The White Sox will promote lefthander Aaron Poreda from high Class A Winston-Salem to Double-A Birmingham, according to the Winston-Salem Journal.

"I think he’s learned some things here," (manager Tim) Blackwell of the Warthogs said. "And he’s one of those guys who’s ready for a challenge.

"So why wait?"

Poreda, the No. 25 pick in the 2007 draft, entered the season as the No. 1 prospect in an emaciated farm system made thinner by the off-season departures of lefthander Gio Gonzlaez, righthander Fautino de los Santos and outfielder Ryan Sweeney in the deal that brought Nick Swisher to Chicago.

In 12 starts for Winston-Salem, Poreda had a 3.31 ERA in 73 1/3 innings. Poreda, who last year had the highest peak velocity of any lefthander in the minors, had a 46-18 K-BB mark and a 1.52 groundout-to-air out ratio thanks to the heavy action on his fastball.