SAN DIEGO -- Trey Michalczewski got word a few days ago of his inclusion on this weekend White Sox exhibition trip to San Diego.
"They just said, 'Hey you are going to San Diego. Get something nice to wear for the plane ride and enjoy it,'" said the smiling White Sox No. 5 prospect, per MLBPipeline.com.
Michalczewski, 21, leaves San Diego for Double-A Birmingham, where he will play third base for the Barons. But he departs with big league memories, albeit brief for now.
During Friday's 5-3 victory over the Padres, Michalczewski walked and scored a run. In Saturday's 10-2 victory, Michalczewski knocked out two doubles, scored two runs and drove in one.
"It's good for those young guys to go on trips like this. We've done it in the past where we try to take some guys," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "You get them here and get them in a big league ballpark, playing against big leaguers. That's stuff that goes a long way.
"You might not see it the next two weeks, but further on down the line, there's just something that happens to a guy. When he's able to see it with his own eyes, maybe what it takes, being around guys and their work ethic, seeing what goes into it."
This weekend experience is different than getting called up to a contest in Surprise or Peoria during Cactus League play, where the young players are in for three innings and then peel out.
"Just being around guys: You're flying with them, you see the way they conduct themselves, how they go about their business," Ventura said. "It's a fun trip for them to take."
The switch-hitting Michalczewski hit .259 for Class A Advanced Winston-Salem last season with 35 doubles, 75 RBIs and seven home runs. He has spent this past weekend listening and learning, a philosophy top prospect Carson Fulmer talked about so much during his first big league camp.
There's been a chance for Michalczewski to chat with Todd Frazier, the team's incumbent at third base.
"I'm trying to take it all in, stay back and watch how everybody goes about their business and try to learn as much as I can," said Michalczewski of his first visit to a big league stadium. "It's a lot nicer [than the Minors] obviously. Just kind of shows you what your ultimate goal is and how hard you have to work to get there. But once you get there, you pretty much got everything you need."