I recently chatted with the South Burbs Hitmen podcast. Powered by the Barrroom Network they are a Chicago White Sox Podcast based in the Windy City. We discussed all things Cuba and White Sox. The Pale Hose can stake seriously claim to being the epicentre of Cuban baseball off the Island.
The White Sox have been aggressive in signing Cuban players and are reaping the rewards on the field. They of course signed Jose Abreu in 2013 and he has rewarded them in winning the 2014 Rookie of the Year award the 2020 American League MVP and has been a top slugging first baseman during his entire tenure. I saw Abreu play with Cienfuegos in the genesis of Cubadugout and he continues to be an RBI machine to this day.
Abreu was a more mature and finished product when he arrived but the White Sox have also had success in signing and developing younger Cubans as well. Yoan Moncada is another Cienfuegos Elefante who is coming into his own. The young third baseman has shown glimpses of why he was once considered the #1 prospect int he world. In 2021 though he is putting it together more consistently and looks like a cornerstone player. We discussed his path to the show on the Chicago White Sox Podcast.
Luis Robert might have as high a ceiling as any current young star in baseball. He fell a bit short of lofty expectations in 2020 but still showed some of why the Sox have invested so heavily in him. He won the gold glove in centre field as a rookie and unfortunately is injured at this point but is being banked on as a key piece in the future.
The White Sox continued to be linked to many of the top Cuban prospects. They made a splash in the 2021 signing period in inking Yoelqui Céspedes and Norge Vera to deals. We discussed the potential path for both of these young players as well as a few of the Cubans that might sign in January of 2022. The White Sox are rumoured to be in on Oscar Colas, will he be a two way sensation as many speculate?
The South Burbs Hitmen are live Monday Nights and focus on baseball on the South Side of Chicago. Check them out via the links provided or follow along on Twitter.