White Sox Minor League Player of the Week (June 17-23): Mark Payton

The Knights had the best week in terms of record, but the Barons clinched a postseason spot for the first time in 11 years

Charlotte Knights

Record 5-1 (last week), 33-41 (overall)

Knights Player of the Week

Mark Payton .478/.520/1.000, 23 at-bats

Colson Montgomery .313/.429/.688, 16 at-bats
Michael Chavis .300/.286/.450, 20 at-bats
Carlos Pérez .158/.158/.158, 19 at-bats
Wilmer Difo .385/.444/.769, 13 at-bats
Rafael Ortega .389/.421/.444, 18 at-bats
Bryan Ramos .286/.250/.286, seven at-bats

Touki Toussaint 4 IP, 4 ER, 4 H, 7 BB, 4 K
Johan Domínguez 4 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 4 K
Nick Nastrini 6 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 5 BB, 10 K
Sean Burke 4 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 3 K

The Knights had a fantastic week, only losing one game, and overall, the club has won seven of its last eight games. The offense is having one of its best stretches of the season, and Mark Payton was most responsible. Payton finished 11-for-23 with three homers and eight RBI. Although this is his first Player of the Week award this season, Payton’s overall slash line (.294/.364/.466) has been solid. Payton, 32, appeared has appeared in 40 games at the highest level, and has not had success there. However, like a few Knights who have won this award in 2024, Payton is making a decent case for another chance in the majors.

2024 Charlotte Knights Players of the Week

Robbie Grossman (April 1-7)
Danny Mendick (April 8-14)
Danny Mendick (April 15-21)
Lenyn Sosa (April 22-28)
Colson Montgomery (April 29-May 5)
Jake Woodford (May 6-12)
Wilmer Difo (May 13-19)
Jared Walsh (May 20-26)
Oscar Colás (May 27-June 2)
Wynton Bernard (June 3-9)
Wilmer Difo (June 10-16)
Mark Payton (June 17-23)

Birmingham Barons

Record 2-4 (last week), 41-28 (overall)

Barons Player of the Week

Mason Adams 6 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 6 K

Brooks Baldwin .304/.320/.304, 23 at-bats
Jacob Gonzalez .174/.259/.217, 23 at-bats
Tim Elko .435/.480/.435, 23 at-bats
Jason Matthews .286/.273/.381, 21 at-bats
Edgar Quero .360/.360/.520, 25 at-bats

Jairo Iriarte 6 IP, 5 ER, 8 H, 1 BB, 4 K
Jake Eder 5 IP, 6 ER, 8 H, 1 BB, 4 K
Noah Schultz 4 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 2 K
Tyler Schweitzer 5 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 8 K
Ky Bush 5 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K

Surprisingly, the Barons finished 2-4 for the second straight week. Despite this cold stretch of games, however, the Barons achieved something that they had not done in 11 years.

Congratulations to the Barons for advancing to the Southern League playoffs.

Starting pitcher Mason Adams deserves a lot of credit for Birmingham’s success during the first half. Adams has a 2.15 ERA and a 3.37 FIP in 75 1⁄3 innings for the Barons this season. During the past week, Adams had a phenomenal start, pitching six shutout innings and only allowing one hit. Adams could have hardly performed any better, and as a result, he earned his third weekly award of the season.

2024 Birmingham Barons Players of the Week

Drew Thorpe (April 8-14)
Edgar Quero (April 15-21)
Ky Bush (April 22-28)
Bryan Ramos (April 29-May 5)
Mason Adams (May 6-12)
Brooks Baldwin (May 13-19)
Jacob Gonzalez (May 20-26)
Mason Adams (May 27-June 2)
Edgar Quero (June 3-9)
Ky Bush (June 10-16)
Mason Adams (June 17-23)

Winston-Salem Dash

Record 3-3 (last week), 32-37 (overall), 1-2 (second half)

Dash Player of the Week

Shawn Goosenberg .435/.480/.783, 23 at-bats

Wes Kath .292/.393/.458, 24 at-bats
Loidel Chapelli .571/.667/.643, 14 at-bats
Eddie Park .368/.409/.368, 19 at-bats
Ryan Galanie .273/.333/.636, 22 at-bats
Samuel Zavala .190/.308/.333, 21 at-bats

Drew McDaniel 5 IP, 0 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 4 K
Riley Gowens 6 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, 0 BB, 13 K
Jared Kelley 3 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 2 K
Juan Carela 6 IP, 2 ER, 9 H, 1 BB, 4 K

The Dash collected another 3-3 week, which has become quite common for this year’s team.

