Players throughout the White Sox minor league system were champing at the bit.
After the 2020 season was canceled because of the pandemic, minor league baseball returned last week.
Count Chris Getz, the Sox assistant general manager for player development, among the many people excited to see how it plays out.
“Just to see the pure enjoyment and passion and I’m sure even a level of relief that they are back out there doing something that they set out to do, and that’s playing professional baseball,” Getz said during a conference call.
For each player, it’s a chance to grow — and an opportunity to impress. The major league team, after all, is currently without two-thirds of its starting outfield with the injuries to Luis Robert and Eloy Jiménez.
“To replace two guys like that is certainly a difficult thing,” Getz said. “However, it does provide opportunity for players.”
The Sox have looked outside the organization, as the recent signing of Brian Goodwin to a minor league deal shows.
Getz said it’s also a chance for players already in the organization to step up, such as Blake Rutherford, Gavin Sheets and Luis González — before he landed on the injured list with a back issue that manager Tony La Russa said the Sox were checking out.
“They don’t have a lot of playing time under their belt based on the obvious here, but I feel like their game is not too far off,” Getz said. “They just need to continue to go out there and play, and if they’re called upon, I feel like they can be productive.”
Rutherford, 24, is 4-for-21 with one home run and three RBIs in six games for Triple-A Charlotte.
Sheets, drafted in the second round by the Sox in 2017, homered and drove in four for Charlotte in the May 4 season opener. A natural first baseman, he saw time that night in right field.
“We’re happy with the progress of Gavin,” Getz said. “I know he was disappointed not going to the alternate site (last season). Thankfully we were able to get him to instructional league and (were) able to expose him to the outfield.
“We’ll continue to put him out there, both right and left field. A hardworking kid, without question. Not fearful of playing the outfield. Solid defender at first base. We like the zone awareness, which Gavin brings to the table. And we know that he’s got power.”
Sheets, 25, is 8-for-26 with one homer and seven RBIs in six games. González, 25, has spent time on the taxi squad with fellow outfielder Nick Williams.
MLB.com ranks Rutherford, Sheets and González as the Nos. 10-12 prospects in the organization.