Madrigal headlines White Sox NRIs

January 21st, 2020

CHICAGO -- will in all likelihood begin the season in the Minors to continue his development. But the White Sox No. 4 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, is indeed expected to spend the bulk of the 2020 season as the club's starting second baseman, which is why he will be part of the team’s Major League Spring Training as a non-roster invitee, the club announced on Tuesday.

Madrigal was one of 27 NRIs announced by the White Sox on Tuesday, with 12 coming from within the club's farm system. First baseman Andrew Vaughn, the club's No. 3 prospect and the team’s top pick in the 2019 Draft, will be participating in his first big league camp.

Other players from the White Sox Top 30 prospect list with non-roster invites are right-handed pitcher Jonathan Stiever (No. 6), outfielder Luis González (No. 11), first baseman Gavin Sheets (No. 12) and right-handed pitchers Tyler Johnson (No. 18) and Codi Heuer (No. 23).

Sheets, Madrigal, Vaughn, Stiever, González and Johnson all will be part of this weekend’s SoxFest festivities, a sold-out two-day event at McCormick Place West in Chicago. The White Sox also agreed to terms on Minor League contracts with the following 15 free agents: right-handed pitchers Drew Anderson, Ryan Burr, Brady Lail, Alex McRae and Bryan Mitchell; left-handers Ross Detwiler, Caleb Frare, Jacob Lindgren, Adalberto Mejia and Matt Tomshaw; infielders Cheslor Cuthbert, Andrew Romine and Matt Skole; and outfielders Jaycob Brugman and Nicky Delmonico.

Mejia posted a 6.35 ERA over 33 games last season between stops with the Twins, Angels and Cardinals. He has a 4.62 ERA over 62 career appearances. Right-hander Tayron Guerrero, left-handers Kodi Medeiros and Hunter Schryver, catcher Carlos Pérez and outfielder Daniel Palka round out those players receiving invites to Major League camp from within Chicago's farm system.

Vaughn finished with a .278/.384/.449 line across stops last season with Advanced Class A Advanced Winston-Salem, Class A Kannapolis and the Arizona Rookie League squad to go with six home runs, 36 RBIs, 38 strikeouts and 30 walks. Madrigal finished at .311/.377/.414 with 35 stolen bases over stops with Triple-A Charlotte, Double-A Birmingham and Winston-Salem in ‘19. In 628 career Minor League at-bats, the team’s top pick in the 2018 Draft has struck out only 21 times.

Pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training on Wednesday, Feb. 12, for physicals and a workout. Position players will report and undergo physicals the following Monday, Feb. 17, with the first full-squad workout also taking place that day. The White Sox open Cactus League action on Saturday, Feb. 22, against the Angels at home at Camelback Ranch.