Reynaldo Lopez is ranked among baseball’s top 50 prospects, but he joined the White Sox with two other very flashy prospects from the offseason trades.
Lucas Giolito (Nationals) and hard-throwing Michael Kopech (Red Sox) might garner more of the outside attention, but the Sox are excited to see what they have in the 23-year-old from the Dominican Republic.
“Lopez is a guy who maybe goes under the radar a little bit, but when you see his bullpen work, he’s pretty clean, pretty efficient,” manager Rick Renteria said. “He hits his spots.”
Lopez, 23, went 5-3 with a 4.91 ERA, 42 strikeouts and 22 walks over 44 innings in his first major-league stint with the Nationals last year. He made six starts and five relief appearances but said quickly, in English, on Friday that he prefers to start as he did almost exclusively in the minors.
“I learned how to pitch in the majors,” Lopez said through a team interpreter. “It’s not just throwing hard. You have to locate your pitches and be smart. That was the most important thing for me, from that experience.”
Lopez said he was “in shock” when he learned he had been traded to the Sox in the Adam Eaton deal. He said it does help that he made the move with Giolito.
“When the people from the Nationals called, I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “But then my lawyer explained the situation and told me this is a good opportunity and a good team for me. I was happy then, but first I was very surprised.”
The 6-foot, 185-pound right-hander said he hasn’t made any mechanical alterations with pitching coach Don Cooper yet and has focused on throwing strikes down in the zone.
“I like to be aggressive,” Lopez said. “I like to get ahead in the count, throw strikes as soon as possible because that’s going to give me some leverage to throw my other two pitches (curveball and changeup).”
Caption Todd Frazier on the ‘refueling’ the White Sox
White Sox third baseman Todd Frazier on the "refueling" team at spring training on Feb. 17, 2017. (Colleen Kane/Chicago Tribune)
White Sox third baseman Todd Frazier on the “refueling” team at spring training on Feb. 17, 2017. (Colleen Kane/Chicago Tribune)
Caption Todd Frazier on the ‘refueling’ the White Sox
White Sox third baseman Todd Frazier on the "refueling" team at spring training on Feb. 17, 2017. (Colleen Kane/Chicago Tribune)
White Sox third baseman Todd Frazier on the “refueling” team at spring training on Feb. 17, 2017. (Colleen Kane/Chicago Tribune)
Caption Carlos Rodon, Rick Renteria on Rodon’s separate spring training work
White Sox pitcher Carlos Rodon and manager Rick Renteria discuss Rodon’s separate work at spring training on Friday, Feb. 17, 2017. (Colleen Kane/Chicago Tribune)
White Sox pitcher Carlos Rodon and manager Rick Renteria discuss Rodon’s separate work at spring training on Friday, Feb. 17, 2017. (Colleen Kane/Chicago Tribune)
Caption Tour of White Sox’s spring training facility at Camelback Ranch
Tribune reporter Colleen Kane tours the White Sox’s spring training facility at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz. on Feb. 16, 2017.
Tribune reporter Colleen Kane tours the White Sox’s spring training facility at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz. on Feb. 16, 2017.
Caption Prospect Reynaldo Lopez on his experience in the majors
White Sox prospect Reynaldo Lopez on his experience in the majors on Feb. 17, 2017. (Colleen Kane/Chicago Tribune)
White Sox prospect Reynaldo Lopez on his experience in the majors on Feb. 17, 2017. (Colleen Kane/Chicago Tribune)
Caption James Shields: ‘I know how to come back’ from a rough season
White Sox starting pitcher James Shields discusses his horrific 2016 season and what he’ll do to improve in 2017 at Camelback Ranch on Feb. 16, 2017. (Colleen Kane/Chicago Tribune)
White Sox starting pitcher James Shields discusses his horrific 2016 season and what he’ll do to improve in 2017 at Camelback Ranch on Feb. 16, 2017. (Colleen Kane/Chicago Tribune)
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