Former Lobo Gonzalez earns promotion to White Sox
Left-handed hitting outfielder joined Chicago from alternate training site
Luis Gonzalez’s climb to the major leagues was a quick one.
The Chicago White Sox promoted Gonzalez, a former University of New Mexico standout, from their alternate training site to their 40-man roster Monday.
It’s the first big-league call-up for the left-handed hitting outfielder, who joined the White Sox in time for Monday’s opener of a four-game home series against the Detroit Tigers. Gonzalez was not listed in Chicago’s starting lineup.
Gonzalez filled the roster spot of outfielder Adam Engel, who was placed on the injured/COVID-19 list Monday. It completed a quick rise for the 24-year-old Gonzalez, who was assigned to the White Sox’s alternate training site on July 14.
He was a third-round draft pick out of UNM in 2017 and played for the Double-A Birmingham (Alabama) Barons last season.
“Awesome,” UNM coach Ray Birmingham said of Gonzalez’s promotion. “I’m really happy for Luis. He’s competing at the highest talent level in the world three years after his last game in college. That’s impressive.”
Gonzalez earned All-American honors in his final season with the Lobos in 2017. He was a threeyear starter as both an outfielder and starting pitcher at UNM, where he posted a .354 career batting average with 201 hits and 117 walks in 158 career games. On the mound, Gonzalez had an 11-5 career record with a 4.57 earnedrun average.
An impressive combination of speed and power (75 extra-base hits) helped Gonzalez catch the eye of major league scouts, but Birmingham credits his father, Luis Gonzalez Sr., for keeping his son’s eye on the ball.
“When I got on Luis about something, his dad would hit him with
a second salvo,” Birmingham said. “He didn’t get away with anything and he really matured. Luis always had talent but talent alone is not enough to get you to the big leagues. You need a strong work ethic, and Luis got that from his father.”
A native of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, Gonzalez grew up in Tucson before coming to UNM. He hit a combined .269 in three minor league seasons with 25 home runs, 72 doubles and 145 RBIs in 310 career games.
Gonzalez is one of two former Lobos on active major league rosters, joining Minnesota Twins catcher Mitch Garver.
Ex-Lobos Sam Haggerty (Seattle Mariners) and Sam Wolff (San Francisco Giants) are currently assigned to their respective teams’ alternate training sites.