Report: Chicago White Sox Call Up Top Pitching Prospect Aaron Poreda

June 9, 2009 By 4 Comments

Aaron Poreda called up from AA by Chicago White SoxKVB just texted me and said that 670 The Score in Chicago is reporting that Aaron Poreda has been called up by the Chicago White Sox. This short post on South Side Sox, purportedly from Poreda’s Facebook page, seems to suggest the same.

I profiled Aaron Poreda a few months back. He was the 1st round pick of the White Sox (25th overall) back in 2007 and was rated the #1 prospect in the organization before the arrival of Gordon Beckham. If Poreda is in fact called up, that would mean that the defending AL Central champs have brought their two most prized minor league possessions to the bigs before we’re even out of June.

That either means that Poreda and Beckham are awesome, or is a signal of just how much the White Sox have struggled to be consistent this year. Or, more likely, it means both.

So far this year, the 22-year old Poreda is 5-4 in AA Birmingham with a 2.39 ERA in 11 starts. He has thrown 64.1 innings and is averaging more tha 1 K per inning (69 Ks total) with 35 walks. And while the walk number seems kind of high, here is a number that could portend good things for Poreda pitching in the launching pad that is U.S. Cellular Field: he’s only given up 1 HR.

KVB just texted me again and said that 670 said that while there are still questions to be answered regarding the Poreda call-up (like who will be sent down to make room), this could be a sign that Bartolo Colon could soon be released or traded.

In other White Sox news, we also signed former 2005 World Series hero, and good friend of Ozzie Guillen, Freddy Garcia to a minor league deal.

More to come.

Update: Confirmation on the above report that the White Sox have called up Aaron Poreda from ESPN Chicago:

The White Sox are calling up pitching prospect Aaron Poreda today from Double-A Birmingham, according to ESPNChicago.com’s Bruce Levine.

Poreda, 22, first broke the news on his Facebook page, according to Levine, who later confirmed the move with a source close to the situation.

Sharing This Article Supports Operation Homefront -- Here's How

Filed Under: MLB Tagged With: aaron poreda, Chicago White Sox
About Jerod Morris

A proud graduate of Indiana University, Jerod Morris founded Midwest Sports Fans in August of 2008 and has been its Managing Editor every day since. Follow him on Twitter (@JerodMorris) for MSF updates, sports discussion, and a compelling daily assortment of funny and interesting links.
In addition to his work at MSF, Jerod hosts the fast-growing Indiana basketball postgame show The Assembly Call and provides regular music recommendations at IndieChristmas.com. He also helped develop the Synthesis Managed WordPress Hosting platform on which MSF and all of his other sites are run.

  • KVB

    JRod, That is a good point about Poreda that he has only given up 1 HR so far in AA ball. It makes it seem more likely that Colon is that man out of the rotation after Bartolo gave up four home runs (six runs) in only five innings against the Indians on Sunday’s 8-4 loss. The news will have to come at some point today and I can see a Bartolo release.

    Another thing to think about is there are apparently about 10 teams with scouts following our team and our prospects around as Kenny Williams is still on the horn trying to trade for talent that will help us win this year. Aaron Poreda’s call up could be to see how talented he is at the major league level. That being for ourselves and other teams who have a potential trade involving him before the deadline. Remember the rejected Peavy trade was supposed to involve Poreda.

  • http://www.midwestsportsfans.com JRod

    @KVB, good point. I think the Sox are really high on Poreda so their first option would be to keep him, obviously. I only see us parting with him for a stud like Peavy, and there aren’t too many of those out there.

    Poreda’s already thrown 60+ innings this year, but he threw 161 last year, which is good. That means, based on the usual progression for young pitchers, that he will be stretched out to 185-195 innings this year and potentially stick in the rotation all year if he is effective.

    Maybe he can come up and be a badass and light a fire under John Danks, who we desperately need to get going if we’re going to make a run at this thing.

  • http://www.midwestsportsfans.com JRod

    Just tweeted by @thegnc: @JerodMSF Bad news, Birmingham is a park that skews very strongly toward the hurler. Disaster may be coming.

    So maybe the HR numbers aren’t quite as impressive as they look. Still, I have to think that 1 HR in 60+ innings anywhere is a good sign.

  • http://kelts.tk tony kelts

    http://i2.photoblog.com/photos3/35860-1189837755-15.jpg

    Aaron Poreda will get a chance to provewhy he was a number 1 pick. I saw him pitch in Great Falls. He was always around the high 90′s with the fastball. I heard he pitched a rain shortened no hitter for Birmingham.