Saladino making surprising splash with Chicago White Sox

Already viewed as a marginal prospect at best, Tyler Saladino's major-league stock really seemed to take a plunge last July.

A natural shortstop but versatile enough to play any position on the field, Saladino was with Class AAA Charlotte and he injured his throwing (right) elbow while making a throw from left field.

He had Tommy John surgery in mid-August and missed the rest of the season.

"It was unfortunate that he hurt his arm, and we really were unsure how much he would make it back," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "He had to take it easy when he first got to spring training. He was just starting to get his strength back throwing."

While he was only about 80 percent healthy in spring training, Saladino played in 11 Cactus League games and hit .280.

The Sox' seventh-round draft pick in 2010 out of Oral Roberts University, Saladino was optioned to Charlotte on March 18 and was largely forgotten.

Four months later, Saladino was hanging out with Knights center fielder Trayce Thompson, his roommate at Charlotte, when the phone rang.

It was the White Sox calling, and Saladino packed up some of his belongings and headed for Chicago.

He made his major-league debut on July 10 - against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

"The first day, I couldn't feel anything," Saladino said. "I couldn't tell you the pitches I was seeing. Everything about it was just a blur."

Saladino went 0-for-3 in his first game with the Sox, but he followed up with a seven-game hitting streak.

The San Diego native also played solid, if not spectacular, defense, shown off his above-average speed and he even hit home runs in back-to-back games.

Not too bad for an overlooked prospect.

"He's not a first-round pick or expecting anything, he's trying to take advantage and you see it in the way he plays," Ventura said. "As far as his baseball IQ, everyone sees it. He just has instincts and it's coming through. You're always happy when a guy comes up and takes advantage of an opportunity. He's not taking it for granted."

Saladino has obvious baseball skills, but he has had to work for everything he's gotten. The 6-foot, 200-pounder always seems to have a bounce in his step, and his high level of energy has been noticeable.

"What I was really impressed with, if you think back to spring training, he was kind of in the mix for the second base job with Sanchy (Carlos Sanchez) and Micah (Johnson), and I really was impressed with how he competed," said White Sox center fielder Adam Eaton.

"He wasn't really worried about the other two guys, but he knew what he needed to do to get ready for the season. He knew there was a good chance he'd start in the minor leagues, but he didn't care. He came in and he worked hard, did what he needed to do.

"That kind of mentality here should point him in the right direction. He's done a great job just being professional. What really stuck out to me was how he competed in spring training. He wasn't the big headline guy. He wasn't the front-runner, but he worked his butt off."

Saladino is the Sox' starting third baseman, but he can move to shortstop if Alexei Ramirez is traded. As Ventura has mentioned, Saladino can play anywhere, even catcher.

In the midst of a disappointing season, White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said he is trying to determine which players will still be on the roster in 2016.

As it stands now, Saladino is definitely in the mix.

"I think a lot of it is being yourself and trusting what you've always done," Saladino said. "If you try to do too much or be someone who you're not, that's not really possible.

"All the work that you've done, there's a reason you did it. If you just stay focused on that and apply it when you need to and just try to be yourself and do the little things to do your job, then that's it."