Oscar Colas of the Chicago White Sox gestures while rounding the bases after hitting a home run during the eighth inning of the Spring Training Game against the San Diego Padres at Peoria Stadium on March 11, 2023 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
Outfielder Oscar Colas, the Chicago White Sox No. 2 prospect according to MLB.com, has made the Opening Day roster out of spring training.
During spring training, Colas hit .270 in 63 at-bats, recording 17 hits, three home runs, and six RBI, building a strong case that he can hit major league pitching.
Colas played in Japan prior to signing with the White Sox organization, and also played in Cuba’s Serie Nacional for his hometown club Santiago de Cuba, where he played in 23 games, batting .279 with 95 plate appearances recording 22 hits, slashing four home runs, and driving 11 RBI as a 17-year-old in the 2016-17 season. On May 10, 2017, the Government of Cuba signed a contract to dispatch Colas and Livan Moinelo to the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks as development players in their minor league system.
Colas played in seven games of the Pacific League Nippon Professional Baseball season after being called up on Aug. 18, 2019, making 21 plate appearances and notching five hits, one home run and two RBI during the later part of the season.
On Jan. 3, 2020, Colas left Cuba and sought a contract with a Major League Baseball organization. In late December 2020, Colas was officially granted free agency by Major League Baseball, which made him eligible to sign with any organization during the international signing period in January of 2021.
Colas trained during early 2021 to give MLB scouts an idea of how his abilities aligned against top-tier professional pitching. On Jan. 25, 2022 Colas signed with the Chicago White Sox with a bonus worth $2.7 million.
Colas excelled on his way up through the White Sox minor league system during 2022, rising from High-A Winston-Salem to Double-A Birmingham and on to Triple-A Charlotte. In 117 games, he hit .314 in 526 plate appearances and produced 151 hits, 24 doubles, 23 home runs, 79 RBI and drawing 38 walks in his first year with a Major League Baseball organization.
Colas last year was selected to play in the 2022 Futures Game at Dodger Stadium and was nominated as the MiLB.Com Organization All-Star for the White Sox.
First year White Sox manager Pedro Grifol will have to evaluate his packed outfield, which includes Andrew Benintendi, Eloy Jimenez, Luis Robert Jr., and Andrew Vaughn, to figure out where Colas can consistently play during the 2023 season.
The White Sox open the season on the road against the 2022 World Series champion Houston Astros on March 30 at 7 p.m. EDT.