White Sox invite 21 to spring training

The White Sox agreed to terms on minor-league contracts with right-hander Dylan Axelrod, Brian Omogrosso, Parker Frazier, Omar Poveda and Zach Putnam, and left-handers David Purcey and Mauricio Robles, catcher Hector Gimenez, infielder Alex Liddi and outfielder Denis Phipps. All 10 received non-roster invitations to spring training, the club announced Tuesday.

Eleven prospects received invitations to major-league camp: right-handers Chris Bassitt, Chris Beck and Cody Winiarski, left-hander Scott Snodgress, catchers Miguel Gonzalez and Kevan Smith, infielders Micah Johnson, Mike McDade and Andy Wilkins and outfielders Blake Tekotte and Keenyn Walker.

Beck and Johnson are ranked in the organization’s top 10 prospects by Baseball America.

Pitchers and catchers report to spring training on Feb. 15. The first full-squad workout is Feb. 20.

Here are capsules on Johnson, Bassitt, Beck, Smith and Winiarski as posted by the Sox media relations department:

Bassitt, 24, went a combined 11-4 with a 3.08 ERA (51 ER/149.0 IP) and 138 strikeouts over 26 starts between Class A Winston-Salem and Class AA Birmingham last season. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Bassitt led the organization in strikeouts, ranked fourth in ERA and tied for fifth in wins. He made two starts in the Southern League playoffs, going 2-0 with a 0.71 ERA (1 ER/12.2 IP) and 16 strikeouts to lead the Barons to the league championship.

Beck, the Sox second-round pick in the 2012 draft, enters the season ranked by Baseball America as the No. 9 Prospect and Possessing the Best Changeup in the organization. The 23-year-old combined to go 13-10 with a 3.07 ERA (50 ER/146.2 IP) and 79 strikeouts over 26 starts with Winston-Salem and Birmingham in 2013. He went 2-0 with a 0.82 ERA (1 ER/11.0 IP) over two starts in the SL playoffs.

Johnson, 23, enters the season ranked by Baseball America as the No. 6 Prospect, Best Hitter for Average and Fastest Baserunner in the organization. The 6-foot, 190-pounder led all minor leaguers with 84 stolen bases and was named the Most Valuable Player of the South Atlantic League All-Star Game. He helped guide the Barons to a SL Championship, hitting .368 (14-38) in the playoffs.

Smith batted .286 (110-384) with 26 doubles, three triples, 12 home runs and 73 RBI in 101 games with Winston-Salem in 2013. The 25-year old ranked among White Sox system leaders in RBI (T6th), runs scored (9th, 66), slugging percentage (9th, .464), hits (10th), extra-base hits (10th, 41) and total bases (10th, 178). He was selected by the Sox in the seventh round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft.

Winiarski, 24, went a combined 1-2 with a 2.43 ERA (18 ER/66.2 IP), 85 strikeouts and 13 saves over 44 relief appearances between Winston-Salem and Birmingham in 2013. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Winiarski tied for the organizational lead and ranked fourth in the Carolina League in saves. He made four scoreless appearances (5.1 IP) in the SL playoffs and went 3-3 in save opportunities.

The 21 non-roster invitees to spring training:

Pitchers (11) B T Ht. Wt. 2013 Club(s) W-L ERA IP SO

Dylan Axelrod R R 6-0 195 WHITE SOX 4-11 5.68 128.1 73

Chris Bassitt R R 6-5 210 Class A Winston-Salem 7-2 3.46 101.1 101

Class AA Birmingham 4-2 2.27 47.2 37

Chris Beck R R 6-3 225 Class A Winston-Salem 11-8 3.11 118.2 57

Class AA Birmingham 2-2 2.89 28.0 22

Parker Frazier R R 6-5 175 Class AA Tulsa 1-1 2.57 35.0 26

Class AAA Colo. Springs 0-1 10.67 14.1 9

Class AA Pensacola 2-3 1.93 23.1 20

Brian Omogrosso R R 6-4 240 Class AAA Charlotte 0-1 4.91 14.2 14

WHITE SOX 0-2 9.37 16.1 16

Omar Poveda R R 6-3 235 Class AAA Gwinnett 6-7 3.62 164.0 133

David Purcey L L 6-5 245 Class AAA Charlotte 0-2 3.03 38.2 43

WHITE SOX 1-1 2.13 25.1 23

Zach Putnam R R 6-2 225 Class AAA Iowa 1-1 3.26 19.1 22

CHICAGO-NL 0-0 18.90 3.1 4

Mauricio Robles L L 5-10 215 Class AA Reading 3-1 2.77 26.0 37

Class AAA Lehigh Valley 2-2 1.42 38.0 26

PHILADELPHIA 0-0 1.93 4.2 6

Scott Snodgress L L 6-6 225 Class AAA Birmingham 11-11 4.70 143.2 90

Cody Winiarski R R 6-3 205 Class A Winston-Salem 0-2 2.91 55.2 67

Class AA Birmingham 1-0 0.00 11.0 18

Catchers (3) B T Ht. Wt. 2013 Club(s) AVG G HR RBI

Hector Gimenez S R 5-10 230 WHITE SOX .191 26 2 10

Class AAA Charlotte .294 5 0 2

Miguel Gonzalez R R 5-11 220 Class AA Birmingham .244 37 2 16

Class AAA Charlotte .280 16 0 4

WHITE SOX .222 5 0 0

Kevan Smith R R 6-4 230 Class A Winston-Salem .286 101 12 73

Infielders (4) B T Ht. Wt. 2013 Club(s) AVG G HR RBI

Micah Johnson L R 6-0 190 Class A Kannapolis .342 77 6 42

Class A Winston-Salem .275 49 1 15

Class AA Birmingham .238 5 0 1

Alex Liddi R R 6-4 225 SEATTLE .059 8 0 0

Class AAA Tacoma .263 59 11 43

Class AAA Norfolk .222 49 4 22

Mike McDade S R 6-1 250 Class AAA Columbus .230 21 0 7

Class AAA Charlotte .254 94 10 46

Andy Wilkins L R 6-1 220 Class AA Birmingham .288 67 10 49

Class AAA Charlotte .265 58 7 30

Outfielders (3) B T Ht. Wt. 2013 Club(s) AVG G HR RBI

Denis Phipps R R 6-2 220 Class AAA Louisville .248 130 9 49

Blake Tekotte L R 5-11 180 WHITE SOX .226 20 1 2

Class AAA Charlotte .236 76 4 33

Keenyn Walker S R 6-3 190 Class AA Birmingham .201 130 3 32