Young Blood: White Sox Look to Shake Up the League with New Generation
The Chicago White Sox are entering a new era, one where their young core is primed to make an impact. With the offseason's key additions and improvements in place, the team believes they can "shake some things up" this season.
One of the key players who has been working hard to improve his game is catcher Kyle Teel. The 22-year-old has bulked up during the offseason, adding 20 pounds of muscle, and hopes that increased strength will help him hold up over a 162-game season. He's also been working on his hitting and defensive skills, including framing balls into strikes.
"Everything I'm doing is aimed at improving my game," Teel said. "I feel like the added muscle takes care of a lot of things that I'm working on – hitting the ball for power, especially."
Teel isn't the only young player looking to make an impact this season. Shortstop Colson Montgomery and second baseman Chase Meidroth are the foundation of the Sox rebuild, and their success will be closely watched.
"We've got a really good chance to shake some things up this year," Meidroth said confidently. "I love the energy that we have, but at the end of the day, you've got to win baseball games."
The team's new coaching hires and free-agent signings are also aimed at improving the infrastructure to better support the young players. New hitting coach Derek Shomon has a track record of connecting with young players, and the Sox believe he will benefit from the exposure to the big leagues last season.
While there are still areas for improvement, particularly in Teel's work behind the plate, the Sox are optimistic about their prospects. Meidroth was solid last season, despite dealing with hand injuries, and his steadiness was key to the team's success.
As the team prepares for the new season, they know they have a lot of work to do to return to the top of the American League Central. But with their young core and improved roster, they're confident that they can "shake some things up" and make a statement in the league.
"It's going to be an early challenge," right-hander Davis Martin said. "We've got all these expectations for the first time in probably two years, but we're ready to go."
The Chicago White Sox are entering a new era, one where their young core is primed to make an impact. With the offseason's key additions and improvements in place, the team believes they can "shake some things up" this season.
One of the key players who has been working hard to improve his game is catcher Kyle Teel. The 22-year-old has bulked up during the offseason, adding 20 pounds of muscle, and hopes that increased strength will help him hold up over a 162-game season. He's also been working on his hitting and defensive skills, including framing balls into strikes.
"Everything I'm doing is aimed at improving my game," Teel said. "I feel like the added muscle takes care of a lot of things that I'm working on – hitting the ball for power, especially."
Teel isn't the only young player looking to make an impact this season. Shortstop Colson Montgomery and second baseman Chase Meidroth are the foundation of the Sox rebuild, and their success will be closely watched.
"We've got a really good chance to shake some things up this year," Meidroth said confidently. "I love the energy that we have, but at the end of the day, you've got to win baseball games."
The team's new coaching hires and free-agent signings are also aimed at improving the infrastructure to better support the young players. New hitting coach Derek Shomon has a track record of connecting with young players, and the Sox believe he will benefit from the exposure to the big leagues last season.
While there are still areas for improvement, particularly in Teel's work behind the plate, the Sox are optimistic about their prospects. Meidroth was solid last season, despite dealing with hand injuries, and his steadiness was key to the team's success.
As the team prepares for the new season, they know they have a lot of work to do to return to the top of the American League Central. But with their young core and improved roster, they're confident that they can "shake some things up" and make a statement in the league.
"It's going to be an early challenge," right-hander Davis Martin said. "We've got all these expectations for the first time in probably two years, but we're ready to go."