Collins, Zavala closer to being White Sox's new catching duo
When the White Sox play the Royals at Kansas City on March 28 in the season opener, Welington Castillo and James McCann are going to be their two catchers.
A year from now, don't be surprised if they are both off the roster.
With Zack Collins and Seby Zavala ticketed for Class AAA Charlotte to start the upcoming season, Castillo and McCann are holding places until the two prospects are ready for the major leagues.
Collins, the Sox's first-round draft pick (No. 10 overall) in 2016, has spent most of the past three seasons refining his defensive skills in the minor leagues.
"I would say I'm a totally different player now," Collins said. "I think I've gotten a lot better in the couple of years I've been here, offensively and defensively. Obviously, I've been working on defense a lot because that's been the weaker side of my game. But on both sides, I think I'm doing good and I'm a different player now."
One of the top collegiate hitters in the country when he was at Miami (Fla.), Collins is batting only .232 over 274 games in the White Sox's minor-league system.
That is a bit alarming, but the left-hander's on-base percentage is a robust .379 and Collins led the Southern League with 101 walks last season while playing for AA Birmingham.
The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder has also shown good power with 40 home runs and 51 doubles.
While Collins spent the entire 2018 season with Birmingham, Zavala was promoted from Double-A to Charlotte in late June. A 12th-round draft pick in 2015 out of San Diego State, Zavala combined to hit .257/.316/.417 with 13 homers and 51 RBI last season.
Until the duo is ready, Castillo and McCann will catch for the Sox.
Signed to a two-year, $15 million contract before season, Castillo was expected to help develop the White Sox's young pitching staff.
Castillo was doing his job before being hit with an 80-game suspension on May 25 for a positive PED test.
Omar Narvaez and Kevan Smith handled the catching duties when Castillo was sitting out, but they have moved on.
Narvaez was traded to the Mariners for closer Alex Colome and Smith was claimed by the Angels after being designated for assignment.
The White Sox signed McCann to a one-year, $2.5 million contract in December.
In a career-high 118 games with the Tigers last season, he batted .220 with 8 home runs and 39 RBI.
"Just come in and help the young guys," McCann said. "I have a specific expertise in as far as I've faced all these guys for the last five years, so I know the scouting reports, I know what we see as an opposing hitter. Now I'll bring that to pitchers as well as the hitters, what I was able to see when I was facing them. At the end of the day I'm here to win and help the team improve the culture that we started here."