While the White Sox continue to hover around .500 through May -- enough to be within a few games of first place in a competitive American League Central -- many eyes are on the club's stocked farm system.
The White Sox system -- ranked third in baseball by MLBPipeline.com before the season -- recently honored its players of the month, with fireballing right-hander Michael Kopech and outfielder Micker Adolfo taking the Minor League Pitcher and Player of the Month awards for May, respectively.
Kopech, one of the key pieces in this past offseason's Chris Sale deal with Boston and the club's No. 2 prospect according to MLBPipeline.com, capped off an impressive May by striking out 10 over 5 2/3 scoreless innings on Wednesday for Double-A Birmingham. Adolfo, Chicago's No. 21 prospect, has knocked a couple homers in his past 10 games and hit .333/.385/.531 in the month of May for Class A Kannapolis.
Who else stood out in the Sox system? Here is a look.
Dane Dunning
Class A Advanced Winston-Salem
Dunning bounced back in his first outing back from a seven-game suspension, giving up a pair of runs over 6 2/3 innings while picking up his second win on Wednesday. He's 4-0 this season with a 2.31 ERA in nine starts between Winston-Salem and Kannapolis. Dunning is ranked the club's No. 11 prospect.
Reynaldo Lopez
Triple-A Charlotte
Lopez, acquired this offseason in the trade that sent Adam Eaton to Washington, put together one of his best starts of the season on Wednesday in holding Syracuse to one run on five hits while striking out six in six frames. The White Sox No. 5 prospect has given up three or fewer earned runs in nine of his past 10 starts at the Triple-A level.
Cody Asche
Triple-A Charlotte
Asche has more than enough big league experience to no longer be considered a prospect, but the 26-year-old outfielder has been notable for his standout performance with Charlotte. He's been strong over his past 10 games, going 14-for-29 and slugging four homers to go with 14 RBIs. Asche hit .105/.177/.175 with a homer and four RBIs in 19 games with the big league club this year.
Also of note in the Sox system:
• Triple-A Charlotte second baseman Yoan Moncada -- the top-ranked prospect in baseball and other major cog of the Sale deal -- is still working his way back after going on the disabled list with a wrist injury. He's 3-for-22 with an RBI since his return, striking out eight times.
• Defending International League Player of the Week and White Sox No. 4 prospect Lucas Giolito couldn't match the seven-inning no-hitter he threw in his last outing for Charlotte, scattering eight hits and two runs over four innings.