Sam Antonacci took a strike to begin his second-inning at-bat Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Chicago White Sox second baseman jumped on the next pitch, a changeup from opener Cole Sulser at the bottom of the zone, and looped a single to right field.
“Honestly no nerves at all, just felt like another AB to be honest,” Antonacci said. “He threw me a good changeup and thought my path was pretty good on it, just a little out in front and the ‘Windy City’ took a little bit of control there.
“Just was able to get the first one out of the way.”
Antonacci went 1-for-3 with a walk and one run in his major-league debut during an 8-3 loss to the Rays in front of 10,193 at Rate Field. It was their seventh defeat in the last nine games.
“It was a dream come true, to be honest,” Antonacci said. “Obviously not the end result. Pitching gave us a shot at the beginning, and then hit some balls hard as a group but couldn’t capitalize. Just ready for tomorrow already.”
The Sox selected Antonacci’s contract from Charlotte earlier Wednesday, one of four roster moves the team announced. The Sox recalled pitcher Tyler Gilbert from Charlotte, optioned pitcher Brandon Eisert to Charlotte and designated outfielder Dustin Harris for assignment.
In addition to the second-inning single, Antonacci grounded out to second in the fourth inning and back to pitcher Jesse Scholtens in the sixth. He walked leading off the ninth.
Sox manager Will Venable highlighted Antonacci’s defense, baserunning and at-bats while saying it was a “good day for Sam.”
“Exactly what we saw of him in spring training,” Venable said, “where it’s really quality at-bats, where he’s making good swing decisions, really grinding, fouling a number of balls off.
“You really feel like he’s got a presence out there at the plate.”
Antonacci, 23, is the second Sox prospect to reach the majors in as many days, following pitcher Noah Schultz’s debut in Tuesday’s 8-5 loss to the Rays.
Antonacci joins the Sox after slashing .313/.500/.479 (15-for-48) with two doubles, two home runs, seven RBIs, six runs, 15 walks and five stolen bases in 14 games with Charlotte.
“It’s exciting,” manager Will Venable said before Wednesday’s game. “Sam obviously has done a really good job throughout his minor-league career. Very clear identity of how he goes about it.
“He’s going to play extremely hard, control the zone, plays solid defense and run the bases extremely well. Excited to add his energy and his skill set to the group.”
Antonacci has played 11 games in left field, two at second base and one at third this season with Charlotte. While he was penciled in at second base Wednesday, Venable said Antonacci will mostly play left field.
“I’m comfortable wherever they put me,” Antonacci said before the game. “I take pride in that. Just being available in any which way I can.”
He made several strong defensive plays Wednesday, including diving while on the infield grass to field a hard-hit grounder by Junior Caminero in the fifth inning. Antonacci threw him out at first.
The Sox selected Antonacci in the fifth round of the 2024 draft out of Coastal Carolina. He has a .299/.445/.419 career slash line with 29 doubles, seven triples, seven home runs, 78 RBIs, 106 runs, 101 walks and 60 stolen bases in 153 games over three minor-league seasons.
“He made a strong impact right away,” Venable said of Antonacci’s time at major-league camp this spring. “I think the people who had been around him last year — I was not around him on a daily basis to watch him play in person, so he had not yet made that impact on me. He made that impact on me really from day one, the way he was going about his business.
“He made it tough out of camp. He did a lot of things to put himself in the mix there. Ultimately we didn’t go that direction, but here we are a couple weeks in, and he’s here. So, really excited to have him here, and he’s earned it.”
The Springfield native was a factor for Italy in the World Baseball Classic, starting six games for a team that reached the semifinals. His contributions included hitting a home run in a pool-play game against the United States.
“The WBC definitely helped prepare me for this opportunity,” Antonacci said. “And that’s one of the main reasons why I wanted to take that jump and play in it and leave spring training so I could be prepared for when my time came. You’re facing the best arms in the world in that tournament. And I think I’ve seen the best of the best and it’s going to help me continue to keep seeing pitches and playing my game.”
Antonacci is ranked as the No. 9 prospect in the Sox organization, according to MLB.com. He comes to the Sox with the mindset of “just not taking a play off on everything, no matter what the score dictates.”
“I might not be Shohei Ohtani or a unicorn like that,” Antonacci said, “but I use all the gifts and talents I have and give it all I got.”
He was glad to share the evening with family and friends.
“It means everything,” Antonacci said after the game. “They have jobs. It’s a three-hour drive for a lot of them. I think the most thing I’m proud of is all the sacrifices they made and all the money they have spent to help me be in this position today.”
Antonacci tried to soak in every aspect of the day and evening.
“That includes getting off the airplane and going about my business,” he said. “As much as I like to be even-keeled and my head on straight with the job at task, I needed to take a step back and really take it all in because I’m living out a dream I had when I was a little kid.”
