White Sox invite 18 players to Spring Training
The Chicago White Sox have agreed to terms on minor-league contracts with right-handed pitcher Brian Bruney, left-handers Leyson Septimo and Eric Stults, catchers Damaso Espino and Hector Gimenez, infielders Dallas McPherson and Ray Olmedo and outfielder Delwyn Young. All eight players, in addition to 10 players within the White Sox system, have received non-roster invites to the club's spring training camp in Glendale, Ariz.
Right-handers Brian Omogrosso and Jacob Petricka, catchers Michael Blanke and Josh Phegley, infielders Jim Gallagher and Tyler Kuhn and outfielders Jordan Danks, Jared Mitchell, Brandon Short and Trayce Thompson, all received invites to major-league camp from within the organization. Six of the 18 spring training invitees have major-league experience.
Danks, 25, enters the season ranked by Baseball America as the Best Defensive Outfielder in the White Sox organization for the third time (also 2009 and 2011). Jordan is the younger brother of White Sox starting pitcher John Danks.
Kuhn, 25, combined to hit .333 (168-505) with 32 doubles, 11 triples and 70 runs scored over 130 games between Class AA Birmingham and Class AAA Charlotte in 2011. The 5-foot-10, 185-pounder led all Sox farmhands in hits and triples and ranked second in average. Kuhn was selected in the 15th round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft.
Mitchell, the Sox first-round pick (23rd overall) in 2009, enters the season rated by Baseball America as the Best Athlete in the White Sox organization. The 23-year-old played in 129 games with Class A Winston-Salem last season after missing the entire 2010 season following surgery on his broken left ankle. He was previously rated the No. 1 Prospect in the organization by Baseball America entering the 2010 season.
Thompson, 20, enters the season ranked by Baseball America as the No. 4 Prospect and Best Power Hitter in the White Sox organization. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound outfielder was selected by the Sox in the second round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft. His brothers Klay (Golden State Warriors) and Mychel (Cleveland Cavaliers) currently play in the NBA. His father, Mychal, was selected by the Portland Trailblazers with the number one pick in the 1978 NBA Draft.
White Sox pitchers and catchers report to spring training on Thursday, February 23, with physicals and a workout scheduled for the same day. Position players will report and undergo physicals on Tuesday, February 28. The first full-squad workout also will take place on that day.