White Sox select contracts of Jake Eder and Cristian Mena

November 14th, 2023

CHICAGO – The Chicago White Sox have selected the contracts of left-handed pitcher Jake Eder from Class AA Birmingham and right-hander Cristian Mena from Class AAA Charlotte.

Eder, 24, combined to go 2-6 with a 6.35 ERA (40 ER/56.2 IP) and 70 strikeouts (11.12 per 9.0 IP) over 14 starts between Class A Jupiter and Class AA Pensacola in the Miami Marlins organization and Birmingham in the White Sox system last season. He was acquired by Chicago from Miami in exchange for third baseman Jake Burger on August 1. Eder also made six appearances (five starts) with the Glendale Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League in 2023, striking out 16 batters over 17.2 IP.

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound lefty has gone 5-11 with a 3.80 ERA (54 ER/128.0 IP) and 169 strikeouts (11.88 per 9.0 IP) in 29 starts over two minor-league seasons, missing all of 2022 while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He originally was selected by the Marlins in the fourth round of the 2020 First-Year Player Draft out of Vanderbilt. Eder, a native of Boynton Beach, Fla, is rated by MLB.com as the No. 5 prospect in the Sox organization and No. 8 left-handed pitching prospect in baseball.

Mena, 20, went a combined 8-7 with a 4.85 ERA (72 ER/133.2 IP) and 156 strikeouts (10.5 per 9.0 IP) over 27 starts between Birmingham and Charlotte last season. He finished 15th among all minor-league pitchers in strikeouts and ranked among the White Sox organizational leaders in strikeouts (1st), IP (1st), starts (T1st) and wins (T2nd).

The San Francisco de Macorís, Dominican Republic native has gone 11-17 with a 4.97 ERA (158 ER/286.1 IP) and 344 strikeouts (10.8 per 9.0 IP) in 64 career games (63 starts) over three minor-league seasons in the Sox organization. Mena, 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, is ranked by MLB.com as the No. 10 prospect in the White Sox system. He originally was signed as an international free agent on July 2, 2019.

           The White Sox 40-man roster increases to 37.