Chicago White Sox Players Turning Heads Early at Spring Training

To be sure, the Chicago White Sox haven’t played enough games to make legitimate evaluations about any of the players participating in spring training.

Simply put, the jury is still out on those who’ve been on fire in the early goings and those that have failed to find a rhythm. But that fact won’t stop us from highlighting several guys who are turning heads early in camp.

To be clear, we will limit this list to rookies or players battling for a roster spot. We will also focus on performances that stand out for a good reason. That means Gordon Beckham’s 1-for-13 rut at the plate will not be mentioned (except here).

Here are four players that have done well for themselves in the early stages of spring training for the White Sox.

Micah Johnson, 2B

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Micah Johnson entered spring training in an open competition with Carlos Sanchez for the nod as the Opening Day second baseman. All he has done up to this point is impress everyone that follows the team.

He's put up a .467/.529/.867 slash line with a double, triple, home run, three RBI and five runs scored. He’s reached base via bunt, moved runners over and tied Monday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks with an opposite-field home run.

Defensively, he’s shown fine range and quick hands, getting a force out with a glove-hand flip to Alexei Ramirez on a ball hit behind the bag at second against the Kansas City Royals.

The left-handed hitter’s production has caught the eye of Robin Ventura. Per MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan, the White Sox manager said:

"

You notice his speed and his range, even his at-bats, you start seeing what people are talking about and he's getting in the middle of everything. He had some nice turns defensively, I thought he showed some of the range. He had the one ball that came out of his glove, but he still was able to get to it. He just continues to play hard and play with purpose.

"

In short, Johnson is doing everything he can to win this job.

Scott Carroll, RHP

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Kenny Williams, the White Sox's executive vice president, shared word on Wednesday morning, via CSN Chicago’s Dan Hayes, confirming what most fans feared: Chris Sale is not going to be ready for the start of the season. The news has two major repercussions.

First off, Jeff Samardzija is likely going to be the Opening Day starter. Second, guys like Scott Carroll and Brad Penny suddenly have a greater shot at beginning the season on the South Side. And of the two, Carroll is turning in a better effort.

In two outings (4.2 IP), Carroll has pitched to a 1.93 ERA, allowing a .176 batting average against and has a WHIP under 0.9. He has been effective with his location and has pitched out of trouble. Flat out, he is taking advantage of an unfortunate opportunity.

If he continues to impress over the next couple of weeks, expect a nod on the Opening Day roster until Sale returns from his injury. After that, he may still hang around as a long reliever, but for now, his best shot is as the No. 5 starter.

J.B. Shuck, OF

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The unexpected retirement of Michael Taylor, first reported by MLB.com’s Scott Merkin, doesn’t hurt J.B. Shuck’s case for the final spot in the outfield, but he is doing just fine regardless of his competition.

When the game against the Kansas City Royals ended on Tuesday, Shuck had reached base safely in four out of six games. In all, he's compiled a .385/.429/.385 slash line over 13 at-bats. Sure, an extra-base hit would be nice, but he's making solid contact, using the whole field and he moved Jose Abreu from first to third twice in the same game with singles to the right side. 

Just as important for his chances, Shuck is making plays in the outfield, including a diving catch in right against the Los Angeles Dodgers. If he maintains his current level of production, there is little doubt he will break camp on the 25-man roster.

Carlos Rodon, LHP

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After Carlos Rodon’s first spring training start (2.0 IP, 4 K, 1 H), White Sox manager Robin Ventura said that everyone was “excited about what he did,” per CSN Chicago’s JJ Stankevitz.

That would be an understatement, Robin.

Rodon averaged 96.16 mph on 13 four-seam fastballs and 88.03 mph on 10 sliders. Not only is the disparity between speeds strong, but he located well and had tremendous movement on each pitch, per BrooksBaseball.net.

For as good as he was in his first outing, his second trip to the mound was equally noticeable—for an entirely different reason.

In all, Rodon tossed 2.1 innings, yielding five hits and three earned runs on Wednesday afternoon against the Texas Rangers. He struggled with control, and if it weren’t for a shot to the right side hitting a runner who was trying to steal second in the second inning, the damage could have been worse.

To be sure, even if he’d finished spring training with a spotless ERA, the White Sox weren’t going to shock the system and start the season with Rodon on the 25-man roster. Financial matters, specifically service time as explained here by Steve Peters from South Side Sox, dictate that he will open the season at Triple-A.

That said, he is turning heads with his performance. Unfortunately, it’s not always for good reason. 

Spring training statistics are courtesy of WhiteSox.com and are accurate as of game time Thursday, March 12.

Follow @MatthewSmithBR.