White Sox part ways with minor-league manager Omar Vizquel

The White Sox and Omar Vizquel, who at one time was thought to be a rising star in the organization, are parting ways after Vizquel spent two seasons on the Sox’ player-development staff.

‘‘Omar and our organization agreed to head in different directions,’’ Sox director of player development Chris Getz said.

A three-time All-Star and an 11-time Gold Glove-winning shortstop, Vizquel got off to a promising start as a manager when he guided advanced Class A Winston-Salem to an 84-54 record and earned Carolina League manager-of-the-year honors in 2018.

Vizquel’s performance also earned him a promotion to Class AA Birmingham, and he was one of 10 candidates to interview for the Angels’ managerial opening after the 2018 season. He had been a first-base coach with the Tigers before joining the Sox’ organization.

Birmingham finished 64-72 in the Southern League North in 2019, and a contingent of prospects who had excelled under Vizquel at Winston-Salem the season before stalled. The Sox weren’t planning to promote Vizquel to Class AAA Charlotte.

‘‘We appreciate what Omar did for the White Sox and our minor-league players, and we wish him all the best with whatever comes next,’’ Getz said.

Vizquel, 52, returned to the Hall of Fame ballot this week. He received 42.8 percent of the vote last year in his second year of eligibility.

NOTE: The Sox purchased the contracts of right-handers Zack Burdi, Dane Dunning, Matt Foster and Jimmy Lambert, left-hander Bernardo Flores Jr., catcher Yermin Mercedes and outfielder Blake Rutherford, adding them to the 40-man roster and protecting them from the Rule 5 draft next month.

Burdi, Dunning and Lambert all are recovering from Tommy John surgery. Burdi, a first-round draft choice (26th overall) in 2016, was at Class AA Birmingham last summer when he suffered a torn knee ligament that required season-ending surgery.