New outfielder Basabe gives Chicago White Sox hope for future

Through last year's draft and trades for Chris Sale and Adam Eaton, the Chicago White Sox quickly built up their barren minor-league system.

Additional young talent is coming this season as general manager Rick Hahn looks to deal even more veterans and possibly sign international talent like Cuban outfielder Luis Robert.

The Sox also hold the No. 11 overall pick in the June draft.

The White Sox are already envisioning a growing group of productive prospects to reach the major leagues in waves.

The first should come later this season and feature second baseman Yoan Moncada, starting pitchers Reynaldo Lopez and Lucas Giolito and closer Zack Burdi.

The second wave is scheduled to emerge in 2018, headed by starter Michael Kopech and catcher Zack Collins.

The third wave is still forming, but outfielder Luis Alexander Basabe (buh-SAH-bay) is already viewed as a prominent piece of the Sox's future.

One of four young players acquired from the Boston Red Sox for Sale, Basabe is a 20-year-old outfielder with impressive tools.

"I can tell you when the trade was made, we certainly knew who he was," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "He's got a pretty solid approach at the plate, pretty solid defender, runs well. He's definitely viewed by all of us as being somebody that brings some talent to the table."

Still a very young player and likely ticketed for high Class A Winston-Salem to start the season, Basabe combined to hit .264 with 26 doubles, 9 triples, 12 home runs, 53 RBI and 25 stolen bases with low A Greenville and high A Salem last year.

The switch-hitter spent most of spring training in the Sox's minor-league camp, but he did get 4 at-bats in the Cactus League. During a March 12 game against the Dodgers, Basabe drove in 3 runs with a 2-run single and sacrifice fly.

"I was a little nervous the first time there," Basabe said through an interpreter. "I knew that was good for me to experience, but at the same time you want to perform in a good way."

Basabe joined the White Sox for the final two exhibition games against the Brewers in Milwaukee, and he showed some growing pains Saturday while misplaying a flyball in center field and striking out in his lone at-bat.

More bad games are undoubtedly in his future, but there is still a lot to like with Basabe, the Sox's best outfield prospect.

"I think I'm a player that can do a little bit of everything," he said. "People say that I'm a five-tool player, and that's the way I feel. I feel very confident in my skills. I know I can do everything on the field.

"I feel relaxed because I realize this is the first step for me. I know this a chance for me to get experience. My goal is to perform as well as I can. I just want to keep moving up, Double-A, Triple-A and finally the majors. I know what I have to do and I just have to perform the way I know I can."