Chicago White Sox’s Spencer Adams is a breakout candidate in 2016
A Chicago White Sox prospect could move up prospect rankings if he continues to impress during the 2016 season.
Pitchers and catchers report today! Baseball fans everywhere are rejoicing and getting to know their teams all over again.
While most of fans’ energy will be spent focusing on position battles at the major league level, it’s also a good time to be introduced to prospects who are looking to build on strong performances from last season. One such prospect is Chicago White Sox pitcher Spencer Adams.
Adams was named as the White Sox’s No. 3 overall prospect by Baseball Prospectus when the publication came out with its White Sox rankings back in January. Adams was the White Sox’s second round draft pick in 2014 and had his second fruitful season in a row in 2015, posting a combined 2.99 ERA between two levels of Class A ball after going for a 3.67 ERA in 41 2/3 innings in 2014.
Adams won’t turn 20 until April 13, so his polish at such a young age makes him a prime breakout candidate in 2016. He spent most of 2015 in the South Atlantic League, making 19 starts and throwing 100 innings. Most impressively, even at 19, among pitchers who threw at least 80 innings he was second in the league with a 6.64 strikeout-to-walk-ratio, second in walks per nine innings pitched (0.99) and was 15th in Fielding Independent Pitching (3.29).
Adams’ performance in the SAL was reminiscent of other prospects who pitched there in recent years:
[table id=29 /]
Dykstra is a fellow White Sox prospect, and considering he had a quality season in 2015 in the Carolina League (Advanced A), Adams should have few problems excelling there, especially with his ability to throw strikes repeatedly. While Dykstra is a favorable comparison, the two New York Mets prospects, Ynoa and Cessa, more closely match Adams.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
While the performances of Adams, Ynoa and Cessa were similar, Adams’ should shine the brightest. Even though he had a slightly lower strikeout rate, he walked fewer batters and put up mostly similar numbers at a younger age—Adams was 19 while Ynoa was 20 and Cessa was 21. He also performed admirably in five starts at High-A while neither Ynoa nor Cessa pitched in High-A in 2013.
Once Ynoa and Cessa were promoted to High-A in 2014, their production dipped slightly. Ynoa’s K/BB dropped from 6.63 to 4.24 and hitters went from hitting for a .603 OPS in 2013 to a .756 OPS in 2014. Cessa’s walk rate, strikeout rate, K/BB and ERA all went the wrong direction in spite of a drop in his batting average on balls in play from .333 in 2013 to .299 in 2014.
If Adams carries his momentum over to 2016 and stifles the Carolina League, he could easily see significant time in Double-A, which would put him slightly ahead of Cessa’s pace and on track with Ynoa—Cessa made one Double-A start in 2014 while Ynoa made 11. However, he would have a superior track record at a younger age, elevating his prospect status.
Next: Trea Turner ready to take starting SS role
Adams is a quality prospect in a farm system bereft of top-shelf talent beyond shortstop Tim Anderson and pitcher Carson Fulmer, so a strong 2016 performance could move him up both prospect rankings and the White Sox’s depth chart. A major league debut in 2017 wouldn’t be out of the question, which would mean a reunion with former teammate Carlos Rodon.