(670 The Score) Joining the White Sox on Sunday in their minor league camp was a moment that 23-year-old outfielder Oscar Colas will never forget.
“Today is the beginning of my professional career in this country,” Colas said through a translator Monday. "It was kind of a dream come true for me. Now, it's on me to perform and do what I know I can do, being able to reach my goal and my dream.”
A native of Cuba, Colas signed with the White Sox on the international free-agent market in January, and he’s now playing in the United States for the first time. Colas hasn’t played organized baseball for the past two years due to his circumstances after defecting from Cuba in 2019.
The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Colas – who bats and throws left-handed – slashed .282/.343/.483 with 28 homers, 116 RBIs and 102 runs in 187 games in his foreign league career, which spanned the Cuban Serie Nacional, the Japan Western League and the Japan Pacific League.
When spring training is over, Colas will likely start the season at high Class-A. Of course, he has bigger goals for himself.
“My goal in spring training is to work hard and be ready for the season at high-A or Double-A,” Colas said. "Whatever it is, and of course the biggest goal is to reach the major leagues, but I must allow the process of one step at a time. The other players have told me to take advantage of the English instruction that they give us here. I know learning the language will help me stay a step ahead in this situation. I want to be able to communicate with the other players in their own language as well.
"My goal is to play in the majors – everybody knows that. But in order to do that, I need to take care of the things I can control. And that is do the work that I know I must do.
“Right now, I can't get too excited or too overwhelmed thinking, 'Oh, I need to be in majors, I want to be in the majors.' The final decision will be made by the people that are paid to make those decisions.”
The White Sox have high hopes for Colas as he enters his first season in their organization.
“He is an advanced player,” said Marco Paddy, the White Sox’s special assistant to the general manager who runs their international operations. “He played at a high level in Cuba. Those guys for the most part are very advanced. He was also on the national team there. His experience in Japan allowed him to play at a higher level. There is no doubt we feel with his experience, he's got a quicker path to the big leagues. All of that will be determined now that he is in the United States and gets engaged here playing once he goes through our player development plan.”
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.