The White Sox have acquired minor league infielder Kean Wong from the Mariners. Mike Curto, broadcaster for Seattle’s Triple-A affiliate with Tacoma, tweeted the news. He’ll presumably join the Sox’s top minor league team in Charlotte. Wong had not been on the 40-man roster, so he’ll add some non-roster upper level depth for the White Sox.
Wong signed a minor league deal with the Mariners over the offseason, joining his older brother in the organization. Kolten Wong has struggled at the big league level, but Kean Wong has had a nice showing in Triple-A. He appeared in 33 games for Tacoma, hitting .315/.422/.500 with four home runs in 109 trips to the plate. The lefty swinger has walked in a stellar 14.7% of his plate appearances while keeping his strikeout rate to a modest 17.4% clip.
That’s quite a bit better than the 28-year-old’s minor league work last season. Wong spent 2022 in the Angels’ system, posting a .262/.342/.332 line with a 10.8% walk percentage and 22.1% strikeout rate over 128 Triple-A contests. He hasn’t appeared in the majors since 2021, when he suited up a career-high 32 times for the Halos. Wong has 39 MLB games overall, hitting .167/.188/.218 in that limited look.
Like his brother, Kean Wong is primarily a second baseman. Seattle has gotten strong work out of José Caballero at the keystone. The rookie has a .245/.397/.367 showing over his first 45 big league contests, enough to leapfrog Kolten Wong and Dylan Moore on the depth chart.
The White Sox have gotten nothing from the second base position. Elvis Andrus, Romy González, Lenyn Sosa and the since-released Hanser Alberto have combined for a league-worst .167/.212/.278 showing there. An injury to third baseman Yoán Moncada led Chicago to promote utilityman Zach Remillard this afternoon. The Wong acquisition allows them to backfill some Triple-A infield depth.
Wong will be joined in Charlotte by veteran outfielder Billy Hamilton. The White Sox outrighted Hamilton off the 40-man roster yesterday. Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times relays (on Twitter) that Hamilton accepted the assignment instead of testing minor league free agency. The speedster has a .158/.294/.228 line in 69 trips to the plate for the Knights this season. He appeared in three MLB games with the ChiSox as a pinch-runner last month.
Do people call Jose Caballero, Joey Gentleman?
I feel like there’s a seasons worth of marketing there. I’d buy Mariners branded bolo tie.
I always translated “los caballero” as something more like “cowboy” or “horse rider” …
Most bathrooms I’ve seen in central and South America are labeled “Damas” and “Caballeros”.
The literal translation is “cowboy”, but it’s situational. If you refer to a group of older men as “los caballeros” it’s assumed you are saying “gentlemen”. But, if the dudes are helping move your grazing cattle or rope a horse then the literal works better
Either way, awesome last name.
He actually went over this in an interview. In Panama it’s translated to cowboy but it’s not used for gentleman.
For those of you old enough to remember the skit show SCTV, the character Guy Caballero always made me chuckle.
I need to see if that show is on YouTube or something. Haven’t seen it since I was a kid 30 some years ago.
That’s exactly what I thought when I read his name. He owned a TV station where all of his shows were on Thursday night at 9pm.
From the pic they used of Kean, he’s gotta be Kolten’s great uncle. Also, great band.
You’re saying it’s the wrong Wong?
At least he didn’t say everybody Wong Chung tonight.
“Mike Curto, broadcaster for Seattle’s Triple-A affiliate with Tacoma, tweeted the news. He’ll presumably join the Sox’s top minor league team in Charlotte.”
Why is Curto going to Charlotte?
The new media gulag methinks. Off with you
If Remillard doesn’t do very well, give Wong a shot. Not like he can be much worse than what the Sox have tried already. It’s a tragic day when you have the thought, “Even Leury could outhit these guys.”
Romy wasn’t looking too bad for a minute.
The problem with a minute is that it’s very short.
Until you’re exercising
Yeah Wong looks interesting. Diamond in the rough
Forever giant. Spring training invite.#ScottsdaleKing
They traded the wrong Wong
Two Wongs don’t make a right.
The Mariners just wanted to make sure no says they got the wong wong.
Lots of horrible dad jokes— on Father’s Day weekend. These people are old
I’m not encouraging Seattle to toss aside ethics, but it might be worthwhile to send Kolten to CWS by “mistake”, move Kean onto the major league roster, and pretend everything is honkey dorey. If they get caught a great big WOOPS is in order. Tell Chicago to keep Kolten, and as a sign of good faith they’ll send Kean along as a sign of good faith. This would be a great script for an MLB sitcom.
The Mariners trade Wong for . . . ?
I believe they are receiving a career minor leaguer by the name of “Wright”.
The juxtaposition might be even a little better if it’s a trade of “Wong” for “White.”
If lovin’ you is wong, I don’t wanna be wright……
What did the Sox give back to Mariners?
Whom did they trade him for? We traded Kean to the White Sox. Who or what did Seattle acquire?
Some neatly diced baseball jerseys it would seem.
I hope it was for L. Lynne lol.. He fkn terrible
Since it’s not listed, my guess in the oft-traded PTBNL. Could also be cash considerations.
It took us 3 years for this. Not exceptable.
Word on the street is that he is about to sign a minor League deal with the whitesox
They traded the wrong wong
Man I hope this means Tim Anderson is going somewhere… Yeah, I get they do not have anyone really ready, but with the latest news about this guy, he can go. Move Andrus over to SS, and bring this kid up to split time with Romy Gonzalez (say what you will about Romy, but he seems to always get a big hit when its needed)