Talented Robert won't be called up in Sept. 

CLEVELAND -- Before Rick Hahn was asked a question Tuesday concerning Luis Robert not being part of the White Sox September callups, the White Sox general manager presented a preemptive explanation regarding the No. 5 prospect in baseball, per MLB Pipeline.

Robert, 22, clearly surpassed the organization’s individual development goal for 2019. Hahn pointed back to the Spring Training hope of getting the youngster a full season of being healthy, after injuries limited Robert to 50 games in '18, and having him perform well at an advanced level at a young age.

If Robert was able to do both of those things, the season would have been considered a success.

“He surpassed both of those [hurdles],” said Hahn during a conference call following the White Sox announcement of catcher Zack Collins, infielder Daniel Mendick, outfielder Daniel Palka and pitcher Dylan Covey as their September callups. (Reliever Jose Ruiz joins the team Wednesday.) “He had an outstanding season.”

Across stops at Class A Advanced Winston-Salem, Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte, Robert had an amazing slash line of .328/.376/.624 to go with 32 home runs, 31 doubles, 11 triples, 108 runs scored, 92 RBIs and 36 stolen bases. He looms as a prime candidate for numerous Minor League Player of the Year honors.

Team control always is brought up around a talent such as Robert, although Hahn gave a resounding “none” when asked how much control was a decision factor for Robert and infielder Nick Madrigal. At this point of the season, with Robert also having a shortened offseason due to 74 at-bats with Glendale as part of the 2018 Arizona Fall League, Hahn and the White Sox felt as if Robert had done enough.

“We did ask a lot of him,” Hahn said. “So, now, at this point, instead of adding a fourth level in a single year and continuing to increase his career high in games, as much fun as it would have been for us all to see him continue here in Chicago, sometimes it is our job to say, ‘Enough.’

“This has been a very successful season. It’s time to shut it down, go home, rest, recover and come back next season fully rested and ready for even greater challenges that lie ahead. It should go without saying, but just in case, we are all here very, very excited about his future and view him as extremely well positioned to play a major role for us during the 2020 season.”

Madrigal, the No. 40 prospect in the Majors per MLB Pipeline, also saw his 2019 season end when Charlotte was pushed out of an International League playoff spot on Monday. The reasoning for the polished 22-year-old not hitting at the big league level in ’19 is similar to the logic the White Sox are applying to Robert.

“Let’s rest on what has been an extremely successful season instead of adding a fourth level and extending out the physical demands that we were putting on these players,” said Hahn of Madrigal, who hit .311 with four homers, 55 RBIs, 35 stolen bases, 76 runs scored and 16 strikeouts over 473 at-bats for Winston-Salem, Birmingham and Charlotte. “I expect to see Nick in Spring Training, in big league camp, and coming in knowing he’s extremely close to getting to that next level.”

Focusing on those who didn’t get the September call, including Yermin Mercedes and his 23 homers and 80 RBIs over stops at Birmingham and Charlotte, takes away from the good stories connected to those who did. Collins, the White Sox No. 10 prospect per MLB Pipeline, returns to the Majors after going 2-for-26 with 14 strikeouts during an earlier White Sox stint. He learned what didn’t work at the highest of levels as much as what did work.

“Being able to cover the outside pitch and kind of dominating the outside half of the plate,” said Collins of his biggest offensive change. “Guys in the Minors tend to miss over the plate a little bit, more than here in the big leagues.

“Them just dotting the outside half up here was kind of a challenge for me when I came up. Learning how to adjust to that was probably the biggest thing.”

Palka hit 27 home runs for Charlotte, but has a mere one hit in 45 at-bats this season for the White Sox. Mendick, a 22nd-round pick in the 2015 Draft, is getting a well-deserved Major League chance, where he could play anywhere from third base to the outfield.

“Oh my gosh, this is a dream come true,” Mendick said. “I've been trying to do this ever since I was a kid. To finally be here is awesome, it's definitely awesome.”

“You see guys with energy that are happy to be here again, or for the first time,” White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. “That type of enthusiasm reminds you of how special it is to be in the big leagues.”

That special feeling for Madrigal and Robert will have to wait until the 2020 season.

“Again, the kid did a superb job,” said Hahn of Robert. “At this point, we didn't think it made great sense from a baseball standpoint or from a development standpoint to add yet another challenge on top of the ones we already had.”