22 year old Venezuelan Lenyn Sosa, has been promoted to the Chicago White Sox major league roster. Injuries continue to pile up for the White Sox, so a move being made is certainly not a surprise. However, Sosa getting the promotion from double AA minor league to the big leagues, definitely is. Sosa is the number 22 ranked prospect for the White Sox. He is a 6 foot, 180 pound shortstop.
For a 22 year old to be promoted so quickly through the system, it shows the potential he possesses and the belief the team has in Sosa’s young career. The White Sox farm system is no longer highly rated. However, with players like Colson Montgomery, Oscar Colas, and Lenyn Sosa, the talent Is there. The talent just simply needs to mature and accrue playing time. The results will follow.
In regards to Sosa, he is projected to be more of a utility player in the big leagues, and not an every day starter. Scouts often elude to Sosa lack of walks and poor swing selection. Nonetheless, He has good power and fast hand-eye coordination. This is evident in the power increase from his 2021 stats to his 2022 stats. The promotion to the White Sox comes unexpectedly, but fans and player development staff have been clamoring about Sosa’s ball to bat skills for weeks.
Lenyn Sosa’s promotion today is coming straight from Class AA and in the wake of injuries in the majors, but the case for his big league readiness has been being made for weeks by player development staffers who have watched his improvement this year.
Injury bug strikes again
in the final game of the series versus the Toronto Blue Jays, the White Sox suffered injuries to both Danny Mendick and Adam Engel. Luis Robert also left the game with leg soreness according to Tony La Russa. The worst injury of the 3, seems to be Danny Mendick’s injury. On a pop fly into the shallow outfield, Mendick and outfielder Adam Haseley collided attempting to make the catch. Mendick and Engel are both being placed on the 10 day injured list. Eloy Jimenez has been transferred to the 60 day injured list. Along with the promotion of Sosa, Gavin Sheets has been recalled to the White Sox.
#WhiteSox make five roster moves: https://t.co/GFm6fZ6LGJ
Sosa’s 2021 struggles in Birmingham
In July of 2016, Sosa was signed by the White Sox as an international free agent. After 3 seasons in rookie and single A leagues, Sosa was promoted to double A in 2021. The 22 year old Venezuelan struggled, posting a mere .214/.240/.282 slash line with a .522 OPS in Birmingham. Sosa played just 35 games of double A ball in 2021. in that time frame, he hit only one home run and drove in 7 runs.
2021 success in Winston-Salem
For the rest of the 2021 year, Lenyn Sosa would play Single A+ in Winston-Salem. In 82 games, Sosa produced a .290,.321, .443 slash line with an OPS of .764. He drove in 49 runs, with 19 doubles and 10 homers. Sosa’s confidence grew and moving on towards 2022, Sosa was promoted back to the Birmingham Barons.
Another go at Birmingham
So far in 2022, Lenyn Sosa has been raking in double AA ball. In 62 games this year, Sosa has 10 double and 14 homers. The big improvement here is the notable increase in slugging by Sosa. in 2021, he hit a combined 11 homers in single and double A action. Whereas this year, he has already surpassed that total with 14, in not even half the amount of games. He is slugging .549 with a solid OPS of .933.
From my talk with Chris Getz last homestand on Lenyn Sosa, the No. 22 White Sox prospect per MLB Pipeline: “He made some adjustments this offseason. I can’t say enough about his work ethic and his passion to be a Major League player.”
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It is unclear how much playing time Lenyn Sosa will see with the White Sox, but the power in his bat certainly captured the attention of manager Rick Hahn. Not to mention, Sosa is being promoted straight to the majors from double A, completely skipping over triple A. Sosa is a shortstop first and foremost, but he can also slot in at second and third base.
With the current injuries to Yoan Moncada and Danny Mendick, it is possible Sosa gets a few games under his belt this year. It is likely Lenyn Sosa will not be on the major league roster for very long, given the recent hot hitting of Josh Harrison and the return of Tim Anderson. Let’s see if La Russa gets Sosa some at bats this weekend, as the White Sox get ready to host the Baltimore Orioles for a 4 game set. If Sosa can spark the team, it is possible he stays in the majors.
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