CHICAGO (WGN) — The Chicago White Sox’s top catching prospect and a promising young pitcher at the Double-A level have been named the franchise’s minor league players of the month, according to a press release from the team.
Charlotte Knights catcher Kyle Teel was named White Sox Minor League Player of the Month for May, while Birmingham Barons left-handed pitcher Jake Palisch was named White Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Month. The awards were voted on by a panel of Chicago-area media members.
Teel recorded a .333/.444/.613 slash line with six doubles, five home runs, 14 RBI, 15 walks, 16 runs scored and a 1.057 OPS over 22 games with Charlotte in May. He reached base safely in 21 of the 22 games, hitting safely in 19 of those contests. Teel was named International League (IL) Player of the Week for May 19-25 after hitting .500/.636/1.188 with two doubles, three home runs, six RBI and seven runs scored over five games and 16 at-bats during that span.
Teel ranked among the IL leaders in May in on-base percentage (5th), OPS (5th) and slugging percentage (7th). He reached base safely in 34 straight games from April 10 to May 29, including a 19-game hitting streak from April 26 to May 23. His 34-game on-base streak is the longest in the IL, and his 19-game hitting streak is tied for the longest.
Rated by MLB.com as the No. 2 prospect in the White Sox system and No. 28 in baseball, Teel was acquired by Chicago from the Boston Red Sox with outfielder Braden Montgomery, infielder Chase Meidroth and right-handed pitcher Wikelman González on Dec.11, 2024, in exchange for left-handed staff ace Garrett Crochet.
Palisch went 2-1 with a 0.75 ERA, 0.54 WHIP, .092 opponents’ batting average and 22 strikeouts over five appearances (four starts) with Birmingham in May. He was 1-1 with a 0.86 ERA, 0.52 WHIP, .101 opponents’ batting average and 20 strikeouts as a starter. Palisch earned Southern League Pitcher of the Week honors for May 5-11 after tossing five perfect innings with five strikeouts in his only start on May 8 at the Columbus Clippers.
Palisch led all of minor-league baseball during the month of May in opponents’ batting average and WHIP and ranked third in ERA during the month. He recorded a career-high 19.2 scoreless innings pitched streak from April 20 to May 15.
Palisch was signed by the Sox as an undrafted free agent on July 31, 2022, out of Texas A&M University.
The Chicago White Sox (18-41) take on the Detroit Tigers (39-21) in game 1 of a three-game series on the South Side, starting Monday at 6:40 p.m. CT. Jonathan Cannon (2-6, 4.15 ERA) is slated to take the hill for the White Sox, while Jack Flaherty (3-6, 3.94 ERA) gets the nod for the Tigers.