Something to build on? Young talent gives something for White Sox to look forward to

Erin Hooley/AP

There are indeed things about the White Sox that are not cringeworthy, after all.

There’s the recent 9-8 stretch that followed their historically bad 3-22 start.

And there is a small core of talent on display that fall under the category of “keepers,” most notably left-hander Garrett Crochet, right-hander Jordan Leasure, catcher Korey Lee and third baseman Bryan Ramos.

Right-handers Nick Nastrini and Jonathan Cannon made two starts each with mixed results before going back to Triple-A Charlotte – and they should be back this season -- and a minor league system that no longer ranks at the bottom of the major leagues. MLB Pipeline top 100 prospects shortstop Colson Montgomery (11) at Charlotte, 6-9 left-hander Noah Schultz (41) at High-A Winston-Salem, right-hander Drew Thorpe (57) and catcher Edgar Quero (97) at Double-A Birmingham have hoisted the organizational rankings. Baseball America has the Sox 18th.

Bring up the subject of the Sox’ hereafter to these faces of the future, though, and there is pushback. They want to win now.

“It gives us hope for the future, but it gives us hope for right now,” Crochet said.

The recent stretch of 16 games against the Rays, Twins, Cardinals and Guardians had them talking in the present before Tuesday’s 6-3 loss to the Nationals in Game 1 of a doubleheader at Guaranteed Rate Field. The defeat dropped the Sox to 12-30.

“We don’t feel like we’re counted out at all," Crochet said. "We’re just trying to win weeks.”

Crochet noted the Tommy Pham effect when the veteran outfielder joined the team at the start of the 9-8 stretch, and the Ramos effect since the 22-year-old Cuban prospect came on board 10 days ago.

“It gives us hope for right now, too,” Crochet said. “Ramos has been playing really good ball. Yoan Moncada [on the injured list] is an incredible third baseman, but Ramos has made some plays over there and his bat has transitioned to the lineup, too. It’s impressive to see the huge jump he made from Double-A.”

In Game 1 Tuesday, Ramos started an inning-ending double play on a slowly hit ground ball, singled, reached on an error and made an aggressive advance to third on a single in the fifth. But he missed a hit-and-run sign and came up with a tight left quad on the play before exiting in the seventh, stalling what had been an encouraging first showing.

There shall be growing pains.

But there are positives, and the Sox welcome any with open arms.

“The thing I hear most from hitters is, [pitchers] everywhere have velo but the quality of stuff is something, too,” Crochet said, “and Ramos has some hits on breaking balls. That’s the big jump. Breaking balls are sharper and tighter up here.”

Leasure (2.20) ERA is a high-leverage reliever in his first season with closer potential. Crochet was tied for first in the majors with 64 strikeouts. And Lee, splitting time with veteran catcher Martin Maldonado, has a .791 OPS that's second to Pham entering Game 2 while providing good defense.

“It’s really cool to see [young players] doing well,” Leasure said. “Ramos is the type of player who every times he comes to bat you feel like something crazy might happen. A lot of electricity. And watching Korey, swinging it well this year and throwing people out left and right, it’ been a lot of fun. Even if I don’t get in the game, I watch those guys and it fires me up.”