CHICAGO – Rikuu Nishida was labeled as the “best personality in our organization” by Paul Janish, the White Sox director of player development, during Janish’s Saturday talk with the media.
One day later, that top personality is packing his bags from Triple-A Charlotte to join the White Sox in Chicago. Nishida has been called up to the White Sox, a Major League source told MLB.com Sunday. The club has not confirmed the move.
He becomes the fifth Japanese-born player to suit up for the White Sox following infielder Tadahito Iguchi (2005), right-hander Shingo Takatsu (2004-05), outfielder Kosuke Fukudome (2012) and of course, current first baseman Munetaka Murakami.
When Murakami began his pre-Spring Training workouts in Arizona after agreeing upon a two-year, $34 million deal, Nishida was there working alongside him.
“I think that’s crazy right now,” Nishida told MLB.com during a recent interview about becoming the latest Japanese-born player to reach the Majors. “If I make the big leagues, [being] there with Shota [Imanaga], Seiya [Suzuki] and Murakami and [Masataka] Yoshida and me, I never thought I would play in the big leagues.”
Since being promoted from Double-A Birmingham to Charlotte, Nishida, who turned 25 on May 6, has a slash line of .347/.454/.395. The left-handed hitter doesn’t produce power, with just four total extra-base hits for the Knights, but he has speed -- he’s racked up 110 steals in the four Minor League seasons -- and defensive versatility.
COMPLETE WHITE SOX PROSPECT COVERAGE
There’s a preference to second base for Nishida, where he played for much of the Minors. But he has learned the outfield, joking last week of how he likes right field the most because it’s closer to second base.
His skill-set and that infectious personality will be on display Monday afternoon against the Twins at Rate Field. And with right-hander Zebby Matthews on the mound for Minnesota, Nishida figures to get a start.
“He’s one of the best baseball players that we have in our organization. He is contagious in the best way,” Janish said. “The players around him get better, the teams that he is on win. It’s really hard for me to express how much I think of Rikuu as a player. He’s one of those guys, he knows his skillset as well as anybody and he’s really really good at executing it.
“The numbers speak for themselves. He’s playing really well at Charlotte at this point in time. He can play all three outfield positions, he can play second base at a high level defensively. And he’s really really good at getting on base.”