The White Sox called up utility player Sam Antonacci Wednesday, the club’s second promotion of a key prospect in as many days.
Antonacci, a 23-year-old native of Springfield, is rated the No. 9 prospect in the Sox organization and No. 93 overall in MLB by Baseball America.
After playing for Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic, the Sox’ 2024 fifth-round draft pick got off to a strong start at Triple-A Charlotte, where he played left field for the first time in his professional career to pave a quicker path to a Sox roster lacking outfield depth.
But manager Will Venable had him playing second base and batting fifth in his debut, the second game of the Sox home series against the Rays scheduled for 6:40 p.m.
Antonacci batted .313/.500/.479 (15-for-48) with two doubles, two home runs, seven RBI and five stolen bases over the first couple weeks of the season. He mostly played second last year and can play across the infield.
Antonacci’s call-up, telegraphed over the weekend by team sources, comes a day after the Sox’ top pitching prospect, Noah Schultz, made his long-awaited debut. He gave up three runs in the first inning of his first career start, but rebounded nicely.
The Sox are expected to welcome a long line of heralded prospects this season, including pitchers Hagen Smith and Tanner McDougal.
In corresponding moves, the Sox also recalled veteran lefty reliever Tyler Gilbert while optioning Brandon Eisert to Charlotte and designating outfielder Dustin Harris for assignment.