Outfielder Shawn Goosenberg led the way this time around, finishing 10-for-23 with a homer, three doubles, a triple, and nine RBsI. With this huge week, Goosenberg boosted his season OPS to .802 and has given himself some momentum entering the second half.

Loidel Chapelli also posted a monstrous week, with an OPS (1.310) that was slightly higher than that of even Goosenberg (1.263). Goosenberg had nine more at-bats, which gave him the slight edge, but Chapelli deserves a lot of credit, too.

2024 Winston-Salem Dash Players of the Week

Jacob Gonzalez (April 8-14)
Juan Carela (April 15-21)
Manuel Veloz (April 22-28)
Jacob Gonzalez (April 29-May 5)
DJ Gladney (May 6-12)
Shawn Goosenberg (May 13-19)
Tyler Schweitzer (May 20-26)
Bryce Willits (May 27-June 2)
Samuel Zavala (June 3-9)
Ryan Galanie (June 10-16)
Shawn Goosenberg (June 17-23)

Kannapolis Cannon Ballers

Record 4-3 (last week), 43-26 (overall), 2-1 (second half)

Cannon Ballers Player of the Week

Mikey Kane .462/.600/.846, 13 at-bats

Matt Hogan .200/.333/.200, 15 at-bats
Caden Connor .263/.348/.421, 19 at-bats
Rikuu Nishida .278/.381/.389, 18 at-bats, 2-for-2 stolen bases
Wilber Sánchez .214/.353/.643, 14 at-bats

Lucas Gordon 5 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 4 BB, 5 K
Aldrin Batista 6 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 8 K
Seth Keener 6 IP, 5 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 6 K
Jake Bockenstedt 5 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 6 K
Manuel Veloz 5 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, 0 BB, 9 K

Despite having clinched the playoffs with a first-half division win, the Cannon Ballers kept pushing forward with wins in four of seven this week and got off to a strong start in the second half.

Third baseman Mikey Kane had a terrific week, finishing 6-for-13 with a homer, two doubles, and six walks. In these past five games alone, Kane boosted his season OPS from .692 to .785. Kane, 22, was a 17th round pick in last year’s draft. The infielder got off to a slow start this season, but lately he has become one of the more interesting prospects on the Cannon Ballers. Congratulations to Kane on his first weekly honor of the season.

2024 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers Players of the Week

Aldrin Batista (April 8-14)
Albertson Asigen (April 15-21)
Caden Connor (April 22-28)
Rikuu Nishida (April 29-May 5)
Ryan Galanie (May 6-12)
Ryan Galanie (May 13-19)
Drew McDaniel (May 20-26)
Ryan Galanie (May 27-June 2)
Ronny Hernández (June 3-9)
Tommy Vail (June 10-16)
Mikey Kane (June 17-23)

ACL White Sox

Record 2-3 (last week), 13-23 (overall)

Leandro Alsinois .313.389.500, 16 at-bats
Adrian Gil .286/.412/.357, 14 at-bats
Eloy Jiménez .500/.538/.500, 12 at-bats (finishing up rehab assignment from the White Sox)

Christian Oppor 5 IP, 4 ER, 8 H, 0 BB, 6 K
Luis Reyes 3 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 3 K
Jordany Chirinos 4 1⁄3 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 6 K
Ricardo Brizuela 4 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 9 K

DSL White Sox

Record 1-5 (last week), 3-11 (overall)

Albert Alberto .333/.385/.333, 12 at-bats
Jurdrick Profar .438/.625/.750, 16 at-bats
Jesus Premoli .412/.444/.471, 17 at-bats
Christian González .313/.400/.438, 16 at-bats

Jommy Hernández 5 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 5 BB, 3 K
Reudis Díaz 7 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 3 K
Ángel Bello 6 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 5 K