The Winston-Salem Dash finished with a subpar 60-72 record and a -139 run differential, although Winston-Salem’s Pythagorean record (53-79) makes the team’s final record appear much more appealing by comparison. For most of the season, Winston-Salem was below .500 but remained within striking distance of that mark. Finally, a cold streak in August put the Dash solidly below .500, and of course, they did not make the playoffs.

However, considering how few key prospects this team had, the record is not a major disappointment. Guillermo Quiróz, 42, has completed his second year as manager of the Dash. Winston-Salem is 120-138 overall in his time as manager. Quiróz played for six different MLB teams during his career from 2004-2014, making him a useful pick in Immaculate Grid.

Third baseman Wes Kath led the team in at-bats (399) and home runs (16) but had a modest slash line (.226/.319/.409) overall. Kath, 22, was the team’s second round pick in 2021, and he still has time to make progress. Overall, though, many expected the talented infielder to make a bigger stride forward in 2024.

In return for Dylan Cease, the White Sox received three of San Diego’s top seven prospects last offseason. Outfielder Samuel Zavala was one of those prospects, and he entered the season with high hopes. Zavala, 20, showed some of his high potential this season by posting a .340 OBP, swiping 14 bases in 19 attempts, and playing good defense in center field. However, making solid contact was an issue for Zavala, who finished with a .187 batting average and a .301 slugging percentage. Zavala spent the entire season with the Dash and totaled eight home runs. Overall, Zavala fell far below the lofty expectations this season, and he tumbled down to No. 16 in MLB Pipeline’s updated White Sox prospect rankings.

Left fielder Shawn Goosenberg got promoted to Birmingham on July 9, and he had the highest OPS on the team among players with more than 21 at-bats (.808). In 272 at-bats, Goosenberg slashed .272/.348/.460 to show that he was ready for the next level. Double-A was not as easy, but Goosenberg provided a big spark during his time with the Dash.

Outfielder DJ Gladney got off to a rough start, posting a .141/.228/.296 slash line in April, but he completely flipped the script in May, with a .308/.372/.641 slash line. Gladney built on that positive momentum with a strong performance in June, and he was promoted to Birmingham on August 6. Surprisingly, Gladney’s numbers were even better during his time with the Barons, and he drove in the Southern League-clinching run to top off his season. Gladney, 23, appeared to be heading into a dead end in April, but managed to turn his season around.

Shortstop Jacob Gonzalez, 22, got on base early and often, posting a .273/.364/.399 slash line in 36 games with Winston-Salem. Gonzalez, the team’s first round pick in 2023, did not stay with the Dash for long, as he earned a promotion on May 21. Unfortunately, he hit a road block after his promotion to Birmingham, but there is still plenty of time for the young infielder. Gonzalez is still ranked No. 11 among White Sox prospects, according to MLB Pipeline.

Second baseman Rikuu Nishida, 23, spent most of the season with Kannapolis, but he made his time in Winston-Salem count. In 26 games, Nishida slashed .337/.436/.357, as he was very difficult to keep off base. Incredibly, that sky-high OBP was nothing unusual for Nishida, who has slashed .306/.420/.365 overall across three levels of Minor League Baseball this season. Power is not a big part of Nishida’s game, but he abilities to make contact and draw walks make him an interesting prospect.

As for the pitchers, Shane Murphy led the team in innings pitched (91 1/3), and his numbers were decent overall. Murphy remained at the High-A level for most of the season, posting a 4.14 ERA and a 4.33 FIP. Murphy, 23, made a splash with the Cannon Ballers last year after being selected in the 14th round of the 2022 draft. Murphy also posted an impressive 1.06 WHIP and .236 opposing batting average in Winston-Salem. If he manages to avoid giving up the long ball (14 in 91 1/3 innings), the southpaw could be in line for a promotion early on next year.

Juan Carela, No. 26 on MLB Pipeline’s White Sox prospect rankings, pitched 74 innings for the Dash, the second-most out of everyone this year. Carela, 22, who came to the White Sox in last year’s Keynan Middleton trade, was a key part of Winston-Salem’s starting rotation. Carela had a 3.77 ERA and a 4.03 FIP before earning a promotion to Birmingham on August 6. To his credit, the numbers in Birmingham have been similar.

Starter Tyler Schweitzer was also a key part of the Dash rotation for a decent chunk of the season. Schweitzer has jumped up to No. 19 on MLB Pipeline’s White Sox prospect rankings. Schweitzer, 23, pitched 45 2/3 innings across nine starts for the Dash and posted a 3.74 ERA and a 3.62 FIP in those games. Since being promoted to Birmingham, Schweitzer has lived up to the hype, posting similar numbers (3.87 ERA, 3.35 FIP) in 81 1/3 innings. It has been a successful year for the left-handed pitcher.

Speaking of lefties, of course, we will need to address Noah Schultz, the highest-ranked prospect in the system. Schultz also ranks No. 14 across baseball, according to MLB Pipeline. Schultz, 21, started the season with the Dash, and he pitched 27 1/3 innings at this level before being promoted. While his 3.95 ERA may not look overly impressive, Schultz struck out 42 (that’s 13.8 strikeouts per nine innings) while only walking seven and allowing just one home run. As a result, his FIP was only 2.17 with the Dash, and he proved that he deserved the promotion to Birmingham. Schultz has pitched 57 innings with the Barons, and he has a 1.42 ERA and a 2.72 FIP during that time. Although Schultz’s workload was limited, he took a major step in the right direction this season. Schultz is on track to become yet another excellent tall, left-handed pitcher — one of the few types of players the White Sox have had success developing.

Tommy Vail, another noteworthy lefty, did a mixture of starting and relief pitching. Vail, 25, posted a sparkling 1.49 ERA across 36 1/3 innings, although his walk rate (4.95 BB/9) was high, so his FIP (3.50) was not as spectacular. Regardless, Vail gave the Cannon Ballers and Dash some high-quality innings, and his long-term outlook certainly improved throughout the course of the season.

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DJ Gladney photo: Winston-Salem Dash