White Sox's Jairo Iriarte: Could reach majors in 2024
Rotowire
White Sox general manager Chris Getz said Thursday that Iriarte is a candidate to reach the majors in 2024, Vinnie Duber of AllCHGO.com reports.
Acquired from the Padres in the Dylan Cease trade, Iriarte held a 3.49 ERA and 128:45 K:BB across 90.1 innings between the High-A and Double-A levels last season. The 22-year-old is already on the 40-man roster and figures to start the 2024 season at Triple-A Charlotte, but he could push to debut with the Pale Hose later this summer.
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White Sox's Jairo Iriarte: Traded to White Sox
Rotowire
The Padres traded Iriarte, Drew Thorpe, Steven Wilson and Samuel Zavala to the White Sox on Wednesday in exchange for Dylan Cease, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports.
Iriarte split time between High-A and Double-A last season, recording a 3.49 ERA and 1.28 WHIP alongside a 128:45 K:BB across 90.1 innings between the two levels. The 22-year-old prospect earned a spot on the Padres' 40-man roster during the offseason and had been in contention to make the Opening Day roster, but Iriarte was optioned to Triple-A after throwing three shutout innings during spring training. With the White Sox, Iriarte's chances at cracking an Opening Day roster are renewed given Chicago's weak MLB pitching staff, though it's possible the Sox keep him in Triple-A to continue his development.
Iriarte was optioned to Triple-A El Paso by the Padres on Sunday.
Iriarte was added to the Padres' 40-man roster over the offseason and impressed during his time in big-league camp, yielding just one unearned run over three innings. The 22-year-old had seemed in contention for a roster spot, but the team needing to make some early cuts because of its March 20-21 series versus the Dodgers in South Korea probably didn't help Iriarte's bid. He's put himself in position for a promotion at some point this season, however.
The Padres selected Iriarte to their 40-man roster Tuesday, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Iriarte enjoyed a breakout minor-league season in 2023, working to a 3.49 ERA with 128 strikeouts in 90.1 innings between High-A Fort Wayne and Double-A San Antonio. The 21-year-old right-hander is now protected from selection in next month's Rule 5 Draft.
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Padres' Jairo Iriarte: Easing into things at Double-A
Rotowire
Iriarte has struck out seven in four perfect innings across his first two appearances out of the bullpen for Double-A San Antonio.
Iriarte was one of the better pitching prospects in a shallow Padres system entering the year, but he was good enough in 14 starts for High-A Fort Wayne that he is now one of the better pitchers in all the minors. The 6-foot-2 righty added three ticks of velocity to his fastball over the offseason, according to Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs, and he now sits in the mid-90s with a terrific changeup and slider. The lanky 21-year-old logged a 3.10 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 77 strikeouts in 61 innings at High-A before getting promoted to Double-A on July 14. He has been working in relief since the promotion, so it's possible the Padres are preparing him to join the big-league bullpen down the stretch. In the long run though, he would appear to have the arsenal to start in the majors if his command holds up.
