Flashback Fridays: 16 Knights Promoted in 2021
The 2021 season saw a total of 16 different Charlotte Knights earn a promotion to the Chicago White Sox. Add in many former Knights from past seasons, and the majority of Chicago’s talented young core have now made their way through the Queen City. From day one of Charlotte’s 2021
The 2021 season saw a total of 16 different Charlotte Knights earn a promotion to the Chicago White Sox. Add in many former Knights from past seasons, and the majority of Chicago’s talented young core have now made their way through the Queen City.
From day one of Charlotte’s 2021 season (May 4th) -- all the way to the last (October 3rd) -- those 16 Knights helped contribute to Chicago’s success this year. The White Sox won the American League Central Division and made the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
The first player in 2021 to go to Chicago from Charlotte's roster was infielder Danny Mendick, which actually took place on Opening Day for the Knights (May 4th). Mendick played a key role all season -- appearing in a total of 71 games with the White Sox and 25 with the Knights.
Congrats to infielder Danny Mendick, who was promoted to the @whitesox today! #CLTtoCHI
— Charlotte Knights (@KnightsBaseball) May 4, 2021
📸: @laurawolffphoto pic.twitter.com/7IxKv6IBoj
Here are the 16 players who earned a promotion from Charlotte to Chicago in 2021 (listed in order by their first promotion):
INF Danny Mendick (May 4, August 12, August 15 & August 31)
RHP Alex McRae (May 14)
RHP Ryan Burr (May 27, August 16 & September 4)
RHP Zack Burdi (May 29 & June 17 )
RHP Jimmy Lambert (May 31, June 27, August 1 & September 6)
1B/OF Gavin Sheets (June 3, June 29 & September 1)
OF Brian Goodwin (June 10)
OF Luis González (June 22)
LHP Jace Fry (June 30)
INF Jake Burger (July 2)
C Seby Zavala (July 6)
RHP Reynaldo López (July 16)
RHP Matt Foster (July 19, August 3, August 11, September 1, September 23 & September 26)
RHP Mike Wright (August 16)
INF Romy Gonzalez (September 1)
C Zack Collins (September 14)
1B/OF Gavin Sheets, who was first promoted to the White Sox on June 3 and did not play during his first stint, was promoted back to Chicago on June 29 and made his major league debut that day. Sheets had a successful campaign with both the Knights and White Sox, combining to hit 22 home runs this season (11 with Chicago and 11 with Charlotte).
HOLY SHEETS! Gavin Sheets has his 1st career @MLB home run. pic.twitter.com/bSRbdz5ZjJ
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) July 1, 2021
3B Jake Burger earned his first career promotion on July 2 and appeared in 15 games with the White Sox. After battling injuries and the lost 2020 season due to the pandemic, it was a memorable season for Burger. In 82 games with the Knights, the talented third baseman hit .264 with 18 homers and 54 RBIs with Charlotte in 82 games.
Catcher Seby Zavala earned a promotion to the White Sox on July 6 and made history just a couple of weeks later. Zavala hit three home runs in Chicago's game on July 31-- the first three home runs of his MLB career. It was the first time ever in MLB history that a player would accomplish that feat!
Seby Zavala’s first 3 homers of his career, all in the same game.
— MLB (@MLB) August 1, 2021
Nobody has EVER done that in AL/NL history. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/HXPj6fmjtg
The future of the Chicago White Sox system is a bright one with new young players coming along each season to add to the team's core. Who will be the next player to go from Charlotte to Chicago? The Charlotte Knights open up the 2022 season on April 5 in Norfolk, VA against the Norfolk Tides.
Stay tuned!