Sergio Santos is a name White Sox fans may need to learn going into this season, as he is currently extremely close to taking the final roster spot. Fans of other teams, however, may learn his name as well before the 2010 season starts.
The 26-year-old Santos has been one of the few surprises in White Sox camp striking out nine in five-and-two-thirds of scoreless work. His dominating pitching is only half the Santos surprise (Santos surprise sounds really dirty).
The most surprising part is that Santos has only been a pitcher for 28.2 innings before this spring.
Drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first round of the 2002 Amateur Draft, Santos was a shortstop.
Santos worked his way up to Triple-A by 2005, but was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays, along with Troy Glaus, for Miguel Batista and Orlando Hudson. Santos struggled in Toronto's minor league system, falling to Double-A in 2007.
In 2008, the Minnesota Twins claimed Santos off waivers. After the season, he became a free agent at which point the White Sox signed Santos to a minor league deal. Before the 2009 season, the White Sox traded Santos to the San Francisco Giants for future considerations, only to bring him back that very season.
In 2009, since his career was not going as planned as an everyday player, Santos made the transition from shortstop to pitcher and threw 28.2 innings in the White Sox minor league system, sporting an 8.16 ERA on 37 hits and 20 walks, but while striking out 30 batters.
Santos currently sports a 98 mph fastball to go along with a slider and a changeup. Santos has been getting his slider and changeup over for strikes this spring training to go along with his high-90s fastball.
The problem the White Sox face regarding Santos is if they do not decide to put Santos on the 25-man roster, they will most likely lose him. Santos is out of minor league options and would be subject to waivers if he did not make the White Sox's final roster.
With how well Santos has performed this spring, teams with limited bullpens have taken notice of the hard-throwing right hander.
It's been an odd journey for Sergio Santos, but in this year's spring training, he may have played himself into a new one.
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