Before returning to his pre All-Star Futures Game team, MLB.com's 88th ranked prospect in baseball, Cleveland's Bradley Zimmer, was promoted from Single-A Advanced to Double-A. Today the second highest player in the Chicago White Sox system starting pitcher Frankie Montas will also be promoted as he will pitch during tomorrow's doubleheader after making an appearance in the Futures Game.
Montas, who was signed out of the Dominican Republic at age 16 in 2009, made his professional debut in 2010 with the Boston Red Sox's Dominican Summer League and pitched for the team the following season. The right-hander struggled greatly in the Dominican Summer League, Rookie League (2012), and the South Atlantic League for Greenville (2013) before being traded in a three team exchange that made him change his socks from Red to the White.
With the change in scenery, Montas immediately pitched better leading to two level promotions by Chicago in 2014 (5-0 record, 1.44 ERA, and 80 strikeouts in 81 innings pitched between AZL White Sox, Winston-Salem, and Birmingham). This season, Montas started right where he ended last year (Birmingham-AA) and has been phenominal by going 2-1 with an earned-run-average of 2.47 in 15 starts. Not only has his good play led to selections to the Southern League All-Star Game and the All-Star Futures Game in Cincinnati, but a chance to rebound from his poor performance in the Queen City Sunday (0.2 innings pitched, four hits allowed three earned runs surrendered) with his Major League debut versus the Kansas City Royals during tomorrow's doubleheader at U.S. Cellular Field.
The 41-45 White Sox begin the second half of the season 11 games back of the American League leading Kansas City Royals and 5.5 behind the Houston Astros, who hold the last Wild Card spot. Despite being in last place in the A.L. Central, Chicago has started to play better ball as they won seven of their last 10 games heading into the All-Star break.