Zangari’s Power Tantalizing To White Sox

CHICAGO—Even with Jose Abreu batting in the middle of the lineup, power production has been a problem for the White Sox. They finished last in the American League with 136 home runs in 2015.

Adding third baseman Todd Frazier from the Reds in a December trade should immediately boost Chicago’s homer total, and first baseman Corey Zangari quickly showed he could be a power threat down the road.

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Drafted last year in the sixth round out of Albert High in Midwest City, Okla., Zangari began his pro career with a bang.

In 48 games in the Rookie-level Arizona League, Zangari hit .323/.356/.492 with six home runs and 40 RBIs. He closed the season with six games at Rookie-level Great Falls.

The 18-year-old, who also pitched and played catcher in high school, already is on the fast track.

“You never know what to expect when you get these kids out of high school, even sometimes college,” farm director Nick Capra said.

“It’s a high school kid’s first time away from home, for the most part. I know they’ve probably played some travel ball, but being away from home for a longer period of time, he adjusted really well.”

Zangari is big and strong at 6-foot-4, 240 pounds. Young power hitters frequently pile up strikeouts while adjusting to the pro game, but Capra is impressed with Zangari’s early plate discipline.

He struck out nearly 23 percent of the time in his 54-game pro debut.

“He’s got a pretty good idea of the strike zone for a big kid,” Capra said. “Obviously, there were some strikeouts there, but they were strikeouts on good pitcher’s pitches. Fastballs down and away, sliders down and away, pitches on the black. He really didn’t offer a lot on bad pitches.”

Zangari probably will open the 2016 season at low Class A Kannapolis.

CHI-LITES

• The White Sox claimed outfielder Daniel Fields on waivers from the Dodgers. He spent most of 2015 with Triple-A Toledo in the Tigers system, batting .228/.335/.367 with 25 doubles, seven home runs and 41 RBIs in 122 games.

• Shortstop Tim Anderson, outfielder Courtney Hawkins and third baseman Trey Michalczewski were among the top prospects who took part in a three-day hitting camp at Chicago’s spring-training complex in early January.