It's official: Luis Robert won't join White Sox until next season
Luis Robert put up remarkable numbers at three minor league levels this season, hitting .328/.376/.624 with 32 home runs, 92 RBI and 36 stolen bases over 122 games for Class AAA Charlotte, AA Birmingham and high A Winston-Salem.
As expected, there will not be another level for Robert this year, meaning he won't be joining the White Sox for the final month of the season.
"Instead of adding a fourth level in a single year and continuing to increase his career-high in games, as much fun as it would have been for us all to see him continue here in Chicago, sometimes it is our job to say, 'Enough. This has been a very successful season,'" Sox general manager Rick Hahn told reporters in Cleveland Tuesday.
It's wait until 2020 for Robert, but the White Sox did add four players to the expanded September roster. With Class AAA Charlotte eliminated from the International League playoffs, catcher Zack Collins, outfielder Daniel Palka and right-handed pitcher Dylan Covey were recalled and infielder Danny Mendick had his contract purchased from Triple-A.
Robert, a 22-year-old center fielder who ranks third on Baseball America's Top 100 prospects list, was limited to 50 games in 2018 due to a nagging left thumb injury.
"Obviously, he had an outstanding season," Hahn said. "He surpassed our development goals for 2019. It was about getting Luis a full season of being healthy and having him perform well at an advanced level considering his age. He surpassed both of those."
Collins is back for his second stint with the Sox this season, and he was in the lineup against the Indians Tuesday night at designated hitter.
The No. 10 overall pick in the 2016 draft, Collins was 2-for-26 with 14 strikeouts for the White Sox between June 18-July 15. In 88 games with Charlotte, the left-hander batted .282/.403/.548 with 19 home runs and 74 RBI.
A spot on the Sox's 40-man roster opened for Mendick when veteran outfielder Jon Jay was moved to the 60-day injured list with a strained right hip. Jay is scheduled to have season-ending surgery on Thursday.
A versatile player, Mendick appeared in 48 games at second base, 42 at shortstop, 35 at third base and 9 in left field while slashing .279/.368/.444 at Charlotte. He had 26 doubles, 17 home runs and 64 RBI.
Palka looked like a keeper last season when he hit 27 home runs. In two stays with the White Sox earlier this year, he was 1-for-45 with 18 strikeouts.
Covey is 1-7 with a 6.88 ERA in 16 games (10 starts) with the Sox this season.