White Sox outfielder Melky Cabrera placed on Paternity List

MINNEAPOLIS — As expected, the White Sox placed left fielder Melky Cabrera on the Paternity List on Friday and recalled outfielder Willy Garcia from Class AAA Charlotte.

Cabrera, who is eligible to come off the list after one day, can be on for as many as three and he is expected to miss the Sox weekend series against the Twins and rejoin the team when it plays the Yankees in New York Monday. Garcia, who has no major-league experience, will wear uniform No. 61.

Garcia, 24, is hitting .423 with two homers, one double, six RBI, nine runs scored and eight walks with a 1.251 OPS over his first seven games with the Knights. The Sox claimed him off waivers from the Pirates on January 6.

“Things are definitely trending in the right direction for him,” said Sox player of development director Chris Getz said this week.”He’s an interesting guy. Very athletic — he has a lot of tools.”

The 6-2, 215-pound, strong-armed right-handed hitting Dominican at one time was ranked 12^th on Pirates prospects lists. But high strikeout rates and declining power at AAA Indianapolis in 2016 prompted the Pirates to cut him loose.

He was named International League’s first Hitter of the Week after his first several games at Charlotte.

“Since we got him, he’s shown up every day, wants to work and understands what he needs to do to improve,” Getz said. “He knows what his plate discipline issues were. And he’s done a lot of things to correct some of the things that got him in trouble. He’s starting to take walks.’’

Cabrera’s wife, Johana, was expected to deliver the couple’s fourth child, a daughter, on Friday.

Garcia’s presence opens the possibility of an all-Garcia outfield with Leury Garcia and Avisail Garcia.