ARLINGTON -- The idea of a White Sox rebuild was more in workable theory form when Chris Getz returned to the organization as director of player development in October.
Almost nine months later, now presiding over one of the top farm systems in all of baseball, Getz certainly enjoys his part in the White Sox push toward sustained success.
"Really, as a guy that's involved in the Minor Leagues, it's very exciting," Getz told MLB.com. "I know it's very exciting for people in all different departments of the organization and the fanbase.
"But for me, obviously I looked at it as a tremendous opportunity to help these guys become the players that they can be. We've got a great group of guys from [assistant general manager] Buddy Bell on down, our scouting department.
"Every person involved, our coaching staff, it's just been invigorating to communicate on a daily basis what these guys are doing," Getz said. "We talk about the games from the night before, the reports, putting our plans together for instructional league and the Arizona Fall League, and just kind of building toward the future."
There has been a great deal to talk about for Getz and many others throughout the organization basically since December, when the White Sox traded Chris Sale to Boston and Adam Eaton to Washington for a combined seven-player return. The talent acquisition stage remains ongoing, with an extremely deep 2018 MLB Draft on the horizon, run by director of amateur scouting Nick Hostetler for the White Sox, as an example.
Some of the White Sox top prospects already have started to rise to the Major League level. Right-handed pitcher Lucas Giolito (No. 59 overall per MLBPipeline.com) will make his White Sox debut Tuesday, joining Reynaldo Lopez in the rotation after Lopez returns from the disabled list, and with second baseman Yoan Moncada and left fielder Nicky Delmonico behind him.
Michael Kopech, the game's top pitching prospect per MLBPipeline.com who dazzled Southern League opponents with Double-A Birmingham, makes his first appearance pitching for Triple-A Charlotte on Monday and figures to make three starts for the Knights. Outfielder Eloy Jimenez is hitting .353 with one home run since moving to Birmingham from Class A Advanced Winston Salem, while catcher Zack Collins also has homered among his six at-bats since being promoted to the Barons.
Having these players develop and bond together bodes well for future big league team success. It's an ongoing development process for Getz and his crew.
"You are just going to start seeing these guys break into the Major Leagues and continue the development process there," Getz said. "It's our job to get the new players, the newly acquired players, draft, international, trade, and get them in the system and continue to develop those guys so we have more players to supplement the players breaking into the Majors.
"It's obviously ultra-competitive to get to the Major League level. But we know if you get these guys together from the bottom and build them toward the top, we are going to bring the best. They will feed off of each other and through that process you are going to get some championship type of players."