White Sox promote Madrigal to Double-A

Nick Madrigal is bringing his elite bat-to-ball skills one step closer to the Major Leagues.
The White Sox promoted their No. 4 prospect from Class A Advanced Winston-Salem to Double-A Birmingham on Thursday.

Ranked as the No. 43 overall prospect in the game by MLB.com, Madrigal hit .272/.346/.377 with two homers and 17 stolen bases over 49 games during his second season with the Dash, after playing 26 games with the club last season. The righty hitter has walked 17 times and struck out on only six occasions over 218 plate appearances in 2019.
That 2.8 percent strikeout rate is the lowest among qualified full-season Minor League hitters; Dodgers top prospect Keibert Ruiz is second at 4.9 percent. Dating back to the start of 2018 -- when Madrigal was taken fourth overall out of Oregon State -- his 2.9 percent career K rate is the lowest in the Minors among players with at least 300 plate appearances. No one else is lower than 6.9 percent. 

Madrigal has climbed quickly in the White Sox system because of his plus-plus hit tool as well as plus speed. He has played all but one game at second base in the pros, and could become an above-average defender there, strengthening his value. Listed at 5-foot-7, 165 pounds, Madrigal's weakest tool is his power -- his .105 isolated slugging percentage ranks 48th out of 69 qualifiers in the Carolina League -- so he'll need to continue to get the most of his high-contact approach.

The California native joins a Birmingham roster that already boasts top Chicago prospect Luis Robert as well as No. 8 Blake Rutherford, No. 9 Luis González, No. 14 Alec Hansen, No. 15 Zack Burdi, No. 16 Laz Rivera and No. 17 Gavin Sheets. No. 6 Luis Alexander Basabe was placed on the Barons injured list on Monday with quad tightness.