(670 The Score) The White Sox have a void in their lineup at second base. They also have a prized prospect waiting for his callup in second baseman Nick Madrigal.
Will the White Sox call upon Madrigal to be their second baseman coming out of spring training? With three weeks until Opening Day, that's something on the mind of Madrigal, who turned 23 on Thursday and who was the fourth overall pick in the 2018 amateur draft.
"It would definitely be exciting," Madrigal said on the Mully & Haugh Show on Thursday. "I don't know, it's kind of out of my hands. It's definitely on my mind. It's something I want really bad. I've wanted it ever since I got drafted. It's always been on my mind. To be honest, I thought last year coming into spring training -- I know some people might laugh at this -- but my goal coming was to make the team last year out of spring training.
"I thought it was realistic, even though I was still in high-A. I came into camp with the same mindset. If it ends up happening, great. If not, hopefully it won't take too long to get up there. But I'm trying to make it as far as I can on them."
Madrigal moved from high Class-A to Double-A and then Triple-A in 2019. He posted a slash line of .331/.398/.424 over 29 games and 134 plate appearances at Triple-A Charlotte.
Of course, there are service time considerations for the White Sox to consider. If Madrigal breaks camp on his current contract and stays with the White Sox all season, he'll be under team control through 2025. If he remains in Triple-A for several weeks to open the season before getting promoted, he'll be under team control through 2026.
That means the White Sox could turn to 26-year-old Danny Mendick as their primary second baseman to open the season. Mendick slashed .308/.325/.462 over 40 plate appearances with the White Sox last season.
