Chicago White Sox Agree to Minor League Contracts with 13 Players

MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com - CHICAGO - The Chicago White Sox have agreed to terms on minor-league contracts with 13 players and will invite them to their spring training camp in Glendale, Ariz. Also receiving invitations are five players from the White Sox minor league system, including their last two first-round draft picks, left-handed pitcher Aaron Poreda (2007) and infielder Gordon Beckham (2008). Thirteen of the 18 spring training invitees have major-league experience.

The players receiving non-roster invites are infielders Javier Castillo, Bryan Myrow, Sergio Santos and Eider Torres, catchers Corky Miller and Chris Stewart, outfielders Josh Kroeger and Michael Restovich, right-handed pitchers Ryan Braun, Franklyn German, Brad Salmon and Jon Van Benschoten and left-handed pitcher Randy Williams. Catchers Tyler Flowers and Donny Lucy and right-handed pitcher Mike MacDougal will also be invited to spring training from the White Sox minor league system.

Poreda, 22, went 8-9 with a 3.11 ERA (56 ER/162.0 IP) in 27 starts between Class AA Birmingham and Class A Winston-Salem in 2008. The 6-foot-6, 240-pound left-hander enters the 2009 season ranked by Baseball America as the No. 2 Prospect in the White Sox organization. Poreda was selected by the White Sox in the first round (25th overall) of the June 2007 First-Year Player Draft.

Beckham, 22, hit .310 (18-58) with three home runs, eight RBI and 11 runs scored in 14 games in his professional debut with Class A Kannapolis in 2008. He enters the 2009 season ranked by Baseball America as the No. 1 Prospect in the White Sox organization. Beckham was selected by the White Sox in the first round (seventh overall) of the June 2008 First-Year Player Draft.

White Sox pitchers and catchers report to spring training on Sunday, February 15, with physicals and a workout scheduled for the same day. Position players will report and undergo physicals on Thursday, February 19. The first full-squad workout also will take place at that time.