Ken Vining

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Chicago White Sox #23 prospect in 2001
  The third starter on the 1996 Clemson staff that featured Kris Benson and Billy Koch, Vining's development has been slowed by injury. He came to the White Sox from San Francisco in the 1997 White Flag trade and established himself in Double-A in 1998. He made only three starts in 1999 before undergoing reconstructive elbow surgery, then joined fellow Tommy John survivor Rocky Biddle at Birmingham last season. Vining started slowly but emerged as a reliable reliever on a team good enough to go to the Southern League championship series. Vining's best pitch is a big-breaking curveball, and he has a 90-mph fastball. He also uses a changeup effectively to keep hitters from sitting on his fastball. He locates his pitches well and does a good job keeping the ball down. Vining went to the Arizona Fall League as the Sox evaluated whether to give him a spot on the 40-man roster, which they did. Given the way teams covet lefties, there was no hiding Vining in the minors. He'll get a chance in the majors before long.