Arrow pointing up for Chicago White Sox, and so is attendance

There are multiple ways to judge the success of a rebuild, and the White Sox are checking many of the right boxes.

At the major-league level, they are getting solid production from young players such as Lucas Giolito, Yoan Moncada, Eloy Jimenez and Tim Anderson, who is on the injured list with a sprained ankle.

At the minor-league level, the Sox are thrilled with the way high-end prospects such as Luis Robert, Nick Madrigal, Blake Rutherford and Gavin Sheets are progressing.

On Friday, they promoted Andrew Vaughn to low Class A Kannapolis after the No. 3 overall pick in this year's draft went 9-for-15 with 2 doubles, 1 home run and 4 RBI for the AZL White Sox.

"We're pleased with where we're at right now," general manager Rick Hahn said. "We feel like we're getting a lot closer to where we need to be. We're probably toward the end of the beginning, is probably the best way to look at where we're at.

"We're by no means where we want to be, and we still have a lot of work to get to where we want to be, and we're not to the best point of this at all, either. But we're getting close to the end of the beginning of this, which was going to be the toughest part."

While they still are trying to get over the .500 mark and finish the season with a winning record for the first time since 2012, players like Giolito, Jimenez, Moncada and new starting pitcher Dylan Cease have energized a fan base that hasn't had much reason to get fired up until lately.

"It's exciting to have the fans show up to the ballpark," all-star catcher James McCann said. "We need them as much as anything. They are a big piece to our success."

Walking back to the dugout after pitching his fifth and final inning Wednesday in his first major-league start, Cease received a standing ovation.

"It was incredible," he said. "Even when I walked out pregame, they were lined up from third base all the way behind the bullpen, cheering. That much energy definitely helps me lock in and is pretty cool, too."

Getting fans to buy in and turn out is another sure sign a rebuild is heading in the right direction, and the White Sox are checking that box as well.

In their last 10 games at Guaranteed Rate Field, the crowds have numbered 25,000 or higher nine times.

The Sox played in front of sold-out crowds in back-to-back games against the New York Yankees in mid-June, and all seats are expected to be occupied Saturday and Sunday when the Cubs visit the South Side.

In 2017 - the first season of the rebuild - the White Sox ranked 27th out of 30 major-league teams in attendance.

Last year, they ranked 25th.

This season, the Sox rank 21st with an average crowd of 21,295.

"I think the players really enjoy it," manager Rick Renteria said. "I think that they understand the effort they're giving between the lines is exciting people that are watching. We like when the crowds come. These guys get built up on that. I think it's a fun atmosphere. Everybody enjoys when we have nice crowds."