star Teams after batting .344 (144-419) with 30 doubles, nine triples, 73 RBI, 95 runs scored, 32 steals and a .442 on-base percentage in 108 games. Elmore set a Reno franchise record with a 31-game hitting streak from May 20-June 24 and reached base safely in a PCL-best 46 consecutive games from May 3-June 24. Following that season, he was rated by Baseball America as possessing the Best Strike Zone Judgment in the PCL. 

Elmore has played in 82 major-league games with Houston and Arizona (2012), going 42-188 (.223). He is a career .291 (588-2,022) hitter with a .386 on-base percentage, 304 walks and 303 strikeouts in 592 games over six minor-league seasons.

Sanchez, 21, spent the entire 2013 season with Charlotte, hitting .241 (104-432) with 20 doubles, two triples, 28 RBI, 50 runs scored and 16 stolen bases in 112 games. He currently is playing for La Guaira in the Venezuelan Winter League, batting .361 (43-119) with a home run, 17 RBI and 25 runs scored in 32 games.

The 5-foot-11, 195-pound Sanchez entered the 2013 season rated by Baseball America as the No. 3 Prospect, Best Hitter for Average and Best Defensive Infielder in the White Sox organization.

Thompson, 22, spent last season with Class AA Birmingham, hitting .229 (116-507) with 23 doubles, five triples, 15 home runs, 73 RBI, 78 runs scored and 25 stolen bases over 135 games. He ranked among the Southern League leaders in runs scored (T3rd) and RBI (4th).

The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Thompson was named to the SL midseason All-Star Team and ranked among the White Sox organizational leaders in runs scored (5th), stolen bases (5th), walks (5th, 60), RBI (6th), home runs (7th), hits (8th), total bases (8th) and extra-base hits (9th, 43).

Thompson, who is playing for La Guaira in the VWL, entered 2013 rated by Baseball America as the No. 2 Prospect in the White Sox system. His father, Mychal, played 14 seasons in the NBA and his brother, Klay, is in his third season with the Golden State Warriors.

With the moves, the White Sox 40-man roster increases to 39.