Back in Spring Training, White Sox prospect Nick Madrigal looked over-matched at times. The game seemed a bit too quick for him. It was safe to say that he would have started the year in AAA Charlotte.
Fast-forward a few months, and Madrigal looks completely different.
Perhaps it's the fact that he's only faced his own teammates thus far, but Madrigal looks much more relaxed both at the plate and in the field.
It has been said that during the stoppage due to Covid-19, Madrigal has been working his tail off both in the cages and in the weight room. The last couple intrasquad games have especially caught the eyes of Sox fans.
Here's a highlight from 2 days ago where Madrigal went against Lucas Giolito - one of the best pitchers in the American League. He got Madrigal down to 2 strikes, but then Nick went into protection mode, as he so often does. On a pitch low and away, he stays with it and knocks it into right field for a single.
After this game Giolito jokingly mentioned how Andrew Vaughn and Madrigal "Were a pain in my ass today."
Defensively, he is absolutely elite. His high baseball IQ was on display here. A throw home on a ground ball induced by Dallas Keuchel (something that will be a regular occurrence) when he wasn't even playing in. He recognized that Yermin Mercedes was on 3rd (not exactly a burner), and made a perfect throw to Yasmani Grandal.
He won't make your jaw drop the way Yoan Moncada or Luis Robert will, but he is one of the more fundamentally sound rookies I can remember. He seems more comfortable than ever, and has more than enough protection around him in the lineup. To me, he is the best 2nd baseman on the roster. And in a 60 game season, you play your best players from day 1.
We'll see if the White Sox coaching staff agrees.
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