Colas, Remillard trying to show White Sox they belong - now and in the future
For now, they're a pair of rookies with two goals to match: trying to establish themselves as major leaguers and helping the White Sox make an improbable push into the playoffs.
After Aug. 1, right fielder Oscar Colas and second baseman Zach Remillard are likely to shift those goals to developing into core pieces for a Sox team going through a rebuild.
Neither player figures to be moved at the trade deadline, which is only two weeks away.
But Colas and Remillard are showing the White Sox they have potential value in the future.
While they have taken different paths to the majors, Colas and Remillard are both putting it together at the same time.
Colas arrived at spring training as the Sox's No. 3 prospect behind Colson Montgomery and Bryan Ramos.
After hitting .279/.424/.704 with 3 home runs and 6 RBI in the Cactus League, Colas came out of camp as the White Sox's starting right fielder and was viewed as a Rookie of the Year candidate.
A rough start to the season ended that possibility, and Colas was demoted to Class AAA Charlotte in early May after slashing .211/.265/.276 with 1 home run and 7 RBI in 25 games while striking out 20 times in 84 plate appearances.
"He wasn't producing the way we anticipated, and that happens," Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. "This is a tough level to play at. Some guys get here and produce right away, some guys don't. Some guys need to go back down and continue to develop."
Colas spent two months with Charlotte and rejoined the Sox after hitting .293/.358/.508 with 9 and 29 RBI in 48 games at Triple-A.
"Basically, I just improved my pitch selection," Colas said through an interpreter. "That was one of the things I struggled with most here. I made progress on that aspect of my game in the minors. And, of course, also control the emotions and the anxiety. As a rookie, I think I was trying to do too much. I was battling with my anxieties. I think I'm in a better position now."
Colas is 6-for-25 with 1 RBI since coming back. The expected power from the left side is still missing, but the 24-year-old Cuban has looked more and more comfortable at the plate.
"There's still some anxiousness there, there's still some more swing in there," Grifol said. "One thing I think Oscar needs to continue to learn and work on is not overswinging. You're going to get one pitch per at-bat, maybe, and you can't overswing on that pitch because you're probably not going to get it back."
The White Sox selected Remillard's contract from Charlotte on June 15 after placing third baseman Yoan Moncada on the injured list with a back injury.
His stay with the Sox was expected to be short, but Remillard has shown he has the all-around skills to stick around.
"He's solid," Grifol said. "He's a baseball player, he's a fundamentally-sound baseball player. This is a good opportunity for him and he's not at all intimidated by the moment. He's running with it. I like what he brings to the table, I like the way he plays.
"Opportunity meets preparation at some point. It's taken a long time for him to get here, but he's certainly prepared."
Unlike Colas, Remillard was never considered a top minor-league prospect. After spending over seven seasons in the minor leagues, his patience paid off.
"You've got to believe," Remillard said. "I don't even think you're here to just make it, I think you're here to have a career and you've got to believe in yourself."
The 29-year-old Remillard is slashing a solid .313/.389/.375 with 11 RBI in 22 games with the Sox. In addition to second base, he can also play third base, shortstop and the corner outfield spots.
"He's been solid everywhere we put him," Grifol said. "I'm comfortable with him wherever we put him."