The White Sox added outfielders Eloy Jimenez, Micker Adolfo and Luis Alexander Basabe, first baseman Casey Gillaspie and left-hander Ian Clarkin to the 40-man roster on Monday, protecting those prospects from being taken by another club in the Rule 5 Draft next month.
The Sox also outrighted right-handers Chris Beck and Tyler Danish, who cleared waivers, to Class AAA Charlotte. The seven moves puts their 40-man roster at 39.
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Any player not on a club’s 40-man roster and approaching his fourth year (for players signed at age 19) or fifth year Rule 5 Draft (for players signed at 18 or younger) since signing a contract can be taken by another club. The player joins the selecting team’s 25-man roster and must stay on it for the entire 2018 season or be offered back to the original team.
Jiménez, 20, is ranked by MLB.com as the No. 4 prospect in baseball. He combined to hit .312 with 22 doubles, 19 home runs, 65 RBI, 54 runs scored, a .379 on-base percentage and .568 slugging percentage over 89 games in 2017 between Class AA Birmingham and Class A Winston-Salem. He was acquired by the Sox in the Jose Quintana trade with the Cubs.
Basabe, 21, batted .221 with 12 doubles, five triples, five home runs, 36 RBI, 17 stolen bases and 52 runs scored in 107 games this season with Winston-Salem. The Sox’ No. 17 prospect according to MLB.com, he acquired from the Red Sox in the Chris Sale trade.
Gillaspie, 24, hit a combined .223 with 15 home runs and 62 RBI over 125 games between Class AAA Durham in the Rays organization and Charlotte. He is the White Sox No. 11 prospect according to MLB.com. He was acquired on July 27 from the Rays in exchange for left-hander Dan Jennings.
Clarkin, 22, combined to go 4-5 with a 2.60 ERA and 63 strikeouts over 18 appearances (17 starts) in 2017 between Class A Tampa in the Yankees organization and Winston-Salem. Clarkin, ranked by MLB.com as the Sox’ No. 22 prospect, was acquired from the Yankees in July.
Adolfo, 21, hit .264 with 28 doubles, 16 homers, 68 RBI and 60 runs scored over 112 games with Class A Kannapolis this season.
