On-Base Machine Sam Antonacci Wows White Sox With Grinder Mentality

Some day, second baseman Sam Antonacci will put up the numbers that force everyone to take notice.

He hit .515 with 14 home runs in his second year at Heartland, a Division II junior college in Illinois, but needed to transfer to Coastal Carolina to draw more than token draft interest.

After Antonacci produced a 1.027 OPS for the Chanticleers, the White Sox drafted him in the fifth round in 2024—but even they couldnâ€t honestly profess to see exceptional potential.

“Twelve months ago, we would all just have said, ‘Interesting player. He plays hard, et cetera.’ ” White Sox farm director Paul Janish said. “But he’s put himself on the map.â€

In his first full professional season, Antonacci posted a .433 on-base percentage that ranked fourth in the minor leagues, stole 48 bases and finished the year batting third for the Double-A Birmingham team that won the Southern League title.

“Oh wow, what a grinder, what a competitor,†said Birmingham manager Guillermo Quiroz, who has managed the Barons to back-to-back SL crowns.

The 22-year-old Antonacci has below-average raw power and an approach geared for contact. Such is his team-oriented, run-manufacturing nature that with a runner on third base, he chokes up on the bat, even when heâ€s ahead in the count.

His future defensive home is to be determined. The White Sox concede that Antonacci’s days at shortstop are all but over, and his below-average arm is not ideal at third base. His stolen base totals are impressive for a player with average speed, but his range at second base is middling at best.

The White Sox sent Antonacci to the Arizona Fall League to prove his mettle. He envisions many more worlds to conquer beyond Glendale.

“At the end of the day, I donâ€t want to be known as someone who played in the Arizona Fall League,” he said. “I want to be known as an all-star and a World Series champion.

“Thereâ€s a lot Iâ€ve got to work on to get to that point. Iâ€m ready to get after it.â€

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